Deputy Chief of Staff

Do you want to work on one or the most exciting transformation projects in the public sector?

The Defence Housing Service (DHS) is being created through the Armed Forces Bill to deliver a step-change in housing for the UK’s Armed Forces and their families following the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy on 3 November 2025, which marked the most significant change to Armed Forces housing in over 50 years. DHS will bring a dedicated focus to improving the homes, communities and lived experience of Service personnel, placing families firmly at the heart of everything it does.

This is one of the most ambitious housing transformation programmes in the UK today. Backed by a £9.2 billion investment, DHS will modernise tens of thousands of homes, introduce a more proactive and customer-focused approach to maintenance, and unlock new opportunities to develop housing on Defence land. DHS will have the focus and agility to deliver change at pace, combining public service values with greater flexibility to build the skills, systems and partnerships needed for the future.

This is a rare opportunity to be part of shaping its culture, influencing how it works, and helping deliver lasting improvements for Service families across the UK.

The Defence Housing team is currently part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), who respond to the evolving needs of our military personnel, and the ways in which they live, work, train and deploy. We are proud to be the expert partner Defence needs for all their infrastructure requirements. From large scale infrastructure projects such as runways for the F35 fighter jets to net carbon-zero accommodation for our Service families, our activities focus relentlessly on our customers, and our outputs are unique in the UK and across the globe!

DIO , What we deliver every day.

The future delivery model for this team is currently under review and may change as part of potential organisational developments. This could include the team or function transferring to a different employer or organisational structure in the future. Should activities transfer out of the Ministry of Defence existing employees transferring with those activities will maintain the same, or substantially the same, terms and conditions of employment.

This is a high-profile senior leadership role at the heart of the Defence Housing Service (DHS), providing strategic leadership across the Chief Executive's and Board Chair's private office, board and executive governance, corporate risk and assurance, and the wider corporate support functions that enable DHS to operate with pace, confidence and effective oversight.

As Deputy Chief of Staff, you will act as the senior integrator of the Chief Executive's priorities, establishing the strategic direction and operating rhythm for the organisation and ensuring the Chief Executive, Board Chair, Executive Committee, Board and its Committees receive high-quality governance, briefing, assurance and decision support through a network of functional leads.

Working closely with the Chief Executive, Board Chair, Chief of Staff, Executive Directors and senior MOD and sponsor stakeholders, you will help shape and coordinate the organisation's forward agenda, ensuring key decisions, commissions, stakeholder priorities and emerging issues are effectively managed and aligned to strategic objectives.

The role provides strategic leadership across corporate governance, risk and assurance, business management and private office functions. You will set the framework for delivery, commission and challenge work through functional leads, assure the quality of outputs, and ensure issues are escalated and resolved through the appropriate senior decision-making channels.

What you'll be doing

• Lead the private office, governance, business management, risk and assurance functions, ensuring a coherent corporate centre aligned to organisational priorities.

• Set strategic direction and priorities across corporate support functions, driving delivery, continuous improvement and high professional standards.

• Act as Deputy Chief of Staff, coordinating executive priorities, governance rhythms, key commissions, risks and stakeholder issues.

• Oversee cross-organisational priorities, bringing together teams to resolve issues, unblock delivery and ensure progress against strategic objectives.

• Provide strategic support and advice to the Chief Executive, Board Chair and Executive Committee on governance, decision-making and organisational performance.

• Ensure effective planning, coordination and delivery of business across directorates, aligning activity to executive and board priorities.

• Represent the organisation at senior meetings, exercising delegated authority where appropriate and influencing key stakeholders.

• Provide oversight of Executive Committee priorities, ensuring risks, dependencies and decisions are effectively managed.

• Lead the organisation's approach to governance, accountability and assurance, promoting effective stewardship and transparency.

• Support the Board and its Committees by ensuring high-quality governance, scrutiny and decision-making processes.

• Champion a strong risk and assurance culture, ensuring effective risk management, internal controls and continuous improvement.

• Lead and develop a high-performing team, fostering collaboration, inclusivity and professional excellence.

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

1. Substantial experience operating at senior leadership level in a complex public sector, government or similarly regulated environment, with the ability to translate strategic priorities into coherent delivery.
2. Proven experience of leading and line managing senior functional leads and multi-disciplinary teams, setting direction, building capability, resolving priorities and creating an inclusive, high-performing culture.
3. Substantial experience leading corporate governance, private office, board secretariat, business management, risk or assurance functions, including working directly with Boards, senior executives and senior stakeholders on complex and sensitive matters.
4. Strong judgement, political awareness and diplomacy, with experience of handling confidential, ambiguous or high-profile issues and providing clear, balanced advice to senior decision-makers.
5. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, experience of working with senior officials, Non-Executive Directors, Boards, committees and operational colleagues.
6. Highly collaborative and credible with senior stakeholders, able to influence, challenge constructively, build trust and secure alignment across organisational boundaries.

Whilst this role is advertised as a full-time position of 37 hours per week, we recognise the benefits of flexible working and are open to discussing part-time hours, job share arrangements, or other flexible working patterns with suitable candidates. Regular in-person attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role. Dependent on the business need, there may be a requirement to travel to meetings within the UK.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

• 25 days’ annual leave plus one day a year up to 30 days after five years, and eight bank holidays
• An extra day off to honour the sovereign’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working wherever possible to support your work-life balance - attending site a few days each week will be required and encouraged, depending on your role and team.
• Market-leading employer pension contribution of around 28.97%
• Enhanced parental leave schemes
• Recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts – plus more!

The post does not offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

Job contact :

• Name : NAD Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : NAD-TalentAcquisition@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : NAD-TalentAcquisition@mod.gov.uk

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