About the job

Job summary

"This is a hugely exciting time to be joining the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS) Commercial team. You will have the unique opportunity to help deliver the next generation of combat air systems to replace the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft. Among these capabilities is the procurement of the next-generation fighter jet that is being delivered by the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a trilateral collaboration between the UK, Japan and Italy.  If you’re interested in becoming a world class leader, doing things differently, inspiring colleagues and driving a historical change in the combat air industry in the UK and internationally, then this is a rewarding role for you”.

Military Capability sits at the heart of the MOD’s major decisions. It is headed by the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff ((Military Capability) (DCDS(MilCap)), a 3-star military officer (equivalent to a Director General) with responsibility for taking a pan-Departmental view of MOD’s strategic balance of investment decisions and the Department’s financial planning rounds. 

The Future Combat Air System Team sits within DCDS(MilCap)’s domain and is critical to UK military capability. FCAS supports Defence Tasks and wider National Security Objectives and is a key element of both the UK’s industrial base and our international partnering. The Future Combat Air directorate defines policy in line with the 2018 Combat Air Strategy, and enables Government decisions on investment, programme and partnering choices. The Director of Future Combat Air provides leadership across the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Enterprise. He acts as the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for both the FCAS Acquisition Programme and Technology Initiative Programme. 

Combat Air plays a vital role in our military strategic capabilities for decades to come, enabling us to defend the United Kingdom and our allies, and make a decisive contribution to global security. As our adversaries seek to limit our freedom of movement and control of the air, we need a new generation of combat air systems to replace the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft, which will retire from service from the mid-2030s. 

Job description

The following is an outline of the key role duties and responsibilities; this may be amended as the function develops and expands. Post holders may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time. Key duties and responsibilities as follows:

• Act as Head of Supply Chain and Define & Procure, providing leadership and management across the Supply Chain team and Define & Procure team
• Work collaboratively across MOD industry and wider HMG to gather supplier and market intelligence to inform a strategic approach to promoting the most effective industrial base
• Understand relevant sourcing options and analysis for complex procurements, and deliver positive outcomes through the procurement process
• Build a supply chain ecosystem with a particular focus on SMEs developing an understanding of the health of this ecosystem and how we can promote SMEs
• Develop an FCAS Supplier Forum with our strategic suppliers and SMEs, encouraging joint action with industry to harness the full value of the supply chain
• Oversee supply market analysis to understand the Global Combat Air supply chain (GCAP), identifying any fragilities and vulnerabilities
• Drive the strategy for identifying and managing the existing FCAS, GCAP supply chain up to Tier 5, in order to deliver and maintain a healthy supply chain that is best able to meet the programme’s needs
• Establish a process of monitoring live data from the supply chain with input from wider MOD, other Departments, and Industry
• Review current contracts to understand the current extant levers to manage the existing supply chain, promoting a fair and competitive environment in which innovation thrives
• Set up a Supply Chain Working Group involving industry partners and generate MI and performance reporting, set up a dashboard to monitor key supply chain metrics
• Work with teams in wider MOD, including Defence Commercial, Security Policy and Operations (SPO) and Directorate of industrial strategy and exports (DISE), to mitigate any risks that may emerge to key suppliers
• Lead FCAS input to senior level advice, supporting decisions on the best approaches to take to bolster key suppliers
• Develop the commercial team into the central hub for all issues relating to the supply chain across the FMC FCAS enterprise, engaging closely with programme, delivery, and strategy teams
• Work collaboratively with industry to encourage technical innovation that could help deliver the most effective military capability in the most efficient way and how best to exploit and manage IPR
• You will be a member of the FCAS Commercial Senior Leadership (SLT) Team.  As a result, you will work collegiately with your fellow SLT to support a coherent approach to ensuring that the programme can be delivered most effectively
• Produce senior briefings packs in support of FCAS Programme Board, Tri-lateral Director’s meetings, and other briefings requests as required

Locations
The successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace.

Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance.

This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.

Person specification

• You will have experience of leading strategic relationships, including with UK Defence industry and other Departments, to support programme delivery in a complex and political stakeholder environment
• You will need to be comfortable working at all levels within an organisation – from the strategic to the operational, and have the energy, motivation and drive to deliver outstanding results over the next few years as the transformation in performance you will drive begins to bear fruit
• You will have experience identifying commercial risks and taking action to mitigate them
• You will understand the importance of performance measures and reporting – taking pride in your achievements and not shying away from the challenge
• You will have several years of experience in a similar type of role and for you this role would represent an opportunity to operate with a degree of autonomy not often found in large corporate/government organisations. You will have the chance to bring your experience and skills to bear, as the pinnacle of your career to date
• You are looking for the chance to consolidate your experience of strategic relationships and managing performance through commercial constructs with your next big move. You would find a platform in this role to take your credentials, network and impact to the next level
• CIPS/MCIPS accreditation preferable

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 15th 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.