Appointment details

Submarine Delivery Agency Non-Executive Director

Summary

• Organisation: Submarine Delivery Agency
• Sponsor department: Ministry of Defence
• Location: London
• Sectors: Defence
• Skills: Technology / Digital, Major Projects, Regulation, Transformation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 24 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £25,000 per annum
• Length of term: Three-Year Fixed Term
• Application deadline: 11:55pm on 8 October 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   3 September 2025

2. Application deadline

   11:55pm on 8 October 2025

3. Sifting date

   15 October 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   17 December 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Additional introductions

Message from Chief of Defence Nuclear (CDN), Madelaine McTernan CB

The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent is essential to our nation’s security and is Defence’s highest priority. The Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) is responsible for maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent; it is a cohesive network of organisations and arrangements that guarantees strategic deterrence. The DNE works together to deliver its shared mission: ensure nuclear capabilities, deter threats, and protect the nation and its interests.

As part of the DNE, the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) works in partnership with the Royal Navy, Defence Nuclear Organisation, and other components of the DNE to provide submarines to the Royal Navy, including those that are critical to sustaining our Deterrent. The SDA Advisory Board’s role is to support the executive team in effectively leading the organisation and delivering its outputs. The Board provides challenge, advice, support and effective governance. It also constructively scrutinises SDA performance on behalf of CDN.

We are seeking an exceptional individual to join the Board to help shape how the SDA delivers for the DNE and strengthens its position as a world-class delivery organisation. Whilst it carries the broad responsibilities of a Non-Executive Director, this role is especially focused on driving digital, AI, and technology transformation. You will help steer the SDA’s evolution into a secure, data-driven enterprise supporting the adoption of digital twin technology, AI-enabled decision-making, and scalable digital infrastructure. Your insight will be key in driving digital outcomes across defence and industry, and in helping the executive team embed a culture ready for tomorrow’s challenges.

You will challenge and inspire the SDA to drive change. You will have the resilience to engage on critical issues and the integrity to handle sensitive information. This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in safeguarding national security through strategic deterrence. If you have the skills and experience to make a difference, we encourage you to apply.

Appointment description

As part of its commitment to strong corporate governance and future-focused leadership, the SDA is seeking to appoint a new Non-Executive Director with deep expertise from across one of more of the following areas: digital, AI, and technology transformation.

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of the SDA at a time of profound technological and geopolitical change. The SDA is delivering one of the most complex engineering programmes in the world, and the arrival of the Dreadnought class submarine marks a generational shift—not just in capability, but in how defence platforms are designed, built, and sustained.

Dreadnought will be the UK’s first truly digital submarine, underpinned by digital twin technology, secure data architecture, and AI-enabled support systems. The successful candidate will bring senior leadership experience in digital transformation across large-scale public or private sector organisations, and will play a key role in coaching and mentoring the SDA’s Executive Team, helping to embed a culture of innovation, agility, and resilience.

As a member of the SDA Board, the Non-Executive Director will provide strategic challenge and support, monitoring performance and helping to drive organisational effectiveness. They will help shape how digital capability is deployed across the enterprise—from secure data aggregation and predictive maintenance to open architecture systems and AI integration. This is not a conventional NED role; it is a chance to influence the future of defence delivery, support the SDA’s mission-critical work, and help ensure the UK’s strategic deterrent remains credible, modern, and digitally enabled.

If you have the vision, experience, and commitment to help lead this transformation, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Organisation description

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) exists to deliver submarines to the Royal Navy for the defence of the nation. Every activity undertaken by the SDA is guided by this mission. Working as part of the DNE, our purpose unites us, inspires us, and motivates action. It ensures we never lose focus on the critical national endeavour we support.

Working together across the wider DNE, including with industry partners BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, and Babcock International, we are focused on delivering the means to strategically deter the most significant threats faced by the nation and our allies. We are responsible for submarines throughout their full lifecycle, including maintenance and disposal.

Our mission:

Safeguard deterrence by ensuring submarine availability.

• Lead the design and construction of all new UK submarines and, in partnership with our customers and suppliers, bring them into service

• Manage the delivery of the nuclear infrastructure needed to support the submarine fleet, including maintenance and new construction

• Safely dispose of submarines that are no longer in service

• Ensure we retain and develop the submarine technology base so that it meets our future requirements and retains capability advantage

• Support and fulfil our roles in international partnerships

• Develop the industrial base for the DNE

Our vision is to be recognised for excellence in submarine delivery. Our mission is to deliver available, capable submarines for the defence of the nation.

Board composition

As an advisory Board, the role of the SDA Board is to support the Executive Committee in effectively leading the organisation. It scrutinises performance, provides challenge and advice on strategy, maintains high standards of corporate governance, and ensures that appropriate controls are in place to manage risk.

Final decisions rest with the Chief Executive Officer, who remains directly accountable to the Chief of Defence Nuclear and the First Sea Lord.

The SDA Board is comprised of:

• An independent Non-Executive Chair

• A maximum of three Government Non-Executive Directors (NEDs)

• At least three independent NEDs

• The SDA Chief Executive Officer

• The SDA Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and,

• The SDA Deputy Chief Executive

It will also be routinely attended by the Shadow Board members and other members of the Executive Committee as required. The Board’s primary focus is on the efficiency and effectiveness of the SDA, its capacity and capability to meet its remit, and to ensure compliance with its Corporate Framework.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following essential criteria:

• A proven track record in leading or implementing large-scale digitally-enabled transformations within comparable environments, resulting in service enhancements and cost efficiencies - impacting people, processes, and technology

• Deep knowledge of at least one of the following (with an understanding of the others): cloud computing, data analytics, cyber security, and artificial intelligence

• Senior experience working in the field of digital, data and/or information at executive or board level within an organisation of comparable scale

• Substantial leadership experience across organisations forging collaborative relationships across stakeholders and supply chains

• Proven ability of overcoming technical and delivery challenges in implementing data governance, advanced analytics capabilities, and/or cybersecurity programmes

It is important that in your application you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of the above selection criteria. These responses will be developed and discussed with those candidates invited for interview.

Application and selection process

How to apply

To apply, please submit your application to responses@russellreynolds.com

Please send the following information by no later than 23:55 on the 8th of October 2025.

• Your CV, with educational and professional qualifications, and full employment history, including an explanation of any gaps in your employment history.

• A short supporting statement of no more than two A4 sized pages (1000 words) explaining why this appointment interests you and how you can evidence your suitability for the role, with direct reference to the criteria in the ‘Experience Required’ section.

• A diversity monitoring form. All applicants are invited to complete this information to assist the Civil Service with monitoring its recruitment process. All data is reported in an anonymous and aggregate format and will not be seen by anyone assessing your application.

• A declaration of interest form.

Please refer to the candidate pack to access the diversity monitoring form and declaration of interest form.

Please note that references and open-source due diligence checks (including into social media accounts) will be undertaken for all short-listed candidates.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. For further information on whether you are eligible to apply under this scheme, please follow the link.

MOD is an accredited ‘Disability Confident Employer’ under the government's Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations that have a positive commitment towards disabled people. We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, as outlined on page 7 of this pack. If you wish to claim a guaranteed interview, you should declare so at the point you submit your application.

Overview of the application process

The assessment process

1. The Approving Authority are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.
2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Approving Authority to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.
3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates should be recommended for interview. The Approving Authority will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist.
4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Approving Authority, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.
5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The names of all appointable candidates are provided to the Approving Authority. It is then for the Approving Authority to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, the Approving Authority may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.
6. The Panel’s recommendations will be provided to the Approving Authority in a report which details the assessment method used and the outcome of each interview. They will then be asked to agree on the candidate(s) who should be appointed.
7.  Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms and Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Panel Chair

David Goldstone - Interim Chair of SDA Board

Representative of the Organisation

Sir Chris Gardner – SDA Chief Executive Officer

Departmental Official

Charlie Forte - Enterprise Chief Information Officer

Independent Panel Member

Andrew Chalklin – Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Chief Information Officer and Executive Director, Security

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by the Approving Authority to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions

recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned. AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with the Approving Authority, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to the Approving Authority which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the Approving Authority to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

The role is open to sole UK Nationals only.

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact responses@russellreynolds.com

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. This will be specified in the vacancy details. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here 

The level of clearance required for this role is Developed Vetting (DV).

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

The Ministry of Defence value and welcome diversity. The appointment will be governed by the Principle of Public Appointment based on merit with independent assessment and transparency of process. Successful candidate will need to demonstrate that they meet the criteria for this appointment.

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and experience across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies/Advisory Committees are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda. We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘essential criteria', we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert. When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

Government departments are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of the Approving Authority. Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. If re- appointed, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years.

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy. If you feel that you have a complaint about the way in which your application has been handled, please contact in

the first instance Defence Business Service (DBS) Civilian Personnel Public Appointments Team DBSCivPers-ResPublicAppts@mod.gov.uk. If you are not completely satisfied with the response, please contact the MOD Public Appointments Team at HeadOffice-PublicBodiesandAppts@mod.gov.uk.

We will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and aim to provide a response within 5 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

The Ministry of Defence privacy policy can be found here

Russell Reynolds privacy policy can be found at this link Privacy Policy | Russell Reynolds Associates

Contact details

Recruitment Contact Details: responses@russellreynolds.com

Additional Information:

Please note that there will be a two stage interview process. The first interview stage will be scheduled for the week commencing 20th October 2025. If successful you will be invited for a second interview scheduled for 9th or 17th December 2025.

Full details of the process will be provided to shortlisted candidates. Recognising that there are a number of steps in the process, we will do our best to arrange the sessions in a way that works for you. We hope that this process will be conducted in face-to-face sessions, but if you need any adjustments, do let us know.

Attachments

• Candidate Information Pack