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.

The Vacancy Holder for this position is holding a 30min drop in session on Tuesday 27th Feb  at 12noon. This is an opportunity for applicants to find out more about the role and ask any high level questions.

Joining instructions:

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 314 608 547 51
Passcode: oTr9bN

Or call in (audio only)   

Phone Conference ID: 203 235 793#

Job description

The Commercial Business Partnering role will be an ambassador for Defence Digital, partnering with front line commands and enabling organisations within defence. This position acts as front door to the Defence Digital Commercial Directorate helping to bring the £4.6bn of digital spend across the defence enterprise under management. As part of this role you will work to strategically advise, guide and drive collaboration within the digital categories across defence. Building a pipeline and portfolio of activity delivered by the Defence Digital community through the core category management structure.

In this role you will deliver strategic Commercial business partnering support to Defence Digital Delivery, Functional and Operational Directorates with coverage including: Strategic Satellite Communications; Fixed Networks; End User Services; Tactical Systems; Cyber and Crypt Key; Transformation – Data, Common Services, the Foundry; and the critical Operational Support directorate. 

You will provide strategic Commercial Business Partnering support to FLCs/TLBs operating at a pan defence level for engagement and planning.

You will need to understand and drive strong commercial performance, risk management, compliance and assurance, embedding a culture based on desired behaviours. You will support the development and maintenance of strong, collaborative and influential relationships with Budget Holders across the MOD and with wider senior stakeholders. You will set the correct commercial tone and ensure commercial is at the heart of all key decision making through oversight, support and challenge through early engagement.

IMPORTANT

CIPS

All successful candidates must be CIPS Level 6 accredited/hold MCIPS or must be willing to commence (or resume) CIPS studies within three months of taking up your post. 

Clearance

All roles require SC before commencement of posts and may be required to be DV cleared once in post.

Person specification

Building effective stakeholder engagement

• Working collaboratively across commercial, the business and other functions, identifying and bridging gaps, by acting as a point of escalation, to mitigate risks, resolve issues but also to seek out opportunity for collaboration & coherence.
• Influencing and making positive impacts at the highest levels, through excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Encouraging the use of problem solving and considering innovative approaches, which are compliant with policy.

• Developing confidence and trust in the ability of commercial to support business needs and increasing commercial awareness and acumen outside of the function.

• Driving the further implementation of Category Management within Defence Digital and wider MOD.

Delivering business outcomes

• Working with the business, to understand the strategic drivers and their impact, identifying those of critical importance to the delivery of the business strategy and delivering better outcomes.
• Providing strategic advice and analysis on commercial impact, performance and risk to senior stakeholders. This includes supporting client areas with developing key threads into the category strategies and leveraging a strong understanding of the overall business.
• Working closely with leads on major projects and programmes to ensure sound business cases are developed with strong commercial focus, options appraisal, realistic benefits, risk management and with appropriate governance.
• Demonstrating flexibility in undertaking duties unique to the needs of the business area and supporting the business to resolve complex problems.
• Protecting value by championing commercial assurance, governance and compliance across the business and in the wider client community. Promoting early engagement and consultation.

Driving performance

• Creating an environment within commercial and the wider business area, that values performance, setting challenging team targets and ensuring effective measures are in place, which align to objectives.
• Providing high quality, timely, accurate and clearly communicated digital spend data analysis, and wider performance analysis, , providing value added insight and advice, to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

Delivering change and continuous improvement

• Driving continuous improvement of commercial processes, including opportunities to build greater resilience and efficiency within the commercial workforce.
• Championing the use and value of data and analytics, embedding this as part of senior level reporting. Adapting to changes in technology and keeping up to date with the latest developments in tools, data and analytics.
• Identifying and implementing changes that transform and continuously improve the flexibility, responsiveness and the quality of service that commercial provides, by engaging with the business and prioritising those changes that add most value.

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 March 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.