Harwell (Didcot), Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, Salford, Leicester
Occasional travel may be required.
Job Summary
UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is a Directorate within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. At the heart of UK efforts to explore and benefit from space, UKSA leads work to grow the UK’s world-class space sector and foster ground-breaking science and innovation.
Space is an extraordinary and exciting sector that impacts virtually all aspects of our lives. It is a high growth and high productivity area, where targeted Government investment stimulates innovation and creates highly skilled jobs. It is also experiencing disruptive change, with new technologies, business models and market entrants challenging the status quo. UKSA must be flexible and dynamic to ensure UK leadership in the new space age.
Portfolio Management
The Deputy Director for Portfolio Management will provide leadership of the Agency’s portfolios, including national and European Space Agency programmes, governance arrangements, financial planning, and space sector analysis. The role ensures that UKSA’s programmes, investments, and ESA commitments are prioritised, governed and delivered in a way that maximises value for money, strengthens UK capability, and supports the National Space Strategy.
The postholder will create a coherent, evidence‐driven, whole‐Agency portfolio view and lead the frameworks, governance and analytical insight that underpin strategic portfolio decision‐making. They will work across UKSA, DSIT, HMT, ESA and wider government to ensure the Agency’s portfolio is affordable, optimised, strategically aligned and supported by high‐quality financial and analytical capability.
The Deputy Director will be expected to oversee a suite of enabling services that underpin effective portfolio delivery across UKSA spanning governance, financial planning and analysis, analytical capability, and operational support. They will ensure the wider organisation has the systems, insight and support needed to deliver an optimised, affordable, and strategically aligned portfolio.
Job Description
As a deputy director in our new Agency the role holder will:

• Provide visible, inclusive leadership that motivates and empowers teams to deliver high performance. Build capability through coaching and development, ensure wellbeing and engagement, and create a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across the unit and its leadership team.
• Champion and embed the identity, purpose, and culture of the new unit by actively engaging staff and stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and promoting a clear vision of its strategic role. Ensure the unit is recognised as a trusted, high-performing partner across government and industry, driving confidence in its mission and delivering measurable impact.
  

As Deputy Director Portfolio Management they will specifically be responsible for:

• Portfolio Management: Lead UKSA’s portfolio management and analysis functions, ensuring programmes and investments are prioritised, governed, and delivered to maximise value for money and strengthen UK capability. Lead frameworks, governance, and analytical insight that underpin strategic decision-making.
• Portfolio Definition: Work with the Strategy Deputy Director to turn strategic priorities and our spending envelope into a deliverable, risk-managed portfolio of programmes and projects, ensuring effective implementation, monitoring, and reporting against agreed objectives.
• ESA delivery: Lead the delivery and management of ESA operations and portfolio management functions, ensuring alignment with Agency priorities. Note that ESA policy and engagement functions will be led by the International Team.
• Governance: Oversee UKSA’s governance framework, ensuring effective boards, risk management, compliance, and alignment with Government Functional Standards.
• Financial Planning & Analysis: Lead multi-year financial planning, budgeting, and in-year control, delivering insight for investment decisions and ensuring affordability.
• Analysis: Direct UKSA’s analytical and economic functions, ensuring rigorous evidence, modelling, and appraisal underpin decisions and ministerial advice.
• Operational Support: Oversee UKSA’s business support and executive assistant function, ensuring it provides a quality service to leaders and the business.
  

Other Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with statutory and legal provisions as set out in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's policies and procedures. Particularly in relation to: Financial Regulations, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, Health and Safety, Civil Service Code, Data Protection & the Official Secrets Act.
• Comply with the competencies and standard requisites as relevant to your post as detailed in your job description, person specification and Competency Framework and take responsibility for continuing self-development, participating in training and development activities as required or requested by your line manager.
• Attend meetings as required some of which may be outside normal working hours.
  

The above tasks and responsibilities are neither inclusive nor exhaustive. The post holder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the SCS2 role name and/or senior officer(s) within the grading level of the post and the competence of the post holder.
As a deputy director in our new Agency the role holder will:

• Provide visible, inclusive leadership that motivates and empowers teams to deliver high performance. Build capability through coaching and development, ensure wellbeing and engagement, and create a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across the unit and its leadership team.
• Champion and embed the identity, purpose, and culture of the new unit by actively engaging staff and stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and promoting a clear vision of its strategic role. Ensure the unit is recognised as a trusted, high-performing partner across government and industry, driving confidence in its mission and delivering measurable impact.
  

As Deputy Director Portfolio Management they will specifically be responsible for:

• Portfolio Management: Lead UKSA’s portfolio management and analysis functions, ensuring programmes and investments are prioritised, governed, and delivered to maximise value for money and strengthen UK capability. Lead frameworks, governance, and analytical insight that underpin strategic decision-making.
• Portfolio Definition: Work with the Strategy Deputy Director to turn strategic priorities and our spending envelope into a deliverable, risk-managed portfolio of programmes and projects, ensuring effective implementation, monitoring, and reporting against agreed objectives.
• ESA delivery: Lead the delivery and management of ESA operations and portfolio management functions, ensuring alignment with Agency priorities. Note that ESA policy and engagement functions will be led by the International Team.
• Governance: Oversee UKSA’s governance framework, ensuring effective boards, risk management, compliance, and alignment with Government Functional Standards.
• Financial Planning & Analysis: Lead multi-year financial planning, budgeting, and in-year control, delivering insight for investment decisions and ensuring affordability.
• Analysis: Direct UKSA’s analytical and economic functions, ensuring rigorous evidence, modelling, and appraisal underpin decisions and ministerial advice.
• Operational Support: Oversee UKSA’s business support and executive assistant function, ensuring it provides a quality service to leaders and the business.
  

Other Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with statutory and legal provisions as set out in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's policies and procedures. Particularly in relation to: Financial Regulations, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, Health and Safety, Civil Service Code, Data Protection & the Official Secrets Act.
• Comply with the competencies and standard requisites as relevant to your post as detailed in your job description, person specification and Competency Framework and take responsibility for continuing self-development, participating in training and development activities as required or requested by your line manager.
• Attend meetings as required some of which may be outside normal working hours.
  

The above tasks and responsibilities are neither inclusive nor exhaustive. The post holder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the SCS2 role name and/or senior officer(s) within the grading level of the post and the competence of the post holder.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
We are looking for candidates who can confidently demonstrate the below criteria, while also Demonstrating the technical competencies set out in the Project Delivery Capability Framework for the SCS1 Portfolio Director role found HERE

• Senior Leadership - Proven track record of successfully leading teams at a senior level, with the capability to set a clear strategic path, inspire and motivate multi-disciplinary teams, and efficiently oversee operational support functions.
• Stakeholder Influence: Extensive experience providing high-quality, authoritative advice to Ministers and senior stakeholders, with a track record of successfully navigating and influencing decision-making at the highest levels of government or external organisations.
• Portfolio Governance : Proven experience delivering complex, large-scale portfolios or investment programmes, that align with organisational and national priorities. Including maintaining strong governance structures, executing comprehensive risk mitigation, and balancing competing budgetary priorities and delivering value for money.
• Evidence-Based Decision Making: Strong capability in strategic planning, investment appraisal, and evidence-based decision-making to optimise resource allocation, manage portfolio-level prioritisation, and realise benefits across competing demands.
• Technical Capability: Outstanding interpersonal and negotiation skills bringing credibility and building trusted relationships in national and international forums, paired with the ability to understand complex technical issues quickly.
  

Desirable Criteria
Solid experience in policy and ministerial decision-making processes, particularly regarding how these drive and are supported by public-sector portfolio management or central government functions (such as HMT, Cabinet Office, or equivalent corporate bodies).
A strong understanding of government investment in R&D, emerging technologies, or experience working with international research organisations, large-scale public investment portfolios, or international bodies (such as ESA).
Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £24,914 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead.
You’ll Benefit From a Wide Range Of Training And Development Opportunities, Regular Performance And Development Reviews To Ensure This Development Is Ongoing. As a Civil Service Employee, You’ll Be Entitled To a Large Range Of Benefits. This Includes:
Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance
25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays and one day’s leave for the King's birthday.
Pension
A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
Flexible Working
Flexible working patterns and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.
Parental Leave
Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.
Season Ticket & Bicycle Loan
Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
Onsite Facilities
The opportunity to use onsite facilities including staff canteens (where applicable).
Sick Pay
Occupational sick pay.
Any move to DSIT from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period. Senior Civil Servant (SCS) staff are expected to aim for closer to 60% of the time at an office or non-home based location over the accounting period.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Application Process

• SHORTLIST
  

To apply for this role, please submit the following on CS Jobs no later than, 23:55 on Monday 17th August 2026:

• A CV detailing your career history, key responsibilities, and achievements.
• A Statement of Suitability (max. 1,250 words) outlining how your skills, qualities, and experience demonstrate your suitability for the role. Please refer specifically to the essential criteria in the person specification and the Project Delivery Capability Framework for the SCS1 Portfolio Director role found HERE.
  

Failure to complete both sections of the online application form (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say’. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information.
Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which a decision is expected to be made, and all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

• ASSESSMENT
  

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a Staff Engagement Exercise and Individual learning Assessment in advance of the final panel interview. This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.
Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity.
For further information regarding the assessments please visit - https://scs-assessments.co.uk/ .
Shortlisted candidates can request an informal conversation about the role with the vacancy holder, Rebecca Evernden. This discussion does not form part of the assessment.

• INTERVIEW
  

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.
As part of the process there may be assessment of skills either by a presentation or simulated exercise with follow up questions. Full details of the requirements will be given to shortlisted candidates ahead of their interview.

• SELECTION AND FEEDBACK
  

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible, and will offer the opportunity to discuss feedback for all candidates who reached interview. A reserve list will be held for up to 12 months, which we may use to fill future suitable vacancies.
EXPECTED TIME LINE
We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for assessments or interviews. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, to meet the dates given.
Please note that these dates are only indicative may be subject to change. If you anticipate any difficulties attending, please alert scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk upon application.
The Anticipated Timetable Is As Follows:
Advert Closing date: 23:55, Monday 17th August
Shortlist: W/C 31st August
Assessments: W/C 14 September
Panel Interviews: W/C 28th September
It is expected that interviews will be conducted in-person in London, however this will be confirmed during the shortlisting process and successful candidates will be informed accordingly.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Reserve lists
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitable vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview.
Further Information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Complaints
Civil Service Commission Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :

• Name : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
  

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk