About the job

Job summary

Building a strong Commercial Function in Government, and with it the right commercial capability, is at the heart of a far-reaching programme of Civil Service reform.

We are building a cadre of commercial talent in all Government departments; people who can manage our commercial portfolios, who can lead our most complex and novel programmes and projects, people who have the gravitas and depth of experience to work alongside our policy and operational leaders to develop innovative commercial arrangements, whether through joint ventures, outsourcing or best-in-class contracts.

The Government Commercial Organisation is an employer which is truly committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and are able to perform to their potential. We understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and strive for a workplace that reflects the communities which we serve. We especially welcome applications from underrepresented groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with a disability and candidates with gender-diverse identities. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

We have already made significant progress through the establishment of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), our single employer of senior commercial talent across government. This role will sit within the GCO, but based in our MOJ commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

Job description

The Consultancy and Professional Services team manage the procurement of services including external legal advice, research projects and marketing, communications and advertising. Projects range from low value, short term project to open tenders for multi-million-pound contracts running over several years. With the majority of the team focussed on sourcing, there is a requirement to review the transactional processes for our contracts and provide commercial contract management support and guidance.

The role sits within a busy, friendly and supportive team, offering an interesting and varied workload with opportunity to inform and continually improve the ways of working. With an opportunity to drive value and create real difference within MoJ Professional Services and Contingent Labour category team, you will manage a team of two and you will be responsible for managing performance and operation of several key contracts to stakeholders across MoJ. 

As a Senior Commercial Manager, you will directly manage the Contingent Labour category and review practices across the team with a particular focus on contract management and market engagement activities.

This is an exciting time to join the team as the primary contract for Contingent Labour is nearing expiry and transition to the new project will mean a substantial change with the introduction of new processes and/or systems and migration of all existing workers to a new contract.
You will work closely with the Head of Category and the Senior Commercial Manager responsible to Professional Services as well as also supporting the wider team in developing ways of working.

We are looking for people with the right personal qualities – enthusiasm, energy, proactivity, collaborative, prepared to work as part of a team and under their own initiative and to be flexible and adaptable in a demanding environment. You will bring excellent communication and organisational skills to ensure contracts are working effectively to meet business needs and stakeholder relationships are managed appropriately.

Person specification

• Review and develop the team’s approach to commercial contract management
• Provide commercial and operational support for Contingent Labour contracts
• Line management of Contingent Labour team members
• Effective management of Contingent Labour contracts, establishing an expert knowledge of them
• Develop the team’s supplier engagement practices, working closely with stakeholders to establish effective, working relationships
• Review maturity of the team’s commercial practices against the Commercial Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework
• Ensure proper controls and documentation are in place across the team
• Planning and developing exit and implementation strategies to meet business needs
• Liaising with colleagues across government to share knowledge and best practice
• Review and update Category Strategies

In addition, the successful candidates will hold a procurement qualification e.g. MCIPS (or be working towards procurement qualification) or demonstrating an equivalent level of experience. Where a candidate does not have MCIPS or an equivalent, it is mandated that the candidate will undertake CIPS qualifications. They will also be required to undertake the CIPS Ethical Procurement and Supply certificate and government Contract Management Capability Programme accreditation to an agreed level.

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 7th February 2024 and will require a full day's attendance. Please contact commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk in advance if you are unable to attend this date.

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. 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.