IT Application Project Manager Ref. 1403

Whatever your role at MI5, you’ll be contributing to protecting the UK from threats to national security including terrorism and espionage. We currently need IT Application Project Managers to work within our Information Technology group.

The Role

MI5 offers the opportunity to work on unusual technical challenges not faced by other organisations in the UK. We need Project Managers to plan and run these projects to create or upgrade our bespoke IT software solutions. These projects enhance, or build new MI5 capability to find and manage intelligence. In this role the systems you work on can have an impact across all of MI5’s investigative and analytical business.

Our projects are developed in-house as part of our large engineering department, so you will have the opportunity to run a wide variety projects in any given year. This is an opportunity to lead work on next generation digital intelligence processing platforms - potentially using the latest big data technologies, machine learning technologies, or open source products.

This is an exciting role where your team will be combatting new challenges with ambitious delivery targets, particularly once your new software has shown the ability to be a key source of intelligence.


Key Responsibilities

• Manage one or more projects at a time, including: defining, planning, running and closing out the project
• Establish project terms of reference, procedures and controls
• Lead, motivate and instruct members of your project team (including Business Analysts, Developers, Architects and Business Change staff), who may be geographically disparate, to complete tasks that will further delivery and solve challenges for your customers
• Produce detailed project documentation including objectives, milestones, costings and risks
• Measure project progress and report this to managers and programme boards, keeping the project on track against time, quality and cost metrics
• Work closely with key stakeholders, organisational partners and suppliers
• Prioritise work while keeping a balance of customer demands and strategic technical objectives
• Recognise where systems need to integrate and collaborate with system owners to ensure integration is successful, using testing and risk mitigation

The Person

We are looking for individuals with a proven track record of leading teams made up of a mixture of roles and experience levels to deliver large, challenging projects.

It is essential to have demonstrable experience of using a recognised project management methodology to deliver projects to time, cost and quality constraints while meeting customers’ expectations and requirements. Because of the pace and level of autonomy required to succeed in this role, you must be able to demonstrate the ability to work independently and under your own initiative.

You will need a formal qualification in Project Management (such as PRINCE2, or from APM). Ideally you will also be familiar with common development best practices, particularly Agile and Scrum. Additional qualifications (such as Programme Management or Risk Management) would be desirable, as would affiliation or registration with a professional body.


Recruitment Process

The first thing we will ask you to do is complete our pre-screening questions to find out if you meet our initial criteria. If you do meet these criteria we will then ask you to begin an application.

You will need to create a log in and provide your full name, email address and a memorable password. Once you have successfully created a personal account, you will be required to complete an initial registration form, providing contact details and equal opportunities monitoring information.

You will then be invited to upload your CV and complete an online application form. Our recruitment team will conduct a sift of your application. Successful applicants will be invited to a telephone interview, which will include some competency based questions and will explore your motivation to work for MI5.

Assuming you pass the telephone interview, you will be invited to attend a competency based face to face interview to further explore your skills. If you are successful, you will be required to attend an additional face to face interview at MI5. This will be followed by a security interview with a vetting officer. You should read about the vetting process and satisfy yourself that you meet the criteria outlined in the vetting pages of the How to Apply section prior to submitting an application.

Giving misleading information or omitting or concealing information during the recruitment and vetting process is viewed very seriously. You should ensure that you follow our guidance from when you apply.


Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme we offer an interview to all candidates with a disability who meet our minimum criteria for the job vacancy that they are applying for. This is known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS).

Along with the standard eligibility requirements for this post, your application will be assessed on how far you meet the job requirements. Your application must score the minimum amount of points set. On successful completion of this stage, you will be invited to interview. This will normally be a telephone interview and is our guaranteed interview.


Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to apply, you must meet our residency criteria. You must be a born or naturalised British citizen and one of your parents must be a British citizen or have substantial ties to the UK.

Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for nine out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. However, we will still consider you if you’ve served overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of Her Majesty’s Government, studied abroad, or lived overseas with your parents.

Due to vetting requirements you will need to be 18 years old, or above, to apply. Your application may take around six months to process.

Owing to the sensitivity of our work, we do not publicly disclose the identities of our staff. Discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

The Security Service is committed to reflecting both equal opportunities and the society we protect.