About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Do you enjoy a varied and interesting workload?

Are you seeking an opportunity to develop in the realm of contract management?

If so, we have an exciting development opportunity to join our Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) and South Eastern Market team, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

Our team sits within Passenger Services Directorate that provides industry leadership for the shape and direction of the outputs from Britain's railway. We are responsible for ensuring the successful development, specification and procurement of rail services and the day-to-day management of National Rail Contracts. 

We are committed to putting passengers at the heart of what we do, ensuring passengers get the services they need and deserve, taxpayers get value for money, and as a country, we maximise the benefits leveraged from investment in our railways.

As Assistant Contract Manager, you will play a key role in supporting our Contract and Commercial Managers. You will lead on defined areas of work, take ownership of a range of administrative duties, processes, outputs and outcomes.

In this role you will have the opportunity to build relationships with our industry partners, including train operating companies (TOC), to ensure compliance against contractual commitments and the realisation of benefits from the National Rail Contracts.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience in stakeholder management as well as developing your contract management capability.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

Your key responsibilities will include

• Supporting our commercial and contract management team in the effective management of contractual agreements, gaining an understanding of the operator’s business and key markets served.
• Executing best practice in contract management and compliance methodologies, securing and collating appropriate evidence and data from TOCs and other suppliers so that delivery and compliance of contract commitments is assured.
• Independently analysing and processing appropriate changes and derogations to contractual agreements and securing authorities through written papers where required.
• Building and maintaining relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers and managing Ministerial briefings and event logistics.
• Maintaining our Contract Management Toolkit and filing system, ensuring a comprehensive and accurate record of contract management documentation.
• Developing and maintaining risk registers and compiling period dashboard reports to demonstrate the financial, operational and other key status indices of external suppliers.
• Managing the regular programme of meetings with external partners and Departmental reporting processes.
• Taking minutes of external meetings and tracking actions to completion, and providing general support to the Contract Management Team, which may include an element of admin support for senior leaders.

Person specification

About you

You will display excellent interpersonal skills to build positive relationships with train operators, team members and across the Department.

You will demonstrate excellent planning and organisational skills, the capability to handle a reactive and varied workload and will take a proactive approach to delivering results. You will be highly motivated, enjoy taking the initiative and positively adapt to changing priorities.

You will be proficient with Microsoft Office software, especially Outlook, Word and Excel.

You will have the capability to develop an understanding of contractual drivers to consider financial, legal and commercial implications, and the ability to complete the Contract Management Capability Programme (CMCP) and achieve the accreditation at Foundation level, once in the role.

Additional Information 

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 28 hours per week.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

How to apply

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV and personal statement (maximum word count 500) to provide evidence of the following:

• Experience of building effective working relationships with team members or a range of stakeholders.
• Experience of providing administrative support and managing a busy workload with competing priorities.

The sift is due to take place from the 18th of April 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from the week commencing the 20th of May 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview.
• Online Test. 

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 17/04/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.