About the job

Job summary

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) over the last decade have been impactful, rapid, and unpredictable. Today, harnessing AI is an opportunity that could be transformational for the UK and the rest of the world. Advanced AI systems have the potential to drive economic growth and productivity, boost health and wellbeing, improve public services, and increase security.

The UK government is determined to seize these opportunities. In September, we announced Isambard AI as the UK AI Research Resource, which will be one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers purpose-built for AI. The National Health Service (NHS) is running trials to help clinicians identify breast cancer sooner by using AI. In the workplace, AI promises to free us from routine tasks, giving teachers more time to teach and police officers more time to tackle crime. There is a world of opportunity for the UK that we will explore.

But advanced AI systems also pose significant risks, as detailed in the government’s paper on Capabilities and Risks from Frontier AI published in October.  AI can be misused – this could include using AI to generate disinformation, conduct sophisticated cyberattacks or help develop chemical weapons. AI can cause societal harms – there have been examples of AI chatbots encouraging harmful actions, promoting skewed or radical views, and providing biased advice. AI generated content that is highly realistic but false could reduce public trust in information. Some experts are concerned that humanity could lose control of advanced systems, with potentially catastrophic and permanent consequences. We will only unlock the benefits of AI if we can manage these risks. At present, our ability to develop powerful systems outpaces our ability to make them safe. The first step is to better understand the capabilities and risks of these advanced AI systems. This will then inform our regulatory framework for AI, so we ensure AI is developed and deployed safely and responsibly.

The Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI) is the next step in this process. The AI Safety Institute is the first state-backed organisation focused on advancing AI safety for the public interest. We launched at the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit in 2023 because we believe taking responsible action on this extraordinary technology requires a capable and empowered group of technical experts within government.

Job description

The UK is taking a leading role in driving this conversation forward internationally. We launched the Frontier AI Taskforce – the first state body dedicated to the safety of advanced AI, investing more than any other nation - and hosted the world’s first major AI Safety Summit. Responsible government action in an area as new and fast-paced as advanced AI requires governments to develop their own sophisticated technical and sociotechnical expertise.

We have ambitious goals and need to move fast.

1. Develop and conduct evaluations on advanced AI systems. We will characterise safety-relevant capabilities, understand the safety and security of systems, and assess their societal impacts.
2. Develop novel tools for AI governance. We will create practical frameworks and novel methods to evaluate the safety and societal impacts of advanced AI systems, and anticipate how future technical safety research will feed into AI governance.
3. Facilitate information exchange. We will establish clear information-sharing channels between the Institute and other national and international actors. These include stakeholders such as policymakers and international partners.

Our staff includes senior alumni from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, start-ups and the UK government, and ML professors from leading universities. This is a truly unique opportunity to help shape AI safety at an international level.

As more powerful models are expected to hit the market over the course of 2024, AISI’s mission to push for safe and responsible development and deployment of AI is more important than ever.

This is a once-in-a-generation moment, and these roles will sit at the heart of the team. Joining the team represents a unique opportunity to deliver the vision for a constantly evolving area of UK policy. We are looking for applicants with an enthusiasm for supporting the Institute’s mission while embodying our values.

The Role and Our Team

Are you a high performing Operational Supplier Manager ready for your next challenge? You will be embedded within the AISI’s Research Unit, supporting technical staff with the delivery of their research. This role will act as the lynchpin across AISI’s research workstreams, leading on cross-workstream commercial planning and contract management of our key suppliers.

AISI’s research operations function a critical role in creating the environment for our technical team to deliver its mission, shaping the trajectory of AI safety research. The research operations team is charged with solving the many operational challenges that face a ‘start-up inside government’: success in this mission not only amplifies the quality and pace of AISI’s technical output, but also serves as a blueprint for how governments can move quickly to respond to new technical challenges.

This will not be a ‘typical’ commercial role: you will be expected to partner with technical staff, delivery managers and leaders to create a cohesive commercial strategy, support them to unblock complex commercial arrangements at pace, and establish new ways of working across professions to effectively track and manage AISI’s commercial work.

Person specification

The successful candidate will have a wide-ranging portfolio of commercial responsibilities spanning AISI’s Research Unit. The nature of AISI’s mission, and its role in a fast-evolving technical environment, means that the post-holder will need to be able to adapt quickly to changing requirements. Early responsibilities include: 

• Supporting cross-functional teams to deliver the Research Unit’s commercial pipeline. AISI’s Research Unit has a substantial budget to achieve its mission: you will help deliver a portfolio of commercial activity, tracking spends with finance to remain within budget and achieve good value for money.
• Tracking the Research Unit’s spend and delivery confidence across its whole commercial portfolio. You will identify new requirements or data that needs to be captured, including ability to extract and analyse data.
• Leading and overseeing complex procurements across their lifecycle and identifying priority procurement activity with work-streams.
• Proactively improving the standard of commercial delivery across the Research Unit. You will understand the strategic value of the team’s work on the wider organisation and prioritise appropriately.
• Providing trusted advice including advanced knowledge of contracting frameworks. You will act as a route for teams to escalate commercial issues and risks.
• Understanding business requirements to establish an appropriate route to market. Negotiate contract proposals and challenge where appropriate, to deliver cost savings and VFM for AISI.
• Chairing regular checkpoint meetings and ad hoc supplier meetings. You will build close relationships with other areas of AISI and DSIT including finance. You will lead on stakeholder management and issue resolution.
• Ensuring sufficient funds are in place for high value contracts. You will be responsible for producing reports and managing contractual financial spend, and having knowledge and insight of financial positions across the Research Unit.

Skills and Experience

 We are seeking candidates with strong professional experience in commercial roles. Essential skills/experience include: 

• Track record of delivery: You have supported delivery of challenging projects interacting with public sector procurement, contracts and grant agreements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: including the ability to influence and engage a wider range of stakeholders.
• Agency and autonomy: you work proactively and take ownership and accountability of your own tasks and work.
• Confidence managing stakeholders and establishing relationships both internal and external to your organisation.
• Deep commercial knowledge and experience, including using public sector frameworks and e-procurement tools.
• Managing parallel projects: You excel in running multiple complex projects in parallel and deliver them to a very high standard, continually re-assessing priorities and protecting critical deliverables from being knocked off course.
• Mission alignment: You are deeply motivated by AISI’s mission and its role in the wider AI safety and research ecosystem. 

Desirable skills/experience 

• Experience in a technical environment, or in a start-up, is highly relevant. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,495, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £11,473 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, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV.

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

Applications will be sifted on CV.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Interviews will assess behaviours and strengths necessary for the role.

Interviews will be:

 Interview 1 – Civil Service Behaviours Interview.

• Behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Changing and Improving, Working together, Managing a quality service.

Interview 2 – Experience/Key Stakeholder interview.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 05/08/2024

Interview dates: w/c 19/08/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply,and can be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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

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

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

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. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Feedback

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.