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 DHSC commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

• Delivery of a whole life cycle operating model, delivering of a wide range of Procurement, Contract Management and Supplier and Market Management activities.
• Delivery of DHSC efficiency and savings targets.
• Effective stakeholder and supplier relationship management, both internal with ministers and Director Generals, and external with key suppliers and Health System leads.
• Promotion and support for uptake of Strategic Supplier Relationship Management (SSRM) to leverage greater efficiencies. Delivering a Health Family programme for furthering SSRM outcomes, including developing Health Family specific Strategic Category Management approaches.
• Management directly or indirectly of total commercial spend, including Grants, for the DHSC and Health and Social Care System to deliver best value for money with continued improvement in contracted KPI’s.
• Brokerage of a joint system leadership model, developed in agreement with senior Health Family peers.
• Discharge of accountability within a plural environment, utilising a range of delivery partners.
• Close working with the NHS CCO, providing oversight of the largest issues that may impact DHSC or the wider Health Family.
• Continuous improvement in the Health Family commercial teams adoption of the commercial operating standards.
• Assurance and challenge to the New Hospitals Programme portfolio.
• Assurance to the Department’s Accounting Officer, including provision of clear and accurate assurance for high value, complex and high-risk business cases. 
• Support and engagement for ministers and ministerial offices to deliver swift but appropriate commercial advice for ALBs and the Department. 
• Representation of the Commercial Function at DHSC senior boards such as Performance and Risk Committee, Finance and Discipline Controls Board, People Board and GCF leadership boards.

Person specification

Successful candidates will be outstanding commercial leaders who can build highly effective teams and influential relationships.  To be successful, you will need to demonstrate capability against the following criteria (described in our application system as Technical Skills) both within your personal statement and at the final panel interview:

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 Technical skills.

Once you have submitted this information, you will receive a communication directing you to make contact with Miles Advisory, our recruitment partners for this campaign.

You will then have the opportunity to discuss the role further and also complete your application by submitting a CV and supporting statement, which must be received within 24 hours of the closing date. If you wish to discuss the opportunity in more details first, please email ccodhsc@miles-advisory.com 

Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on 1st February 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. Please note: Only candidates that achieve an A grade at ADC will be invited to interview for this role.                                                                                                                                                                                              
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.