About the job

Job summary

Defra group Commercial wish to appoint 2 Senior Category Officers into the Midlands Infrastructure team to:

• Support and lead commercial delivery of medium to high value and risk project procurements (typically £100k to £20m+)

The role holder will:

• Prepare initial procurement strategies, and contribute to business plans
• Plan and manage market engagement exercises
• Prepare pre-tender and tender documents in collaboration with customers
• Run tenders in accordance with Public Contracts Regulations and manage evaluations
• Prepare recommendations for tender outcomes (Contract Award Reports) for approval via Governance Boards
• Prepare contract management documentation in collaboration with stakeholders
• Build and sustain effective relationships with suppliers to deliver exceptional performance in cost, service and quality
• Build and sustain effective relationships with internal customers
• Provide day to day advice and recommendations at the appropriate level on commercial risks and issues and governance across the relevant category, taking full account of risk, exploiting commercial opportunities and maximising value for money and savings

Job description

As a Senior Category Officer, you will report to the Commercial Manager - Infrastructure Midlands.

The role holder will work with customers to deliver value effectively and innovatively so that the customer organisation outcomes and objectives can be met alongside the fulfilment of key corporate targets.

The role holder will award and monitor medium value, medium and high risk contracts in accordance with Defra’s commercial policies and procedures. They will deliver propriety and value for money across the commercial life cycle.

The role will provide strategic support to the team and involve promoting commercial policies and procedures whilst influencing the final outcomes. It includes the provision of expert advice to the business on commercial issues and governance and operational support to the team.

The role holder will engage with colleagues across the country, building their Commercial network both internally and through the wider Defra network and Government Bodies.

The role holder will lead procurements for a variety of infrastructure activities, such as flood defences, design consultancy, river flow modelling, support staff, biodiversity and environmental improvements.

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who are building their commercial experience. We want you to be able to challenge and influence across complex and varied customers as well as enjoy developing innovative solutions to challenges. You will excel in building networks and see good relationships as a key part of your expertise. It is important for you to feel rewarded by having provided a high quality professional service with measurable outcomes. Finally, you will enjoy building a positive team spirit and supporting your team to deliver expert outcomes that are valued by your customers. In previous roles we expect you will have:

• Lead and supported delivery of projects including procurements and/or managing contracts or suppliers to a successful outcome
• Formed positive working relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers including influencing and challenging to gain the best outcome. You may have some line management experience
• Understand regulatory frameworks, ideally some exposure to Public Contracts Regulations, working within agreed policies and processes and promoted those standards in the way you work
• Delivered improved ways of working, business change or efficiency
• Proactively identified risks and issues and managed plans to mitigate
• Attended and potentially chaired meetings to gain decisions including setting agendas, leading on items and recording actions and decisions
• Presented conclusions and made recommendations evidenced by analysed information including financial information
• Supported colleagues, training them as appropriate to help support them with the knowledge and skills to deliver their work in an effective and efficient manner
• Used IT systems and applications
• Invested in your own development which might have included keeping up to date on legislation, best practice or developing industry knowledge. Hold or be prepared to study towards CIPS level 6 qualifications

Experience

The following Experience is essential to this post and will be tested at sift and interview.

• Track record of planning and successfully delivering commercial or procurement projects of a similar scale to this role
• Making recommendations to senior colleagues based on analysis of financial and non-financial information and including identifying key risk and mitigations
• Engaging with internal and external customers or stakeholders. Responding to and resolving issues by influencing and challenging to ensure the best result
• Building and maintaining strong and productive working relationships with stakeholders and suppliers
• Communicating confidently and concisely. Effectively communicating with a wide range of stakeholders (at all levels) both in a technical and non-technical environment
• Delivering improvements to ways of working which has resulted in lasting change

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,648 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.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Experience and Behaviours.

Civil Service Behaviours

The following SEO (Senior Executive Officer) Civil Service Behaviours are essential to this post. Communicating and Influencing will be assessed as part of the sift and the interview may include questions on any of the behaviours included below.

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Working together

Full details on the Civil Service Behaviours Framework can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Application Process

Please submit your tailored 2-page CV demonstrating how you meet the Experience detailed above.

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

Sift

The sift is based on an assessment of your CV. Candidates who pass the sift will progress to interview.

Interview

If you are successful at application stage and pass the sift, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the Experience and Civil Service Behaviours for this role. The interview may involve a scenario based question.

Interviews are expected to take place from w/c 26th February.

Interviews will take place using video conferencing (Microsoft Teams) and will typically last for 45-60 minutes.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Candidates applying for these roles will be based in Birmingham.  

Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

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

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

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 defrarecruitment.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. 

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.

Criminal Record Check

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 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. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

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. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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.