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 MOJ commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

• Leading a high performing commercial function that oversees annual contract spend of nearly £6bn. The CCO is responsible for ensuring compliance with professional standards and relevant legislation while value for money and improved outcomes throughout our complex supply chain
• Building a highly engaged, diverse and productive workforce capable of delivering our commercial strategy and inspiring confidence in our key internal customers and across our suppliers
• Supported by a team of category specialists, the Chief Commercial Officer will oversee the management of a wide range of category management activities including market engagement, development of sourcing strategies, spend management, commercial contract management and supplier relationship management 
• Building on and developing strong relationships with key stakeholders within the department as well as related and dependent organisations across central government and the wider public sector 
• Effective oversight of the commercial function’s budget and exceptional leadership and management of over 520 FTE, including three commercial directors who report to the CCO
• Additionally the role has oversight of our National Distribution Centre which provides fleet management, engineering and storage/delivery services to HM Prison and Probation Service
• Providing corporate leadership across the Ministry of Justice as part of Senior Leadership Group, demonstrating exemplary behaviours aligned to our shared values.
• Building close and productive working relationships with senior budget holding stakeholders within MoJ, including at Board level and with Ministers to ensure the Commercial Directorate is truly engaged with and influencing decision making within the Department.

Person specification

• As a senior member of the Government Commercial Function you will also actively participate in the leadership and delivery of the cross-government function: Raising standards by improving commercial skills and capability and playing a role in the broader commercial reform programme led by the Government Chief Commercial Officer, including contributing time as an assessor at the Assessment & Development Centre to ensure continuing high standards.

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.

Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on 22nd March 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. 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

This vacancy is being managed by Odgers Berndtson, one of our Executive Search Partners. Once you register your application via the Apply Now option you will receive a communication directing you to Odgers, our recruitment partners for this campaign to submit your CV and statement. If you experience any issues applying via the Odgers website, please contact Helen.Russell@odgersberndtson.com

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

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.