About the job

Job summary

Are you a procurement professional looking for an exciting opportunity in the digital and technology sector?

Defence Digital provides its global users with the digital and IT services they need, from hardware and software to satellite connectivity, operating and defending our networks, access to the spectrum frequencies, developing bespoke apps, and much more.

Defence Digital Commercial (DDCmrcl) is a growing organisation and is responsible for delivering outstanding value for Defence within the Digital and Information Technology sector. We are responsible for a large portfolio of complex contracts worth £2bn a year, through more than 300 suppliers.

DDComrcl is made up of five categories, IT Hardware & Services, Military Technology, Software and Hosting, Networks and Professional Services.

Building a strong commercial team is essential in supporting the expanding Digital and Technology portfolio in Defence Digital, and therefore we are now recruiting for additional Commercial Managers to enable us to meet the growing demand for digital services.

We are committed to developing our staff, providing opportunities to move into different commercial roles to develop a wider, market facing skill set, with access to mentors and a suite of learning to support you on your career journey.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities.  Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions. 

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders, you will deliver the commercial approach to new and exciting projects; driving innovation, value and agility through the successful adoption of Category Management.

The post holder will actively lead their commercial team and support their respective line managers in all commercial activity (Sourcing, Contract Award, Contract & Supplier Management) to achieve best Value for Money solutions within their commercial licence and delegation.

We currently have roles available within the category team(s) listed below. As part of flexible resourcing, reserve candidates may be offered alternative roles within DD commercial teams, although key responsibilities will remain the same.

IT Hardware & Services – Deployed and Interoperability 

This role will be operating at the heart of the Gateways team delivering IT services between the MOD, International Organisations and Other Nation States.  The role covers a wide variety of experiences which include: 

• Procurement of Outsourced Suppliers (up to £30m)
• Contract management of Government owned and run capability
• Establishment of a new Gateway Category

The team operate in a highly collaborative manner with diverse and committed delivery teams across multiple projects. The work environment is fast-moving and gives a good level of agility and responsibility to the commercial team supporting delivery.

The contracts are critical to national security and have a good blend of strategic suppliers and new and upcoming SMEs which allows for different contracting methodologies and contract managing styles. Performance management is a key building block for the Hardware & Services commercial team and this role will allow for direct engagement in the entire end-to-end procurement and delivery processes.

The nature of the work requires SC with a portfolio that will offer the opportunity for DV.

All posts are full time equivalent. There may be opportunities for part time candidates if a job share partnership can be established, subject to full time hours being achievable for the role in question.

Offers made to candidates below the required 37 hours (FTE) will be subject to business need and at the Authority's sole discretion

Desirable

• Public sector procurement experience

Person specification

You should already be working in a procurement environment, developing good relationships with a range of customers/stakeholders, working collaboratively, and be able to demonstrate strong contract negotiation, supplier management, contract management skills.

You should be a self-starter, who is confident with decision making and an effective communicator. You should have experience of leading a team and also be able to work independently. You should have the self-drive and determination to deliver goods and services for our end users.

You must have the ability to manage competing priorities, assess information rapidly, seek clarity or additional information where necessary and articulate needs or processes in a way that is understood by the stakeholders.

Candidates should have CIPS level 4 or will be required to achieve this by commencing study within one year of appointment. This will be funded and supported by MOD. You will also be required to undertake the MOD Practitioner Commercial Licence assessment at a date to be agreed with your manager.

Full details of the responsibilities for this role can be found in the SEO Terms of reference attachment.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,631 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, Experience and Technical skills.

At Application Stage:

Applications will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in both your CV and suitability statement.

Please complete the CV section, setting out your career history, including key responsibilities and achievements. You must also complete a suitability statement (of no more than 1250 words). The suitability statement is your opportunity to provide us with additional information that highlights relevant achievements and experience, and the required skills and behaviours listed in this advertisement, that make you suitable for the role.

Note:

You will NOT be able to attach your CV as a separate document.

Applicants may use AI when preparing supporting documents but the content must be factually accurate.

At Interview Stage:

You will have the opportunity to provide further detail supporting the statements in your application, specifically relating to the below Technical Skills and Behaviours (CS Behaviours Level 3).

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing 

Technical Skills:

• Understanding Needs & Sourcing Options - People Standards for the Profession - Associate Commercial Lead
• Contract & Supplier Management - People Standards for the Profession - Associate Commercial Lead

Candidates invited to interview will be required to deliver a brief (5 min) presentation on the topic: What makes a good Leader?

Interviews will be held using MS Teams and are planned to take place from: Week Commencing 29 April 2024

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk . 

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.  

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn. 

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.