About the job

Job summary

Procurement Act proposes a new unit with operational responsibilities for strategic oversight of the new legal regime for public procurement. The unit will oversee the integrity and effectiveness of the regime, reviewing compliance by contracting authorities and possible debarment of suppliers, it is expected that the existing Public Procurement Review Service (PPRS) will also become part of the new unit. 

The Procurement Review Unit will drive up standards through monitoring and reviewing procurement activity, intervening where appropriate and working collaboratively to improve commercial capability across public procurement. The scope and powers of the unit are still being developed and a key part of the post holder’s role will be to work with key stakeholders to ensure an approach that, using commercial data and other sources of information, can review the effectiveness and integrity of public sector procurement. 

The post holder will be expected to deploy their skills and experience flexibly across the wider team to deliver the Government's post-EU Exit reform programme and the public procurement policy agenda.

The post holder will work alongside the PPRS lead supporting the implementation and development of the unit systems and processes in the programme,  compliance and debarment service and will work for the Head of the Public Review Unit 

The Public Procurement Review Service is responsible for the informal investigation of concerns raised by suppliers, in particular small businesses, relating to public procurement practice whilst supporting continuous improvement across the public sector procurement. This service has statutory powers to investigate performance by contracting authorities and their functions and publishes its findings.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the programme of a key strand of the Government’s post-EU Exit work programme, shaping the UK’s future landscape for public sector procurement. This is a high priority programme within the Cabinet Office with a significant profile with Ministers, HM Treasury and No10. Working in close alignment with the International and Reform Procurement Policy Team, an integral part of the Government Commercial Function, you will lead the programme management office (PMO) to support the reform of the UK procurement regulations.

Job description

The post-holder will be responsible for:

Initially, setting up and maintaining the unit as it develops through the implementation stage.

• Plan and maintain programmes for the Procurement Review Unit (PRU). Ensure that the project plan, key milestones and responsibilities are assigned. 
• Prepare information for the new compliance and debarment service including standard templates to support standardisation of processes.
• Undertake research and design a standard operating model for the PRU, working with examples of industry best practices to implement into the PRU. These practices may include: an expert panel; publication route of unit findings and trend; effective process to manage debarment administration; monitoring improvement activities.
• Design the governance for the unit, ensuring there is a system to identify risks and effectively manage them. Develop clear reporting systems into Senior Stakeholders and Ministers.
• Manage recruitment exercises for the unit, including the panel members, flexible resources and permanent additional team members across the PRU.
• Design Customer Satisfaction Survey in advance of the unit go live date.
• Design systems to collate data to support the Unit.
• Create systems to manage flexible resources for the compliance team and  to manage an expert panel.

The role will include line managing 1 SEO Senior programme officer.

Once the unit is in operation, the role  will:

• Maintain the PRU operating model , updating and implementing continuous improvement to the systems created.
• Coach and support team members including the flexible resource and the expert panel.
• Oversee the analysis of data and the building of reports for the compliance service to support investigations.
• Support investigations e.g. administration of the reports to be referred to the expert panel members.
• Manage the interventions with the expert panel, the debarment process and stakeholder engagement including the process to refer reports and submissions to the Minister. 
• Complete reports to support the unit and oversee the publication of material.
• Provide support, guidance and coaching to the team. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.

Person specification

• Good communication skills both oral and written with the ability to demonstrate persuasiveness, persistence and patience, confident working with a variety of stakeholders at all levels, building rapport.
• Experience of working in large transformational change Projects or Programmes. 
• Creating delivery strategies and gaining buy-in.
• Collaborative working across organisational boundaries with the ability to communicate complex solutions simply and clearly.
• Understanding of Public Procurement Legislation and National Policies relating to Procurement and Commercial.
• Ability to work flexibly and overcome challenges, often under considerable time pressure in complex environments demonstrating excellent attention to detail and strong analytical skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with good attention to detail, and an ability to identify and recommend change improvements to simplify ways of working or make processes more efficient.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to matrix manage, so that flexible resources are empowered to deliver and also remain focused on the programme’s vision.

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will need to complete the following:

• CV
• A personal statement, demonstrating how you meet the person specification and essential criteria in no more than 1000 words
• 250 words on the success profile behaviour - Seeing The Big Picture

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

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Behaviour, Seeing The Big Picture. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

During the interview you will be assessed on behaviours, plus a 10 minute presentation on Communicating and Influencing.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

Changing and Improving

Making Effective Decisions

Working Together

Managing a Quality Service

Delivering at Pace

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – WC 12/02/2024
Expected interview date/s – WC 4/3/2024
Interview location - Online

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

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

Further information

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

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 3 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter 

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

Any move to Cabinet Office 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

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

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

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.