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 DIO commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

This role will be the Commercial Lead for all activity in area one of the Commercial Disposals team. Key areas of accountability for this role are: 

• Providing wide ranging commercial support to Defence Estate stakeholders, customers, suppliers and central teams e.g. Providing advice/guidance on routes to market, strategies and leading the Commercial team through the approval, governance and tendering processes and subsequent Contract Management activities. 
• Managing a team to deliver the Defence Estates portfolio through sourcing activity via various routes to market, ensuring their team innovate where possible while adhering to DIO TLB processes and operating procedures, particularly those which are detailed in the individual’s commercial delegation and ensuring that once awarded the contracts are being managed effectively. 

Person specification

Leadership and Management  

• Represent Commercial at Senior Leadership meetings with DIO, MOD, Other Government Departments. 
• Promote strong working relationships both within the team and with other parts of the functions across DIO, MOD and OGD’s 
• Manage resources effectively to secure best value for money and best use of resource  
• Develop Business Cases and undertake effective scrutiny of Business Cases  
• Provide accurate and timely inputs to returns - financial and commercial  
• Optimise scarce commercial resource and seek to balance loading and minimise the impact of shortages in innovative ways 

 

Delivery of a wide and varied portfolio of contracts: 

• Manage commercial activity within their Letter of Delegation  
• Creative input to Procurement Strategies and develop commercial strategy and associated contracting strategy 
• Implement the preferred commercial option  
• Compile and issue tenders  
• Negotiate and place contracts  
• Amend and manage contracts and contract changes  
• Provide commercial leadership, advice and guidance as required 
• Ensure all commercial activity represents best value for money  
• Ensure compliance with regulations and policy, as well as best practice  
• Exploit existing enabling arrangements where available  
• Maximise use of procurement enablers and associated MIS to improve procurement 
• Identify, Report and manage on all associated Risks and Issues across your business area

 

Commercial Scrutiny and assurance:  

• Scrutiny and analysis of commercial strategies and contracting proposals  
• Undertake commercial assurance  
• Provide timely inputs to returns as required by DIO, MOD and Central Government 

 

Stakeholder Engagement  

• There are a number of internal and external Senior Stakeholders involved in Major Programmes with differing objectives and expectations. It is therefore essential that the post holder has the gravitas and excellent Stakeholder Management skills to influence and get buy in from all parties  
• Lead the stakeholders on all planning, tendering, contracting and contract administration activities
• Spend and Sales receipts on these contracts are generally several hundred million so the post holder will be dealing with Director level supplier staff on a regular basis  
• Work closely with DIO Estates Deputy Head and Asst Heads and other DIO team members to deliver DIO’s requirements  
• Manage a range of stakeholder engagements within the MOD, OGDs and Industry  
• Work closely with DIO Estates Deputy Head and Asst Heads to secure funding approvals via DIO, MOD, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury for new high value Disposals projects

Must have MCIPS level 6 or be willing to work towards obtaining it within 1 year of taking up the position.

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 21st 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.