Findings indicate that Senior Responsible Owners (SROs), accountable for substantial projects within the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), are frequently appointed without any formal qualifications in project management and often serve in a part-time capacity.
SROs are entrusted with overseeing key MOD procurement and development programmes such as Ajax, Dreadnought, and the future combat air system.
Notably, many of these pivotal roles are filled by senior military officers, appointed primarily based on their experience, regardless of whether they hold formal project management credentials.
This practice was initially questioned by the Public Accounts Committee in 2021, issuing a warning about potential taxpayer money wastage. More recently, Member of Parliament Kevan Jones sought further information on this matter through several Parliamentary Questions (PQs).
A particular response provided an enlightening perspective on the selection criteria: “The Infrastructure and Projects Authority Capability framework for SROs identifies typical qualifications and professional memberships but these are not mandated…On appointment, SROs are expected to complete the Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA) if they have not already done so.”
This response confirmed that SROs are primarily appointed based on their experience. It was also revealed that “three current GMPP SROs were appointed based on experience alone but have since undertaken or are undertaking formal training.”
The MPLA, an 18-month course, is often suggested for SROs after their appointment. However, data suggests that SRO roles are seldom full-time, with some allocating only a small fraction of their time to a specific project.
The MOD maintains that SROs are not vital for day-to-day project management, asserting that this role is performed by project managers appointed by the SRO. However, the Ajax project in 2021 presented a contrasting viewpoint.
Kevan Jones said about this issue:
“
In the private sector, multi-million, multi-year projects are led by people with years of experience and qualifications in project management. There is no doubt that senior responsible owners in the Ministry of Defence are well-meaning and committed individuals. But their short-term nature and inexperience is leading to often poor procurement practises and wastage of British taxpayers’ money.”
In an effort to address the issues with the Ajax project, the MOD appointed David Williams, a full-time, qualified civil servant, thereby emphasising the importance of a full-time, qualified SRO for
effective project delivery.
As of 1 March, the average tenure of current SROs is 20 months, a span considerably shorter than the median programme length of 77 months. This discrepancy may indicate a potential disconnect between the tenure of SROs and the lifespan of the projects they oversee.
The MOD’s SRO appointment process, which currently places more emphasis on experience than qualifications, could potentially explain the recurrent challenges in defence procurement.
Moving forward, it may be beneficial to reassess the criteria for such critical appointments, aligning them more closely with project durations and ensuring that appointees possess the necessary qualifications for efficient project management.