About the job

Job summary

National Location: £30,473 - £37,215

Outer London Location: £32,469 - £39,532

Inner London Location: £34,463 - £41,478

About the Team: 

Our commercial team helps UKHSA to run its health programmes.

We procure, store and distribute vaccines for national immunisation campaigns and materials for use in the event of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. We procure goods and services and maintain, improve and transform estate critical infrastructure.

We are currently recruiting for Commercial Officers. These varied roles will support commercial activity for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and could give you exposure to commercial work in any of the following areas:

• Digital & Technology
• Vaccines and Medical Countermeasures
• Commercial Strategy and Partnerships
• Commercial Contract Management and SSRM
• Science
• Workforce & Corporate

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow.  This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).  Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site. For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* 

Job description

We are currently recruiting for Commercial Officers to join our Commercial Directorate.

These varied roles will support commercial activity for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and could give you exposure to commercial work in any of the following areas:

• Digital & Technology
• Vaccines and Medical Countermeasures
• Commercial Strategy and Partnerships
• Commercial Contract Management and SSRM
• Science
• Workforce & Corporate

These roles will play an important part in supporting activity across our wide-ranging areas of spend and large cross cutting programmes on sourcing and contract management related activity. These are very much commercial delivery roles shaping and delivering commercial solutions.  

As a Commercial Officer, you will assist with a range of commercial activities. This is a dynamic and challenging environment, and you will need to be confident in managing complexity, applying judgement, and making decisions whilst collaborating effectively with other members of the team and across the organisation.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Supporting senior managers, stakeholders and suppliers to deliver high quality commercial solutions for the UKHSA.
• Supporting portfolios of sourcing / tenders / contracts, as well as other projects.
• Supporting supplier performance and commercial meetings to ensure contract obligations are met and additional value is achieved.
• Supporting competition exercises using the e-tendering portal (Atamis), including mini competitions, open competitions and if necessary direct awards or single tenders.
• Supporting the drafting of commercial documents, including tenders, contracts and contract change notes, working closely with finance and legal partners where necessary.
• Supporting analysis of markets, suppliers and conducting due diligence if necessary or working with subject matter experts where necessary.
• Leading on the full compliance of data and data entry to ensure reporting is robust and accurate.
• Ensuring all commercial activity is compliant with legislative obligation, UKHSA Standing financial instructions and government best practice.
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders to deal with queries and questions.
• Involved in responding to Freedom of Information requests (FOIA’s); Parliamentary Questions (PQ’s) and other media queries.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Please do not exceed 750 words - this will not be considered.

Essential:

• Some demonstrable experience of working in a commercial role, or involvement in procurement or contract management. 
• Some practical experience using Finance/Purchasing systems.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Awareness of public sector procurement legislation. 
• Ability to successfully work in teams, and work on multiple simultaneous projects.
• Willingness and eagerness to join a busy team and support health security and public health.
• Problem solving skills and ability to respond to urgent unexpected demands.

Benefits

Working for the UKHSA

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Range of health and wellbeing support

Any move to UKHSA 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 Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history. 

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

The application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. 

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 26th June 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Interviews: TBD

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.  Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

Some of these roles may require national security clearance (SC). This would involve interviews with yourself and your referees.

To meet National Security Vetting requirements, you will need to have resided in the UK for at a minimum 3 out of the past 5 years for SC clearance. You will still be considered if you were posted abroad as part of your service with the British Government or the British Military during this period.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website. 

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. 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.