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 DWP commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

We are seeking a Commercial Deputy Director to lead part of the Commercial Health Services Team and support the Senior Leadership Team in delivery of CDs strategic objectives. 

The Health Services Commercial team is responsible for the future commercial strategy and pipeline, within this it procures and commercially manages health assessment and enabling IT contracts and services. The work of the team is a critical enabler for the health-related benefits systems administered by DWP and the ambition of the Health Transformation Programme. The team delivers outcomes in accordance with the DWP commercial operating model. 

The Departments role through both its management of existing contracts and services and in how it plans to transform those services, is to achieve the best quality performance for Government whilst meeting the needs and requirements of DWP claimants. This is enshrined within the Health and Disability White Paper published Spring 2023.

The team provides commercial advice and guidance to senior DWP stakeholders across the complex portfolio of work in the Health Transformation Programme and wider Department Policy Group. The team works alongside Contract Management and Partner Delivery (CMPD) who are responsible for the operational delivery of assessments through contracts to maximise performance, Value for Money and the quality of claimant experience. 

In 2023 the team successfully re-competed long standing health contracts, which are due to be disaggregated into a number of smaller geographical Lots aligned with policy reform. For the first time Health assessments for both Working Age and Disability customers are being brought together under the same contracts and suppliers. The immediate leadership activity is focused around preparing for implementation of the new services and transitioning away from the existing contracts. This is a challenging large scale complex activity involving a myriad of internal stakeholders with commercial directorate at the forefront of supplier engagement and management, putting future customer service provision at the heart of what we do.

Person specification

• Lead as the commercial business partner to the Health Transformation programme, with primary focus on implementing the new Lotted contract structure over the next 12 months. This includes informing and driving key decisions as part of being an influential voice in shaping the Departments immediate and long-term strategy to positively transform health assessments for our customers.   

• Lead a team of 30-40 commercial colleagues primarily based in Sheffield and Blackpool (although travel to other sites is also required), ensuring commercial capability and skills are built and developed. Demonstrating strong, accountable and visible leadership, ensuring a regular presence across all sites. Building a culture of positivity and inclusivity across all grades. 

• Lead on commercial strategies and associated markets, delivering the pipeline of commercial projects across the Health Services and associated Digital portfolio, ensuring continuity and quality of supplier service and timely delivery to meet new requirements as part of Health Transformation and wider policy reform. 

 

• Commercially manage strategic suppliers and contracts through a key period of transition and change, prioritising the provision of effective health assessment services to our customers whilst building robust supplier relationships with a key focus on delivery. 

• Manage an annual ‘run’ portfolio spend of circa £400m, plus change programmes. 

• Support delivery of an annually agreed savings target for the Departments commercial function, through the Health Services category contribution and to manage this target through performance management of Commercial Health Services teams, suppliers and working collaboratively with stakeholders. 

• Be an active member of the DWP Commercial Senior Leadership Team and wider Government Commercial Organisation, volunteering to lead a number of strategic initiatives that benefit people and improve process.

• Be amongst the most senior members of the Government Commercial Function and play a role in the broader commercial reform programme led by the Government Chief Commercial Officer;

• Play a key leadership and change management role in developing a strong commercial function for the DWP and across government.

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 11th 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. 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.