About the job

Job summary

Building a strong Commercial Function in Government, and with it the right commercial capability, is at the heart of a far-reaching programme of Civil Service reform.

We are building a cadre of commercial talent in all Government departments; people who can manage our commercial portfolios, who can lead our most complex and novel programmes and projects, people who have the gravitas and depth of experience to work alongside our policy and operational leaders to develop innovative commercial arrangements, whether through joint ventures, outsourcing or best-in-class contracts.

The Government Commercial Organisation is an employer which is truly committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and are able to perform to their potential. We understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and strive for a workplace that reflects the communities which we serve. We especially welcome applications from underrepresented groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with a disability and candidates with gender-diverse identities. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

We have already made significant progress through the establishment of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), our single employer of senior commercial talent across government. This role will sit within the GCO, but based in our HO commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

The primary responsibility for the role is to commercially manage 3 Gold and Silver contracts worth close to £0.5bn that support the production and delivery of UK passports. This is a fast paced, high profile and complex environment.  The services and related contracts are critical in the end-to-end delivery of passports and their associated activity and are subject to Ministerial scrutiny and sensitivity.

The role is a key member of the Commercial Customer Services leadership team and is required to work collaboratively with other Commercial leaders and the SCS1, in the team. They are required to coach and lead a team of civil servants and interims. 

The role is responsible for representing the Commercial Business Partner Team in Senior meetings with stakeholders and suppliers, managing risks, and giving robust and trusted advice as well ensuring all data is up to date and accurate, and ensuring timely responses to Commercial Freedom of Information requests and Parliamentary Questions.

The role requires a commercial professional who has experience of monitoring supplier performance and actioning remedies where SLAs/Obligations are missed, and ensuring an audit trail to safeguard the Authority where the Supplier is at fault.

The role has a high amount of complex change control with the need to ensure the stakeholders engage early and seek commercial advice to balance cost with delivery and within realistic timeframes for the commercial process.

The role requires experience of Exit/Mobilisation/Procurement/Contract Change and requires an extensive amount of complex negotiation with suppliers. The role also works closely with Legal and Finance colleagues in ensuring Value for Money, as well as the drafting and implementation of complex Terms and Conditions and Schedules.

Person specification

• To lead the commercial team within their His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) remit, ensuring the team is resourced to activity plans, and people are coached and supported.
• Provide commercial advice, leadership and guidance to all stakeholders including at Director General level and above.  Ensure the commercial team remains a trusted partner, valued by the business.
• Ensure suppliers are held to account, delivering Value for Money and meeting KPIs and SLAs.
• Ensure the Passport application forecast demand is supported and delivered through mutual work with the business and proactive management of the suppliers.
• Ensure the pipeline of activity for contract management and procurement, as well as data and systems are robust, accurate and up to date.
• To act as a role model for others, demonstrating good leadership, effective communication and appropriate behaviors while ensuring compliance with standards and policies
• To ensure Authority rights are safeguarded through sign off of Change Control, adherence to Terms and Conditions, and proactive monitoring of suppliers.

Level 4 CIPS is desired for this role.

Benefits

As a valued employee of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), you will have access to all the benefits the centre has to offer; including flexible working, generous benefits, Career Coaches, Mentors, L&D, a Commercial College, active talent management and, most importantly, access to commercial projects that will far exceed the scale and complexity on offer elsewhere in the UK.

For existing Civil Servants:  For full details of the impact on any move across the civil service on your existing terms and conditions, please read the candidate pack.  Please note that any move across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to continue to claim childcare vouchers. 

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on 25th April and will require a full day's attendance. 

If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team at commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates. 

Details of schemes available are attached in the advert.

For full details of our process, and a likely timeline, please read the explanation provided in the attached candidate pack.

Throughout our selection process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the essential criteria for the role which are detailed in the attached Candidate Pack.

Your application will be reviewed by a panel and should you be successful at sift we will invite you to attend a Virtual commercial Assessment and Development Centre (VADC). The panel will review results of the VADC and determine which candidates will go through to a subsequent final panel interview.

IMPORTANT: If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within 2 working days please contact: commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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.