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 MOD commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

DIO’s Soft FM contracts are amongst the largest Soft FM contracts in the UK. The delivery of Soft FM services has a profound impact on the lived experience of Service Personnel enabling Front Line Commands to train and deploy in response to an ever-changing world. Our Commercial team secure vital support to ongoing military activities including Military Assistance to the Civilian Authorities and the highest profile national and international events.

DIO’s Soft FM team and contractors are invariably at work behind the scenes wherever the UK’s Service Personnel are conducting their duties in the UK. You will work closely with the wider DIO and military team evolving our services to support the modern day needs of service personnel. No day will be quite the same as you deliver services well beyond routine civilian Soft FM.

You will be responsible for contract and relationship management with DIO’s Soft FM suppliers ensuring that contractual obligations are met whilst maintaining and developing DIO’s successful and collaborative relationships with its suppliers. You will work with DIO’s Soft FM Category Management team and use your contract management expertise to assist the wider project team in procurement of the next generation of Soft FM contracts for DIO. 

This is a fast-moving environment bringing both challenge and job satisfaction.

This role provides Commercial leadership for Soft Facilities Management contract management delivering a wide range of Soft FM services nationally through 7 contracts working with 3 Industry Partners.

Person specification

• Effective Contract Management of multiple large Soft FM contracts across several UK regions
• Building and maintaining strategic supplier relationships with DIO Soft FM Contractor(s) 
• Management of continuous change in response to an ever-changing military need
• Supporting the commercial team managing the replacement programme of Defence Soft FM (DFSM) contracts due to come into service from 2026. This will include leading on the transition from the current Hestia contracts to the new DSFM and taking ownership of the requirement as the procurement progresses
• Leading, inspiring and developing a team of commercial professionals located across the regions managing DIO’s Soft FM contracts
• Working as an integral part of the wider DIO and Customer team in delivering the Soft FM services including building overall contract management capability and procuring new or changed services as required
• Ensuring delivery of the contracted services holding the Contracting parties accountable for service delivery by proactively managing KPI information, using and planning assurance activity and developing overall contract management capability 
• Maintain effective and positive relationships with suppliers, customers and delivery colleagues
• Act as a commercial subject matter expert in all aspects of commercial in support of your region(s), team, customers and programme
• Active support to and participation in delivery of DIO’s Commercial and leadership capability development as a member of the DIO Commercial Management Committee  

Relevant skills / experience needed

Excellent Contract and Relationship management skills and relevant experience.

Excellent Commercial experience managing large, complex, and long-term service contracts.

Soft FM/TFM Commercial experience.

Leadership including ability to integrate effectively in a cross functional Contract Management team.

Must have MCIPS level 6 or be willing to work towards obtaining it within 1 year of taking up the position. 

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 31/01/2024 and will require a full day's attendance. Please contact commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk in advance if you are unable to attend this date.

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.