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 commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

Defence Digital Commercial (DD Comm) is a Category Management aligned team that supports the central Defence digital function, responsible for £2.4bn of spend and influences a further £2bn.  The DD Comm team is made up of five categories, Software, Cloud and Hosting (recruiting team), IT Hardware & Services, Military Technology, Networks and Professional Services, each individual category team varies in size. 

The Software, Cloud and Hosting Category is seeking a Deputy Head of Commercial (Associate Commercial Specialist Level) to positively influence the complex internal and external stakeholders, as well as lead Commercial activities within the Cyber and Crypt Key category. Sharing their experiences and driving the evolving market facing Software services category, in addition to being a member of the Senior Leadership Team representing the wider DD Comm function.   

Responsible for £2.5bn expenditure across more than 100 suppliers, the Software, Cloud & Hosting category supports Defence Digital through project delivery across:
Digital Intelligence (Mission Information Exploitation – MIX)
The Defence Digital Foundry and AI Centre 
Cloud and Hosting services
Pan MOD Software Enterprise Agreements
Cyber and Crypt Key

Cyber and Crypt Key
Leading the Cyber and Crypt Key Commercial team within Defence Digital has never been so important – the work you do will have a meaningful impact on the current world stage and live operations. The evolution and change of the cyber threat globally mean that we are looking for a leader that can multi task, manage a complex stakeholder landscape, manage a wide variety of Suppliers from differing market segments, lead on strategic supplier relationship management, embrace changing priorities and lead the team to deliver at pace. The Cyber and Crypt Key Commercial team support the MoD’s Cyber Programmes (Defensive Cyber Operations, Cyber Resilience Programme and Digital Identity for Defence), wider Cyber activities and the Joint Crypt Key Programme which is a joint programme with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). All these together substantially reduce MoD’s Cyber risk, protect critical assets and systems, keep MoD’s ‘secrets’ secret and develop a cyber aware workforce that will allow MoD to make cyber security part of the DNA of its business and operations. So if you would like to join an agile, forward thinking team, working with cutting edge projects and a wide variety of suppliers, we would love to hear from you.

CIPS 
All successful candidates must have or be willing to work towards CIPS Level 6 accredited/hold MCIPS.  If this is not already available, we will support and guide you through obtaining this professional qualification once in post.

Clearance
All roles will require SC as a minimum and will be required to be DV cleared once in post, if this is not already held.

Person specification

• Actively promoting the reputation of the organisation with pride, both internally and externally. Displaying passion and enthusiasm for the work, helping to inspire colleagues and stakeholders to fully engage with the aims and long-term vision. Working collaboratively with customers and delivery partners to manage, monitor and deliver agreed outcomes. Developing and instigating approaches with stakeholders (internal, external and across Allies) to support commercial relationships using appropriate frameworks and standards.

• Building trust as a leader through demonstrating personal credibility and relationship skills. Dedicating time to managing, supporting and empowering people through coaching and mentoring and sharing expertise/knowledge. Embedding a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity for all, where the diversity of individuals’ backgrounds and experiences are valued and respected.

• Translating strategic priorities into clear outcome-focused objectives for managers and teams. Promoting resilience and responsiveness in the organisation. Providing credit for maintaining focus on priorities and responding quickly to changing requirements. Being a role model for delivery by showing efficiency and focus, whilst being open to new ideas and honest about challenges – providing clarity about the action required to achieve results and address unexpected developments.

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 2024 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 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.