About the job

Job summary

The Air Commercial Team is a Front-Line Commercial Branch, a part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Commercial Function and the Government Commercial Function (GCF). We are embedded within the Royal Air Force (RAF) operating out of Headquarters Air Command (based at RAF High Wycombe) with regional representation primarily situated at RAF Cosford and RAF Leeming. A fast-tempo, strategic and progressive Military Headquarters, the Air Commercial Team deliver innovative commercial solutions and maximum value for the RAF. 

This is a hugely exciting time to be joining Air Commercial. Through our continued transformation and investment in people, processes, and relationships we are seeing increasing demand for our support across the whole of the commercial lifecycle to deliver technologically pioneering capability and support services for the RAF.

We play a vital role in supporting Defence outputs by contracting across a diverse portfolio of requirements from Space Command to digital demand, helping aircraft take off and safely land, from trialling warfighting capabilities to training our new recruits. 

The delivery teams within Air Commercial are responsible for the management of circa 300 contracts with a total combined value of £3.6Bn. Responsibilities include, Contract Management for complex and high value requirements, contractual solutions for Major Programmes and procurement activity in support of the Command and all RAF stations.   

Air Commercial has a wide stakeholder base, with regular interaction to ensure commercial strategies deliver the capabilities required by the Command. This is a highly responsive area with opportunities to develop and grow rapidly within a supportive environment. 

We are passionate about delivering great things for our customers. But we also know you will have a life outside of work; we respect your priorities, and our industry leading flexible working practices will give you real freedom to balance work and life.  
 
We employ talented people who challenge and guide each other. At Air Commercial you will work within a highly capable team who will support you to develop your skills, knowledge and experience. 

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The post holder will provide a prompt and efficient commercial service in accordance with Public Procurement Law, departmental policy and best practice, whilst delivering best value for money.  
 
The Air Commercial Team provides the ideal platform to develop an understanding of the procurement and commercial processes within the MOD and includes areas such as sourcing, contract management, supplier management and category management, all to meet the customers’ needs.  

 Main responsibilities 

• Line Management responsibilities of Commercial Officers within the wider team.
• Investigation and research of new procurement requirements, determining routes to market, carrying out early market engagement and producing commercial strategies. 
• Participate in procurement activities from advertising new requirements, Pre-Qualifying Questionnaires, drafting and issuing Invitation to Tender documentation and evaluation of bids through to contract award.
• Stakeholder management; this role requires working closely with requirement owners/customers.
• Management of service contracts primarily within the Category D remit (below £20M), working closely with stakeholders and contractors and resolving any contentious or problematic issues.
• Attending contract review / governance meetings at defined periods in accordance with the Contract Management Plan. 
• Provide letters, briefs, reports and statistics for project and senior management as required.  
• Production and maintenance of contract documentation, management of records, performance metrics.  
• Build and maintain, appropriate effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including Military and non-Military customers and Defence Suppliers.   
• Keeping abreast of departmental commercial policy and procedural and administration directives, and to apply that information accordingly. 
• Administer internal Management Information’s Systems and ensure records and data are up to date and correct and that policy is adopted and applied accordingly.
• Maintain and improve levels of competence by implementing a personal development plan, reflecting the necessary training requirements associated with the post. 

 Air Commercial is part of the Commercial Customer Delivery Directorate encompassing six distinct Commercial teams located around the UK, delivering critical commercial outcomes directly to military and non-military customers across the Defence portfolio as part of the wider Defence Commercial function.

Although this post is advertised for a role in Air Commercial, should there be more successful applicants than currently required we will establish a Merit List that may be used to offer successful applicants the opportunity to fulfil similar commercial vacancies in the Commercial Customer Delivery Directorate teams based at various locations across the UK and may not necessarily be the same as those stipulated in this particular advert. 

Person specification

Essential 

• Studying towards CIPS level 4 or above or must be willing to complete CIPS Level 4 within 18 months of joining Air Commercial and sit an accreditation panel to become a qualified Commercial Officer at the practitioner level.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining stakeholder relationships.
• Will undertake travel to relevant MOD Locations on occasion.

 Desirable

• Public sector procurement experience.
• Previous experience in commercial is desirable but not essential, full training will be provided to the successful candidate.
• A background in Project or Financial Management will be useful in adapting to the role.
• Problem solving and balancing multiple requirements will be of benefit in the role as will the ability to plan and prioritise at short notice.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,528 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Applicants must  ensure that their evidence is presented using the  S.T.A.R  (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format  and demonstrates the behaviours detailed at the HEO level in the Civil Service Success Profiles – Civil Service Behaviours booklet.   Comprehensive coverage on Success Profiles can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles  

 At Application you will be assessed against the following:

Experience - you are required to submit a CV using the template provided on the CS Jobs dashboard, detailing job history, full qualifications, previous experience and skills.

A 750-word Statement of Suitability.

You will also be assessed against the following behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted assessing the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.  

At both sift and interview stages you will be assessed on the behaviours listed above.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Should more than one candidate be found successful at interview a reserve list will be held open for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.