About the job

Job summary

Are you passionate about delivering value for money to customers? Have you got experience of working in a project delivery environment?

If so we'd like to hear from you.

As a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) Commercial Officer you will report to a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) Senior Commercial Officer and will undertake activities at the appropriate level. This job description is generic and may apply to all Commercial Officer posts. You may have the opportunity to work across a number of different commercial categories within DgC.

The role is to assist customers to deliver value effectively and innovatively in order to meet the customer organisations outcomes and objectives, whilst also fulfilling its Spending Review targets.

Defra Group Commercial (DGC) is part of Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), the central Government Department responsible for growing the rural economy; improving the environment; and safeguarding animal and plant health. DGC is responsible for providing a commercial service to organisations within the Defra Network.

Job description

The role holder will provide support to their internal customers to deliver value effectively and innovatively so the customer organisation outcomes and objectives can be met alongside achievement of key corporate targets.

The role holder will be required to award and monitor low and medium value and low risk contracts in accordance with Defra’s commercial policies and procedures.

The role holder will be required to award and monitor high value, high risk contracts in accordance with Defra’s commercial policies and procedures.

They will be expected to deliver propriety and value for money whilst applying the Commercial principles.

They will deliver propriety and value for money whilst applying commercial life-cycle principles.

The role involves promoting commercial policies and procedures whilst influencing final outcomes. It includes provision of expert advice to internal customers on commercial issues and governance and operational support to the team.

The role holder will engage with colleagues across the country, building their Commercial network both internally and through the wider Defra network and Government Bodies.

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who are well organised and used to prioritising. Influencing and communication skills are especially important as well as seeking to improve processes and ways of working.

Essential experience criteria:

• Supported delivery of projects which ideally will have included procurements and/or managing contracts or suppliers to a successful outcome
• Formed positive working relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers including influencing and challenging to gain the best outcome
• Analysed information including financial information and made recommendations based on the evidence
• Worked within agreed policies and processes and promoted those standards in the way you work
• Arranged and managed meetings including setting agendas and recording actions and decisions
• Identified risks and issues and managed plans to mitigate
• Input to improve ways of working, business change or efficiency
• Invested in your own development which might have included keeping up to date on legislation, best practice or developing industry knowledge
• Hold or wish to study towards CIPS level 4 qualifications
• Used IT systems and applications

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,676 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 and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a 750 word Personal Statement, a CV and 1 Behaviour Statement (Communicating and Influencing).

For the Personal Statement, you should use this to describe how your skills and experience show that you are suitable for this role. Please refer to the Essential Experience listed in the Person Specification when doing this. You will need to be able to demonstrate that your experience covers the experience listed.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours listed and Experience.

A presentation may be included as part of the interview.

Interviews to be held via MS Teams.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

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

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Accessibility

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

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 defrarecruitment.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

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check maybe 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 circumstance 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.

Internal Fraud Database Check

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 offenses. 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.

Childcare Vouchers

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

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.