About the job

Job summary

The role of the Senior Contract Manager (cyber security) will develop and deliver a robust commercial and performance management approach, ensuring that contracts within Home Office Cyber Security (HOCS) are managed effectively in terms of cost, quality and delivery and appropriate business controls are put in place in order to monitor and report on supplier financial, commercial and service performance.

Job description

This is a hands-on role requiring strong contract management, supplier relationship management and influencing skills to lead, support and work with stakeholders at all stages of the procurement lifecycle, including Government Commercial Organisation (GCO) colleagues carrying out commercial activity, G6 functional heads for technical requirements and Technology Delivery Managers for the acceptance of deliverables within the defined scope of the contract.

Person specification

Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

• Create and update of the Contract Guide and relevant commercial control documentation (e.g. Contract Calendar; Change Control Log) in accordance with industry best practise.
• Obligations Management: extraction, allocation and tracking of key supplier and supplier obligations required to be full filled.  
• Ensure Charging, Relief and Change Control and other key contract and commercial mechanisms are operated in accordance with the contract and the Change Policy.
• Draft Complex Contract Change Notices (CCNs) and other ancillary contract documentation such as updated conformed contracts and Financial Models as required by the terms of the Contract.
• Assurance of “in-life” transactions such as reviewing pricing variations, statements of work, work orders, indexation and milestone payments etc. and ensuring that these are reviewed and are approved in accordance with the Delegated Authority Matrix for the Contract.
• Act as the principle contact for Supplier’ sales/account management and operational teams on contract issues and single point of contact for escalation where required.
• Managing commercial Exit obligations and providing interpretation and advice concerning Exit for supplier contracts.  
• Act as a “trusted adviser” to HOCS in order to assist in ensuring the delivery of contractual obligations and to assist in identifying commercial and contractual solutions to in life contract issues.
• Implementation of best practice regarding risk management and risk mitigation throughout the contract life cycle: i.e. proactive monitoring of key risks identified from bid stage and throughout term of the contract.  
• Ensure risks are identified, tracked and reviewed on a regular basis with the supplier account team and relevant HOCS representatives; recommending appropriate actions as necessary.
• Monitor and review on a regular basis (ideally monthly as a minimum) the commercial and contractual implications of performance and financial issues, monitor and manage variances from key assumptions and ensure the maintenance of a suitable audit trail of key supplier and internal interactions and decision points.
• Participate in internal and external supplier account reviews and support the development of supplier Service Management Key Performance Indicators (KPI) improvement plans to ensure effective contract performance and value for money delivery.
• Engage with the supplier pre-sales, service delivery and account manager teams in contract negotiations through risk analysis, drafting and agreeing contract schedules, producing controlled versions of contracts where required or delivering “contract walk” to show delta and inform negotiation strategy.
• Track actual risk/opportunity and provide audit trail for variance from baseline contract performance in accordance with Commercial Policy.
• Continuously improve the contracting environment - processes and awareness, and contribute to the provision of innovative and flexible solutions to contract/commercial issues. 
• Support the HOCS Head of Delivery and Business Management to create a commercial culture that allows good supplier relationship and Contract Management practices to be applied.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). 

Due to the nature of the role, this post is available on a full-time basis and with the possibility of compressed hours or job share. 

Essential Criteria

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for commercial and performance management with the following skills or proven experience in:

• Proven experience managing large and complex contracts.
• Good standard of drafting capability.
• Ability to work within senior teams and advise and escalate as appropriate.
• Ability to understand and manage complex risks and issues.
• Good communication skills and ability to operate across different levels of management and senior management.
• Understanding of P&L, Balance Sheet and associated internal finance systems.
• Excellent Project Management and planning skills on major contract negotiation.
• Experience of dispute resolution.
•  “Can do” attitude to problem solving within team dynamic.
•  Understanding of Public Contracts Regulations, and interest in learning the new regulations as part of Transforming Public Procurement.
• Pro-active, close attention to detail, numerate, good organisational skills with the ability to translate these skills into developing and implementing effective administrative processes for their team. 

Desirable Criteria

Ideally you will also have the following skills or some experience in:

• Relevant legal/financial skills (formal qualification preferred by not mandatory) and/or relevant commercial/ contractual experience in DDaT or cyber security. 
• Ideally one or more of the following qualifications or studying towards:
  
  • IACCM Contract Management Practitioner or Expert
  • CIPS
  • CIMA or CCAB
  • ITIL Service Management
• Willingness to study towards achieving Government Commercial College Contract Management accreditation at Practitioner level.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• a CV detailing job history/qualifications/skills
• a statement of suitability (personal statement) (maximum 1000 words)

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description.

For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement

The sift will be held on the statement of suitability (personal statement). The CV will not be scored.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be behaviour-based questions on all listed behaviours. 

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing 8th January 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 30th January 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

Further Information

Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement. 

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role or similar role become available within that period you may be offered this position. 

When completing your application you will have the opportunity to select your preferred location(s). Please ensure you select all locations you are interested in. Candidates who are successful at Interview will be placed in order of merit per location and provisional job offers will be made in strict merit order per location preference. Provisional offers are made, as they are on condition that you successfully pass all pre-employment checks.

Note for Candidates

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process.

Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or contingent worker you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e. outside the civil service. If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the Interview stage.

Visa sponsorship    

We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship/Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.  

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and are a Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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.