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 Ministry of Defence - Defence Digital Commercial commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

This is an exciting time within Defence Digital Commercial as we embed Category Management within the Commercial and Project Functions. Consequently, the Military Technology Category is looking for an expert Associate Commercial Specialist with a wide range of procurement knowledge to share their experience and to help shape and influence the evolving market facing Category Management Strategies. 

We have one Associate Commercial Specialists vacancy within the Military Technology Category in the Level 2 Category called TACSYS.

Military Technology

The Level 1 Military Technology Category manages a portfolio of 62 contracts with a total contract value of £2.298bn and an annual spend of £560m split across two Level 2 Categories which are Space and Tactical Communication and Information Systems (TACSYS).

Space Level 2 Category SKYNET is a family of military communication satellites which are currently operated for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) which provide strategic communication services to the UK Armed Forces and Allies. SKYNET 5 is the most recent generation of this family with SKYNET 6A on contract with Airbus for the design, manufacture, testing, launch, delivery and integration into the wider SKYNET System.  The Space Level 2 Category Team are responsible for the procurement of the MOD’s satellite communication capabilities which as well as the satellites include ground support infrastructure, modems, and bandwidth. 

TACSYS Level 2 Category - TACSYS consists of multiple sub programmes and projects with the aim to deliver the next generation of tactical military communications in the land environment, providing the means to make informed and timely decisions enabled by agile Communication Information Systems (CIS). The portfolio includes Bowman, ComBAT Infrastructure and Platform (BCIP), MORPHEUS, Personal Mobile Radio, Falcon, Trinity and Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA).  The range of services procured cover software, voice and data services, deployable Wide Area Networks (WAN) and hardened deployable secure networks. We have a vacancy leading the in-service requirement for the Land Environment (Army) which includes logistics, repairs and warehousing, Tactical Radios and Battlefield wi-fi and deployable Wide Area Networks (WAN). The role includes Line Management Responsibilities managing a Team of twelve Civilian Commercial Staff.  

CIPS

All successful candidates must be CIPS Level 6 accredited/hold MCIPS or must be willing to commence (or resume) CIPS studies within three months of taking up your post.

Clearance

All roles require SC before commencement of posts and may be required to be DV cleared once in post.

Person specification

The main responsibilities are likely to include: -

• Stakeholder engagement and management - Building influential internal relationships to ensure that commercial objectives are fully understood and embedded.

• Category Management - Responsibility for developing and implementing market facing Category Strategies and embedding change within the organisation including Stakeholder Management and Communication.

• Commercial Management – Responsibility for the day-to-day management of a large value portfolio of Contracts, ensuring commercial policy and processes are understood by stakeholders, sourcing and contract management activities as well as an understanding of the Procurement Regulations. Working collegiately with Project Delivery Teams to meet Operational Capability Requirements and management of the Cabinet Office Controls Pipeline. Commercial delegation of up to £100M depending on experience and ADC accreditation including CIPS.

• Supplier relationships – Responsibility for building effective relationships with current and future suppliers. Engagement with the Government Crown Representatives and Strategic Partnering Managers to embed Supplier Strategic Management and to enabling the market to better understand the Mil Tech Category requirements whilst ensuring that healthy, mutually beneficial relationships are built that deliver the right solutions at competitive prices.

• Contract Management - The effective management of large size, long term contracts ensuring that value is delivered over the term of the contract and that exit/recompete/extension actions are strategically planned and executed.

• Collaboration - Close working with other Category, Finance and Project leads, within MOD and Government Commercial Function teams, to develop a strategic approach to Defence Digital spend.

• Cost-saving initiatives – Responsibility for implementing innovative strategies and negotiation of savings across the portfolio to deliver value for money and increase the overall value delivered to Defence.

• Risk Analysis – Responsibility for proactively anticipating potential commercial risks, mitigating actions and providing expert commercial advice.

• Leadership – Responsibility for leading contract negotiations including price and contract terms, understanding the appropriate levers available and ability to develop a structured negotiation plan. Cognisant of Procurement law and ability to apply in contractual discussions.

• Line Management – Management of Commercial teams, acting as a positive and proactive role model, providing coaching and support for individuals and the wider team.

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 12th 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.