About the job

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Head of Contract & Supplier Relationship Management

Location: National*

Closing Date: 21 February 2024

Interviews: From 01 March 2024

Grade: 6

(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)

Salary: London: £70,303 - £80,370; National: £66,314 - £75,810

Working pattern: full-time, part-time, flexible working

Contract Type: Permanent

Vacancy number: 84231

*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP

The Role

We’re recruiting for a Head of Contract & Supplier Relationship Management here at Justice Digital, to be part of our warm and collaborative Strategy & Operations - Contract Management team.

The design, delivery and support of Digital, Data, & Technology services is heavily dependent on collaboration between the MoJ and members of its extensive supplier ecosystem. On behalf of the wider MoJ organisation, Justice Digital invests over £275m per annum in supplier capability and solutions – many of which are critical to the operation of MoJ.

The contract management team exists in order to ensure that the money spent with these suppliers is well managed. The team ensures that all contracts are established on the basis of the best information available and managed for long-term value, while facilitating the development and maintenance of longer-term strategic partnerships.

The Head of Contract & Supplier Relationship Management is responsible for ensuring that Justice Digital ICT optimises relationships with suppliers to ensure contracts deliver on expectations to best practise standards and deliver high value outcomes and services throughout the contracted periods. This is achieved through constant review and establishment of strong effective relationships with supplier Executives & Senior stakeholders that are focused on achieving continuous improvement for the Department.

As Head of Profession, the Head of Contract & Supplier Management is responsible for leading, developing and supporting the contract and supplier management community of practice and growth of capability across a workforce of 1300 people. This is a leadership role within Justice Digital, which requires demonstration of wide-ranging leadership skills in strategic relationship management and strategic direction setting.

There is a focus on building capability, knowledge, talent and expertise within the profession through thought-leadership, knowledge sharing, collaborative ways of working, common working practices and championing a culture of excellence.

To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital please take a look at our blog and our Digital and Technology strategy 2025

Key Responsibilities:

• Management and delivery of Justice Digital’s Supplier Contracts (c.160) with a combined contract value of more than £2bn.
• Set the vision and strategy for the community of practice for Contract & Supplier Management within Justice Digital and wider MoJ
• Lead the definition and adoption of Justice Digital Contract and Supplier Management strategy and ensure the vision and strategy for the profession is aligned, supporting and delivering to the strategic priorities, outcomes and goals of the organisation
• Lead the establishment and growth of capability necessary to support deployment of the Contract and Supplier Management strategy and community of practice
• Establish a framework for supplier governance and to monitor the service provided and deliver commercial value from contracts.
• Define an implementation approach consistent with the agreed strategy; lead the adoption and continuous improvement of the agreed approach
• Create and own the strategic plan for the development of the people in the profession, delivering a prioritised roadmap that builds and strengthens the professional capability and expertise for the community of practice
• Proactively work across government departments and wider public sector to develop and promote excellence within the specialism, attract new talent, create opportunities for innovation and collaboration through networks, forums and interest groups
• Support the promotion of the Justice Digital brand and our employee value proposition raising the profile of the community of practice across MoJ, the wider Civil Service and beyond.
• Sponsor improvement initiatives focused on reducing value leakage, lowering risk and creating value beyond that originally contracted
• Measure and manage performance through the application of the agreed approach and implementation of continuous improvement initiatives
• Mature a strong contract management regime with Commercial colleagues and Senior Leaders.
• Recruit, lead and motivate a team made up of capable Senior Contract Managers, Contract Managers, Compliance Lead, Framework Lead and Performance Data Analysts
• Building contract and supplier relationship management capability and community of practice across Justice Digital, wider MoJ and civil service
• Design and implement robust contract and supplier management practices across Justice Digital
• Owning Justice Digital’s relationship with Cabinet Office and ensure all contract and supplier management decisions are in line with Government standards
• Determine overall supplier management strategy, embracing effective management and operational relationships at all levels.
• Work across Justice Digital and MoJ to ensure all commercial and contract and supplier management activity is appropriately and proportionately governed
• Direct discussions with Senior Civil Servants (SCS) across Justice Digital and it’s supporting functions, often with competing priorities, to allocate resources and priority initiatives across the department to deliver against Justice Digital’s strategy, surfacing and resolving issues as necessary
• Support SCS in Justice Digital to deliver their objectives by ensuring commercial strategies are in place on all contracts and they are suitably funded and assured
• Ensuring portfolios are suitably prepared and execute commercial strategies, leading a team of people working across Justice Digital and wider organisation to raise awareness, track progress and ensure successful delivery.

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!

Benefits

• 37 hours per week and flexible working options including working from home, working part-time, job sharing, or working compressed hours.
• We are committed to nurturing our staff and provide lots of training and development opportunities with learning platforms such as: Linux Academy, O’Reilly, Pluralsight, Microsoft Learning, Civil Service Learning, GDS Academy, etc.
• 10% dedicated time to learning and development with a budget of £1000 a year per person
• Generous civil service pension based on defined benefit scheme, with employer contributions of 26-30% depending on salary.
• 25 days leave (plus bank holidays) and 1 privilege day usually taken around the Kings’ birthday. 5 additional days of leave once you have reached 5 years of service.
• Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
• Wellbeing support including access to the Calm app.
• Nurturing professional and interpersonal networks including those for Carers & Childcare, Gender Equality, PROUD and SPIRIT
• Bike loans up to £2500 and secure bike parking (subject to availability and location)
• Season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and eye-care vouchers.
• 5 days volunteering paid leave.
• Free membership to BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.
• Some offices may have a subsidised onsite Gym.

 Person Specification

• Expert practitioner in contract and supplier management and experience of leading a supplier management capability.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to show evidence-based decision making
• Exhibit strategic thinking and has view of technology horizon.
• Experience of integrating delivery of complex IT services from multiple suppliers or contracts, possibly gained in a large systems service or supplier environment.
• Have outstanding relationship management capabilities and a track record of negotiations at executive and senior levels.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills and demonstrates willingness to make changes that provide value to senior business owners
• The ability to drive improved outcomes by influencing and developing the market.
• Inspirational leader able to motivate own team, colleagues and suppliers alike.
• Excellent external networking capabilities and presentational skills.
• Experience creating and delivering sourcing exercises end to end (from identification of business need through to award and mobilisation)
• Delivery and management of procurement materials (e.g. procurement strategies, specifications, evaluation criteria) within IT hardware, systems, or technical services.
• Awareness of public sector procurement legislation in a public-sector body
• Working knowledge of procurement systems, e.g. Oracle (ERP) and Jaggaer (Bravo).
• Member of a relevant professional body, e.g. CIPS, WCC (previously known as IACCM) or similar.

Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance

We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £66,314, Ministry of Justice contributes £18,501 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

How to Apply

Candidates must submit a CV and Personal Statement (c.750 words), which describes how you meet the requirements set out in the Person Specification above.

In Justice Digital, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We will assess your Experience, Technical Skills and the following Behaviours during the assessment process:

• Changing & Improving
• Communicating & Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

A diverse panel will review your application against the Person Specification above.

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a 1-hour panel interview held via video conference.  During this interview, you will be required to deliver a presentation describing good practice in Contract & Supplier Management, and your proposed approach to implementing this across a broad IT supply base consisting of c. 160 suppliers with an annual spend of c. £300m.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on your status as a  member of a relevant professional body, e.g. CIPS, WCC (previously known as IACCM) or similar will be conducted before the sift.

Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.

Terms & Conditions

Please review our Terms & Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact recruitment@digital.justice.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.