About us
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-13)

“A project can’t be delivered by just one person. We need to build strong, flexible, professional and capable teams.” - Nick Smallwood (Head of Project Delivery Function)

What is the Government Project Delivery Profession?

Thousands of projects are carried out each year across government to improve the UK’s infrastructure, transform public services, safeguard national security and boost international trade. Almost all government policy is delivered through projects or programmes of one form or another.

Working across government to deliver these projects is a thriving community of around 14,000 project delivery professionals. Our professionals work as project, programme and portfolio managers or in specialist roles such as risks and issues managers and project planners.

A career in the Government Project Delivery Profession enables you to make a difference; improving our public services while building and developing your professional skills. Your pathway through government project roles could take you from climate change projects to building new hospitals or schools to equipping our armed forces. The variety and significance of roles is unparalleled.

Working in Project Delivery

Our mission is to attract and retain the best individuals: provide a rewarding career, support continuous professional development and shape our community that you can all feel inspired by. You can learn more about our latest recruitment campaigns on the Civil Service Careers Website (https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/professions/working-in-government-project-delivery-2/), and find opportunities to join our continually evolving cross-government community.

Project Delivery Career Pathways

We’ve developed and continue to oversee the Project Delivery Capability Framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/project-delivery-capability-framework-for-civil-servants). It’s been created to support the development of all project delivery professionals in government. It contains 3 main elements: ‘career pathways’ that set out job roles in the profession, technical and behavioural competencies aligned to these roles and a section to help you find the right development for you.

Learning and Development

We’re focused on increasing and improving our learning offer for everyone working in project delivery. We aim for you to have:
- Access to development opportunities, regardless of location, department or role.
- A balance between classroom based, online and practical peer to peer learning.
- The skills, knowledge and experience you need to deliver projects and programmes in the most efficient and effective way possible.
- A satisfying, rewarding and diverse career.
- The chance to contribute to making the UK Civil Service the best performing project system in the world.
Leadership Programmes

We offer a number of world class development programmes to support the growth of Project Delivery leadership skills.

Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA)

Delivered by Oxford Said Business School (OSBS), the MPLA supports Senior Civil Servants leading the most complex government projects to develop their skills as major project leaders. The programme offers the opportunity to accelerate personal and professional development. Through world class academic content and access to a network of colleagues and alumni who provide real world insights participants are equipped with the expertise they need to understand why projects fail and what they can do to lead them to success.

Project Leadership Programme (PLP)

PLP is an Association for Project Management (APM) accredited programme, delivered by Cranfield University School of Management, PA Consulting and The Project Academy. The aim of the programme is to develop project leadership skills across the public sector by providing project leaders with an understanding of expert academic theory combined with practical hands-on learning supported by coaching.

Orchestrating Major Projects (OMP)

OMP is also delivered by OSBS and it targeted at our most senior leaders and decision makers. Those who influence the wider project operating environment and lead portfolios of change. During the programme participants gain insights to help them to make tough strategic decisions about their portfolios and to enable project success.

For more information or to request a brochure please email (xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx))

Fast Stream and Apprentices

From their first day in the job, our Fast Streamers and Apprentices work on delivering projects which offer the opportunity to make a real difference in our communities.

The Project Delivery Fast Stream (https://www.faststream.gov.uk/project-delivery/) is a 4 year scheme to develop our future project leaders. Open to both external applicants with a 2:2 degree or internal applicants without a degree. Applications are usually open during September & October each year (please see the website for exact dates).

Our apprenticeships are aligned to the Level 4 Associate Project Manager Apprenticeship (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/associate-project-manager/) Vacancies are advertised on Civil Service Jobs (https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi). If you’re an existing civil servant and interested in becoming an apprentice you should speak with your line manager/Project Delivery capability team in your department.

Function and Governance

We maintain the Project Delivery Standard (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/746400/Project_Delivery_Standard_1.2.pdf) that is followed by all Government projects. Our standard sets out expectations for the direction and management of public sector portfolios, programmes and projects. The standard is designed to ensure value for money and the successful, timely and cost effective delivery of government policy and business objectives.