About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Are you someone who has a natural approach to building positive working relationships to deliver results?

Would you relish the opportunity to develop commercial skills and experience?

If so, we are looking for hardworking individuals who are keen to build contract management experience whilst working in a high-profile area, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

As one of our Contract Managers, you will be a key point of contact for train operating companies and work collaboratively with our internal and external partners. You will be responsible for ensuring delivery of contractual obligations and handling the mechanisms and processes of the National Rail Contract (NRC) on a day-to-day basis.

These roles are varied and fast paced. You will be responsible for ensuring delivery of benefits for passengers by working with our train operators and project teams, handling issues as they arise, including monitoring train performance, drafting reports and correspondence as well as leading on the contract management of Rail Contracts. You will also lead on project reporting and management of risk, whilst learning about delivering large scale infrastructure projects and how they are delivered through Rail Contracts.

In these roles you will gain extensive experience in stakeholder and supplier management, as well as developing strong contract management capability. As you learn to manage these high value, complex contracts, you will develop the commercial awareness to support the Department to drive and deliver positive outcomes for rail passengers.

You will work flexibly across our Market teams managing different train operators, this offers variety and great prospects and opportunities for individuals that are seeking to develop in the realm of contract management.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

As Contract Manager, your key responsibilities will include:

• Developing collaborative working relationships with internal specialists and train operators to ensure that the interests of passengers and taxpayers are protected.
• Building up an expert knowledge of Rail Contracts and relevant project management processes.
• Working in partnership with colleagues to handle contractual changes and ensuring accurate records are maintained.
• Leading on specific work streams on contract management excellence for Rail contracts.
• Co-ordinating contractual meetings with train operators and producing accurate meeting minutes.
• Line management responsibilities are possible for some Contract Manager positions. 

Person specification

About you

You will display excellent stakeholder management and interpersonal skills to build positive relationships with train operators, team members and across the Department. You will have excellent communication skills to confidently present recommendations and proposals professionally to key partners.

You will demonstrate excellent planning and organisational skills, with an enthusiastic and proactive approach to delivering results across multiple workstreams. You will be highly motivated, enjoy taking the initiative and positively adapt to changing demands to support large projects.

You will have the capability to develop an understanding of contractual drivers to consider financial, legal and commercial implications, and the ability to complete the Contract Management Capability Programme (CMCP) and achieve the accreditation at Foundation level, once in the role.

Additional Information

You will have the option to be based either in London attracting the London pay scale, or in Leeds or Birmingham attracting the national pay scale. Occasional travel will be required to attend meetings at DfT offices and with train operating companies.

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV and personal statement (maximum word count 500) to provide evidence of the following:

• Working under pressure and adapting to changing demands.
• Building positive relationships with key stakeholders.
• Demonstrating excellent planning and organisation.  

The sift is due to take place from 09/04/2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held on 25/04/2024 and 26/04/2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

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

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document 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.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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.