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 DCMS commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

DCMS is looking to strengthen its commercial capability and has an opportunity for an experienced procurement and commercial professional to join the Commercial Directorate in the position of Head of Procurement 

This post will work within an integrated commercial functional team leading a team of Commercial Business Partners. 

They will also be supporting a number of business areas across DCMS and its Arms Length Bodies (ALBs), and working on delivering innovative commercial solutions.

This role provides a unique opportunity to lead commercially on a wide variety of projects in a variety of policy areas and corporate programmes, and include leading and heavily work on certain initiatives and ad hoc commercial projects as they arise. As we are a small, flexible, wide-ranging Department, you will often be reporting directly to ministers and/or senior officials. 

As a Department, DCMS values a diverse range of skills and experience, working as one team. We work flexibly, within a project based, delivery focussed environment. We work with pace and are creative, innovative and ambitious.

This role will side report to the Head of Commercial Operations (Band AU/6) and will include line management of staff.

Person specification

• Deputise for the Head of Commercial Operations and Deputy Commercial Director, and on occasion, the Commercial Director as required both internally and externally;
• Lead a team of Commercial Business Partners and the Commercial Services Hub to support the department to deliver priorities through procurements and commercial advice;
• Carry-out a wide range of procurements from conception to the end of the contract, including CCS frameworks, three quotes, open competitions, and above PCR threshold competitions;
• Adhering to Government Procurement ‘best practice’ and policies and Procurement regulations;
• Be responsible for the contract management of a wide range of contracts including high risk and high cost contracts;
• Write a range of bespoke contracts, to include mitigation clauses on high risk projects, health and safety, equality and diversity etc;
• Support the Commercial Director, Deputy Commercial Director and Head of Commercial Operations in developing and implementing commercial capability within the Department;
• Lead and support cross-government commercial policies and initiatives, ensuring implementation and delivery within DCMS and across the department’s ALB community;
• Manage consistent commercial policies and procurement processes across the Department;
• Effectively manage and work through the Department’s Commercial team with a high degree of technical competence;
• Ensure that the Commercial team is responsive to business needs whilst effectively managing business & commercial risks;
• Be a Line manager and Development Manager to several of our staff and allocate time to develop their talent and manage their overall performance and development, including valuing difference to deliver results, inspiring your staff and colleagues and creating a shared sense of purpose across DCMS;
• Lead and oversee the departmental procurement pipeline ensuring deliverables are met in good time;
• Engage with senior stakeholders and budget holders to plan and hold to account procurement and contractual deliverables;
• Gain a thorough understanding of how DCMS and its people work, including cross-government agendas and use this knowledge to be actively involved in shaping the way DCMS operates;
• Support commercial delivery of key parts of DCMS’ programmes and be able to operate with autonomy, working flexibly and innovatively with policy colleagues across all of our work areas;
• Take personal responsibility; challenging and holding stakeholders to account, creating an environment that acts as a catalyst for continuous improvement; helping us to develop innovative commercial solutions to meet Departmental objectives and increase efficiency;
• Deliver and provide leadership of all elements of the procurement and commercial life-cycle;
• Take personal responsibility and commitment to personal development and team’s personal development of all grades.

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 8th April and will require a full day's attendance. 

If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team at commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates. 

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. 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.