About the job

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced Contracts Manager (ideally with a public sector background) to join the Government People Group (GPG) within the Cabinet Office, to lead on managing our third-party Civil Service Jobs platform contract as part of the wider recruitment service. You will help us to transform how the Civil Service recruits so that we hire the right people, into the right roles, at the right time.

Your role:

As the Contract Manager, you will be responsible for the transition to, and delivery of, the newly procured (multi-million pound) contract.

You will ensure that all contractual commercial outcomes are achieved, ensuring that robust processes are in place to manage supplier performance and safeguard the delivery of critical services. To do this, you will engage regularly with Supplier(s), GPG stakeholders (including members of the Senior Leadership Team) and other government departments to ensure that transition and service delivery issues are identified and resolved.

We are looking for someone who has experience of managing a service delivery contract, including monitoring supplier performance. 

Experience of working with government’s Model Services Contracts would be preferred, but not essential.

 You will have a sound understanding of commercial and/or procurement processes, with the confidence to lead, influence and negotiate with stakeholders, in particular contractors.

You will have experience of collaborating with other organisations to drive improved value for money in the delivery of contracted services.

 You are a natural problem solver and lookout for ways to make improvements. You are not afraid of a challenge and enjoy an environment that encourages you to think outside the box.

This role is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to make a real impact in a significant transformation programme. We enjoy enabling people to find meaningful jobs, and teams to find great colleagues - contributing to a diverse culture that reflects the diversity in the UK.

Our team: Our team is made of technical and digital delivery multidisciplinary professionals (Service Owner, Product and Delivery Managers, User-centred Design, Business Analysts), project and programme management, and we are closely supported by the Cabinet Office Commercial function. You will be embedded in the delivery team, with close support from the Commercial team.

Job description

What you’ll work on:

You will join our cross-functional agile delivery team focusing on transforming Civil Service Jobs, and helping to redesign how the service should be delivered in the future.

Civil Service Jobs is used by over 3 million candidates per month to find and view vacancies across the Civil Service. Each year it handles over 2 million applications and advertises 140,000 posts. The live service is used by 211 organisations to advertise their vacancies and manage their recruitment processes. Currently, Civil Service Jobs is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provision that has been configured and enhanced to meet Civil Service recruitment, digital and security standards.

Along with the live service, we are running a Recruitment Transformation programme, looking at what the future service should look like. We’ve completed our Discovery and Alpha phases, where we did extensive user research and prototype design, to explore our user needs and potential solutions for the biggest areas of improvement.

We’ve decided that our service needs to procure rather than building our own, so we’ve now moved into the Beta procurement phase,  followed by a build and migration phase to be completed by the end of 2026.

The Department:

Government People Group (GPG) is a large business unit of the Cabinet Office with around 610 staff bringing together back office services across government. It supports the Civil Service with high-volume HR and finance processes, aligning with the Government's modernisation agenda. Established in August 2020, it covers Shared Services, Government Recruitment, Civil Service and Royal Mail Pensions, and the Platforms and Services to support these. GPG delivers services for around 480,000 civil servants across government, it supports 1.5m pension scheme members alongside Royal Mail and provides recruitment services for around 70% of all Civil Service recruitment.

Person specification

We'd expect the role to have a good understanding of the Government Digital Service Manual, the GDS Design System, public sector commercial processes (including procurement and contract management) and our Technology Code of Practice.

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about creating accessible services that are simple enough for everyone to use.

As a Contract Manager, you will:

•  Lead and coordinate an efficient and effective transition to the new Civil Service Jobs platform contract, whilst protecting business continuity;
•  Lead Contract Management within the category, including monitoring and evaluating performance and working with suppliers to improve performance;
• Undertake monthly supplier contract review meetings to monitor contract performance and ensure supplier compliance with all contractual obligations;
•  Analyse performance data and apply appropriate measures to correct performance, non-compliance and budget/spend management where necessary;
•  Initiating and ongoing maintenance of the contract management plan including ensuring all stakeholders manage their obligations under the contract, including areas such as risk management and business continuity;
•  Manage contractual spend in line with financial forecasts;
•  Provide insight and information to the relevant steering boards, so that the service is managed holistically, ensuring the customer is at the heart of all decision making;
•  Work with finance function to regularly benchmark the contracted service, and action any outcomes from the benchmark review;
•  Keep abreast of the marketplace and understand the bigger picture and wider impact of contracts you are responsible for;
•  Liaise with the appropriate expert domains when appropriate and required, for example information assurance, Government Legal Department;

Essential criteria:

• Significant experience in a commercial and/or contract management role where you have demonstrated an analytical approach, good problem-solving and strong negotiation skills
• Significant understanding of commercial, contract and supplier relationship management techniques and demonstrable experience of applying them in practice
• A strong understanding of the public sector commercial environment and contract management capability
• Demonstrable experience of managing the delivery of multiple activities in parallel within a fast-paced environment with limited oversight
• Understanding contract management for digital products with complex technical requirements
• Understanding of commercial governance and approvals processes
• Experience of building and managing effective relationships with customers, suppliers and senior internal stakeholders
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Pro-active and forward thinking
• Strong IT skills - Microsoft Excel, Word, Powerpoint

Desirable skills:

• Knowledge of the procurement routes available in Government or experience working in a regulated environment
• Experience in a leadership or mentoring capacity
• Hold relevant commercial qualifications such as IACCM/MCIPS
• Have already completed or be willing to complete Government Commercial College contract management training

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Application process

Stage 1 - Sift

Assessed against the essential criteria (Experience and Technical success profiles) using:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.
• A Personal Statement against the skills and experience (maximum 1000 words)
• 250-word statement on a Technical Skill - Contract Management

Selection process

Stage 2 - Online Interview which may include a presentation.  Assessment at the interview will be against the Technical Skills and Behaviours listed in this advert.

Candidates successful at the sift stage will be invited to interview.  Interviews will be held virtually and more information will be provided once you progress to the interview stage.  The success profiles to be assessed at the interview are listed in this advert.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 17 June

Expected interview date/s – w/c 24 June or 1 July

Interview location -  Online

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.