Associate Delivery Manager Ref. 3725

Job Description

Flexible working: we support full-time, part-time, compressed, and other flexible working patterns. Due to the nature of the role, opportunities for home or remote working are limited.

About us
MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing, and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you'll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

The role
As an Associate Delivery Manager, you’ll support the delivery of Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled and data driven products that contribute directly to protecting the UK. Working within multidisciplinary teams, you’ll help ensure that tools, platforms and services are delivered smoothly, securely and in ways that genuinely support analysts and operational colleagues.

You’ll work alongside experienced Delivery Managers, Product Leads, engineers and designers, helping organise work and helping keep delivery on track day to day. The role focuses on enabling teams to work effectively by coordinating activity, supporting Agile ways of working and helping identify and remove blockers as they arise. Over time, you’ll build confidence, judgement and experience within some of the most complex delivery environments in government.

Day to day, you’ll support Agile ceremonies, keep delivery boards and backlogs up to date, and track risks and dependencies. You’ll also help teams plan and prioritise work, coordinate across disciplines and support clear reporting that enables informed decision making.

Much of the work sits within the organisation’s growing AI and data landscape. You’ll support teams delivering mission services, data platforms and decision support tools, where security, ethics and operational robustness matter as much as pace and innovation. This offers a unique opportunity to learn how modern digital delivery works in sensitive, high impact contexts.

About you
You’re organised, proactive and motivated by helping teams deliver meaningful work. You may already have experience supporting delivery, coordination or project activity, or be stepping up from a role where you’ve helped plan, organise and keep work moving. What matters most is that you’re ready to build your delivery capability in a complex, mission driven environment.

Confidence working with others is important as is the ability to communicate clearly and manage competing priorities effectively. You’re comfortable raising risks or issues when work isn’t progressing as expected, and value good planning and transparent ways of working while remaining adaptable when priorities change.

An interest in digital, data or AI enabled work is important. You’re curious about how modern products and services are delivered, and keen to learn how multidisciplinary teams design, build and operate secure, reliable services. When working in sensitive environments, you understand the importance of accuracy and judgement, handle information responsibly and follow established processes that keep people and systems safe.

Above all, you’re motivated by learning and contribution, enjoy being part of a team and want to develop your skills in a role where the outcomes genuinely matter.

Training and development
We’re committed to supporting your development as a delivery professional and helping you build confidence in working within complex digital, data and AI environments. From day one, you’ll receive a structured induction to your team, the organisation and the delivery landscape you’ll be working in.

You’ll be supported by experienced Delivery Managers through coaching, feedback and opportunities to take on increasing responsibility as your capability grows. A buddy or peer support arrangement will help you settle in and build strong working relationships.

Your development will be supported through formal training and learning pathways aligned to the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework. This may include Agile delivery training, product and delivery management learning, and wider digital or data development opportunities. Alongside formal training, you’ll benefit from on the job learning, peer networks and a collaborative environment that encourages curiosity, reflection and continuous improvement.

As you progress, you’ll be supported to evidence your skills, grow your confidence and prepare for future roles, including progression into a Delivery Manager position if that’s something you wish to pursue.

Rewards and benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £60,358 plus other benefits including:

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• dedicated development budget
• interest-free season ticket loan
• excellent pension scheme
• cycle to work scheme
• facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• paid parental and adoption leave

Equal opportunities
At MI5 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website.

We’re Disability Confident
MI5 is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a fair and proportionate number of person-to-person interviews to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:

• you'll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses your ability to problem-solve
• demonstrable ability to build positive working relationships and work effectively as part of a team
• demonstrable ability to plan, prioritise and coordinate tasks
• demonstrate an interest in technology, digital products or data-driven work
• have a basic understanding of Agile or product-centric ways of working, or demonstrable transferable experience from team coordination, operations support or project assistance

There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best, visit our application process page for information on reasonable adjustments we can offer.

What to expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

1. An initial online application form including pre-screening questions to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
2. Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) rating the appropriateness of your responses to a series of short scenarios. The SJT tests criteria important for all roles in our organisation
3. In-person interview, assessing delivery experience, leadership capability and judgement aligned to the role
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before you apply
To work at MI5 you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Read about our eligibility criteria.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. Find out more about the vetting process.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practise and will help you manage your application with us more discretely.

The role is based in Central London so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.

We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel costs for candidates attending in person interviews or assessments during the recruitment and vetting process. Full details will be provided with your interview or assessment invitation.

Reimbursement is discretionary and will only be made in line with the Candidate Expenses Policy, as amended from time to time. Candidates must book their own travel, using the most economical option, and provide original hardcopy receipts for reimbursement.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

Right to withdraw statement:
Please be aware that we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.