About the job

Job summary

This is a key role within the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO), assisting the organisation with its technology transformation and increased emphasis on strategic supplier management. The role, as part of Procurement, will be responsible for creating a single view of key strategic supplier and contract performance across the technology and digital services contract portfolio within the UKHO.

The role will promote the interests of UKHO, ensuring strategic direction is maintained and have a close understanding of business drivers, fostering strong relationships across UKHO and its suppliers to deliver tangible outcomes.

The role will manage the intelligent customer capability for current and future technology requirements to support the UKHO, in particular its digital transformation. The role will be instrumental in forging the right relationships with the many and varied internal and external stakeholders.

The role will oversee the full contract lifecycle management of technology and digital contracts and manage the Technology Procurement and Supplier Management team.

The role will be a capable leader who is a good communicator and is able to quickly build collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders and work strategically. There will be a need to be able to solve problems, come up with innovative solutions and think outside the box.

In the long-term the remit of this role may widen to include strategic supplier management across non-technology / digital service contract areas.

 

Hybrid Working

This is a hybrid role contractually based at out head office in Taunton. It is expected that the postholder will be in the office at least 3 days a week, with the ability to work from home the other days (if desired).

Job description

• To lead and develop improved capability across the business for strategic supplier management and partnerships ensuring due consideration to the relevant commercial models, relationships, and performance management.
• Leading the creation of strategic roadmaps for technology and digital services spend area as well as oversight and control of the approach to supplier relationships and contract management.
• Manage the procurement lifecycle of technology and digital services contract portfolio.
• Lead on negotiation of high value and complex contracts with suppliers, with a value ranging from £500k to £10m+.
• Manage the technology and digital services procurement pipeline for future procurement activities.
• Lead and oversee supplier and contract performance reviews to support the Technology Service management team with SLA and KPI performance management and ensuring contracts deliver highly available and supportable services.
• To be point of escalation to resolve large or high-risk commercial management issues.
• Line management of technology procurement team.

Please see attched Job Description for more details.

Person specification

• Sound understanding of public procurement rules, regulations, and requirements.
• CIPS Level 5 or equivalent experience of working in this environment for a minimum of 6+ years with willingness to study to achieve the CIPS qualification within 1 year of successful application.
• Working knowledge of or working in a ITIL environment.
• Supplier management qualification or relevant experience of complex strategic supplier management.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,686, UK Hydrographic Office contributes £15,575 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 and Experience.

How to Apply:  

Please send a copy of your CV and a 500 word supporting statement demonstrating your relevant experience to the role (see below) by clicking "Apply Now" at the bottom of this page.

Timeline:  

• Advert Closes for applications:  22/02/2024

• Shortlisting: week commencing   26/04/2024
• Interviews: week commencing  04/03/2024

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

Sift/Shortlist Criteria:  

All applications are processed anonymously. You will be short-listed against the following criteria: 

Experience:

• Sound understanding of public procurement regulations and requirements including CIPS Level 5 qualification or equivalent 5+ years relevant public procurement experience, with a willingness to achieve CIPS Level 5 within 1 year of successful application. 
• Supplier management qualification or relevant 5+ years’ experience of complex strategic supplier management. 
• Extensive experience of leading strategic technology public procurement activities. 

Interview Criteria:  

 You will be interviewed against the following criteria: 

Civil Service Behaviours: 

• Seeing the Big Picture  
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Experience: 

• Extensive experience of leading strategic technology public procurement activities.
• Supplier management qualification or relevant 5+ years’ experience of complex strategic supplier management

For more information: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)  

Process:   

• Single Stage Interview via TEAMS. You will be contacted to book a suitable slot if you are shortlisted (see our Candidate Pack for further information) 
• Interview will be with a panel of no more than 3 people and will last approx. 60 mins 
• PRESENTATION: As part of the interview process you may be asked to pre-prepare and present to the Panel to assess the Communicating and Influencing behaviour as well as your experience in Supplier management (qualification or relevant 5+ years’ experience of complex strategic supplier management.) 

Onboarding Checks:  

In the event you are offered a role with us, you will be required to go through Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which will include Employment and Right to Work Checks.  Please see our attached Candidate Pack for further details and Terms.

Please note, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship. 
 

Residency Requirentns: 

BPSS – non reserved: This is a Ministry of Defence non-reserved post and is open to UK, British Commonwealth, and European Economic Area nationals. Successful applicants will be required to pass the Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and will therefore need to provide evidence if they have resided outside of the UK for a period of 6 months or longer within the last 3 years. This is not a bar to employment, but a successful applicant will be required to provide sufficient evidence to allow the UKHO to conduct meaningful background checks. Please contact the recruitment team on the email address below if you have any concerns regarding this. 

Eligibility 

Due to the secure nature of our work, there may be eligibility restrictions if you hold dual nationality or are not a British Citizen. We will consider each application on a case-by-case basis. We will ask you in our application form to confirm your place of birth and details of any dual or previous nationalities. 

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.