About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with multiple protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

Are you a proactive individual with experience of working in a commercial function where you have spent time improving digital systems?

Do you enjoy working with people at all levels and pride yourself on your high-quality service?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity available and would love to hear from you!

If you would like to know more about this role join our virtual information session on 05th March 2024 at 17:30pm. Please register here.

Our transport system touches the lives of everyone in this country it reunites families; takes millions of people to work every day; enables holidays; and keeps fresh food on the shelves of our supermarkets. This is an exciting time to work for the Department for Transport (DfT) and an opportunity to gain a strong working knowledge within a dynamic commercial (sourcing and procurement) environment, to support national infrastructure and transport for the public and industry as we move towards decarbonisation.  

Job description

The Commercial Relationship Management (CRM) Team, part of the Group Commercial Directorate within the Government Commercial Function, handles procurement and contract management for the Department, supporting various transport modes and corporate functions. The role, based in the Digital CRM team, provides procurement solutions for infrastructure, equipment, and policy projects, such as the Blue Badge scheme, Aviation Security, and Rail Passenger ticketing. It requires adeptness in managing multiple stakeholders, ensuring legal compliance, and developing IT strategies, including AI applications, while organising training sessions with consultants specialising in AI solutions.

Responsibilities include:

• Manage a portfolio of digital procurements with a delegated authority limit of £5m to sign off competed Contract Awards and £100K for Direct Awards in-line with DfT’s purchasing guidelines.
• Support procurements from strategy development through to Contract Award (below and above Public Contract Regulation thresholds). This includes, development of tenders and procurement documentation, managing and responding to clarification questions, running the evaluation processes (including chairing consensus meetings), drafting contracts and compiling/reviewing feedback for the award letters to successful and unsuccessful bidders.
• Provide Contract Management expertise to support customers in delivery of successful Commercial outcomes both in terms of value for money and achieving contractual deliverables. This includes shaping and monitoring KPI’s and SLA’s and supporting the customers at supplier service review meetings, providing feedback and recommendations for improvement.
• Engage closely with colleagues in Group Commercial Directorate, in particular the Systems team, the Data & MI team, other Commercial Relationship Managers and Advisors, Policy, and Supplier Relationship Management colleagues, which may involve representing CRM on a working group and in nominated governance groups or boards.
• Manage and update the procurement pipeline by engaging with customers, capturing information and logging this onto the Jaggaer e-Sourcing Portal.

Please view the attached role profile for an in depth view of the post.

Person specification

You will have experience working in a commercial function, with time spent within an IT/ Digital landscape, working closely on procurements associated to this environment. You will have a keen eye for detail and aptitude for learning allowing you to confidently navigate a variety of systems required to effectively manage day to day tasks.

You will need the following experience:

• Experience of working in a commercial function (sourcing and procurement) at pace.
• Understanding of a digital and technology end to end procurement process and supporting a range of transactions.
• Good stakeholder management.
• Managing and interacting with suppliers.
• Experience of pre-procurement market engagement.
• Understanding of contract management, including during contract term, variations, understanding performance and supporting contract managers in improving it if appropriate, termination and exit.

Please see the attached role profile for an in depth view of the post.

Additional Information 

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport. 

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.

How to Apply 

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement (1250 words) please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following: 

• Experience of working in a commercial role which involved digital procurement.
• Experience working with and improving digital systems.
• How you assisted stakeholders to successfully deliver digital outcomes.
• Excellent stakeholder management, including managing and interacting with suppliers and adapting your approach when required.

Sift & Interview Dates 

The sift is due to take place week commencing 11th March 2024.

Interviews are due to take place week commending  25th March 2024.

This interview will be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview. 

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

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.  

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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. 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.