About the job

Job summary

This is a hugely exciting time to be joining the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) Commercial team. You will have the unique opportunity to help deliver the next generation of combat air systems to replace the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft. Among these capabilities is the procurement of the next-generation fighter jet that is being delivered by the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a trilateral collaboration between the UK, Japan and Italy.  If you’re interested in becoming a world class leader, doing things differently, inspiring colleagues and driving a historical change in the combat air industry in the UK and internationally, then this is a rewarding role for you.

Military Capability sits at the heart of the MOD’s major decisions. It is headed by the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff ((Military Capability) (DCDS(MilCap)), a 3-star military officer (equivalent to a Director General) with responsibility for taking a pan-Departmental view of MOD’s strategic balance of investment decisions and the Department’s financial planning rounds. 

The Future Combat Air System Team sits within DCDS(MilCap)’s domain and is critical to UK military capability. FCAS supports Defence Tasks and wider National Security Objectives and is a key element of both the UK’s industrial base and our international partnering. The Future Combat Air directorate defines policy in line with the 2018 Combat Air Strategy, and enables Government decisions on investment, programme and partnering choices. The Director Future Combat Air provides leadership across the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Enterprise. He acts as the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for both the FCAS Acquisition Programme and Technology initiative Programme. 

Combat Air plays a vital role in our military strategic capabilities for decades to come, enabling us to defend the United Kingdom and our allies, and make a decisive contribution to global security. As our adversaries seek to limit our freedom of movement and control of the air, we need a new generation of combat air systems to replace the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft, which will retire from service from the mid-2030s. 

Job description

This position is ideal for an able and ambitious candidate who is looking to expand and refine their skill sets in a demanding environment. Working in a joint team of civilian and military staff the successful candidate will be provided with an exciting opportunity to experience decision making at the very highest levels of Defence and gain a unique insight into cross-government working; including potential engagements with the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and International and Industrial partners and stakeholders.

In this role you will be expected to undertake Contract Management activity for key contracts held within FCAS, based on their size, complexity or risk. You will oversee the management of the day-to-day delivery of key contracts within the business, ensuring the best outcomes are achieved from the commercial life cycle activities, being accountable to the Head of Contract Management, and drawing on support from the wider Commercial team.

You will be contributing to delivering Commercial Excellence for FCAS, providing a customer focused service, understanding the business need and stakeholder drivers, with the aim of becoming a trusted commercial advisor. You will be required to work closely with colleagues across FCAS.

The role is varied, and to carry out successful contract management activity, you will work to mobilise contracts; manage the delivery and performance of the contracts; carry out contract variations; manage risk within the key contracts; and be responsible for major contract transition and exit. 

This role is mainly dedicated to the oversight of contract management of strategic suppliers (e.g. UK Prime suppliers) although it will cover all contracts in scope. You will be expected to work autonomously to ensure effective stakeholder management and work within the commercial and wider FCAS governance processes and procedures. You will drive performance management, risk management, issues resolution, financial management, change control and overall contract and statutory compliance whilst being responsible for continuous improvement (service and value). 

Locations

The successful candidate will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace. Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance. This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.

Person specification

• Support FCAS Deputy Head Commercial in providing strategic support and oversight of commercial and contractual activity across the FCAS portfolio, develop commercial strategies across all relevant parts of the FCAS Enterprise in line with this.
• Support the development of a long-term view across the FCAS portfolio of how best to transition commercially and internationalise technology demonstrators into the full development programme.
• Strategic relationship management with international commercial counterparts in Japan, Italy and future international partners (as required).
• Establish commercial readiness to set up the new international Government Agency and draft, agree and place the GCAP Design & Development Contract.
• Where required by FCAS Deputy Head Commercial, attendance at the FCAS Programme Board and wider programme governance as required.
• Produce senior briefings packs in support of FCAS Programme Board, Trilateral Directors meetings, and other briefings requests as required.
• Support strategic Commercial Risk management across the FCAS portfolio.
• Build collaborative relationships with strategic defence suppliers and technology focussed SME’s.
• Support, and where appropriate lead, strategic negotiation with both international partners and industry partners.
• Identify and utilise commercial levers when negotiating deals across the FCAS enterprise. 
• Plan for and provide commercial input into assurance and approvals processes, ensuring commercial is sufficiently integrated into the programme. Support Cabinet Office engagement for approvals and assurance.
• Ensure the Combat Air Strategic objectives are reflected in the development and implementation of FCAS Commercial Strategies.
• Be an active member of FCAS Commercial SLT.

CIPS/MCIPS accreditation preferable.

The GCO is committed to supporting alternative and flexible ways of working. These roles will require regular attendance at the London Main Building but can otherwise work remotely or at one of our other FCAS hubs in Bristol or Reading. Part-time and job-sharing options can be considered for the right candidate in line with Business Needs.

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 24th June and will require a full day's attendance. 

If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team at commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates. 

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.