Commercial Strategy Lead - Department for Transport

Job summary

The Department for Transport (DfT) are recruiting a Commercial Strategy Lead to implement commercial initiatives across the DfT Group of organisations, realising the benefits from procurement legislation, policies and supporting the Government’s mission to drive economic growth for the nation.

This role sits within the DfT’s Commercial Directorate and is part of the Commercial Strategy, Policy, and Capability (SP&C) division. The aim of this division is to ensure that the DfT Group (comprising the DfT Central Department (DfTc), its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs), and Executive Agencies (EAs), as well as the supply chains related to the activities undertaken by the DfT Group), are aligned with the strategic aims of the DfT, aligned with commercial policy and strategy, and developing the capabilities required from a commercial perspective. The Strategy team is the central focal point for the DfT Group Commercial Strategy. The DfT Group Commercial Strategy was launched at the end of 2022 and provides strategic direction for a range of initiatives that maximise value through collaboration across the DfT Group. This is an exciting opportunity to influence significant annual spend over a diverse range of categories, driving value, leveraging our approach to deliver growth, social value, and delivering innovative solutions.

This role will be responsible for developing guidance and strategies, with consideration and understanding of the commercial objectives and outcomes of DfT’s transport client bodies. In doing so, the post holder will lead on the testing of existing commercial tools and engage with a range of stakeholders in the DfT Group to ensure that our proposed strategies are deliverable in line with wider objectives, driving efficiency and avoiding duplication of effort.

If you have a good understanding of public procurement policy and legislation, with a strategic approach to initiatives that will provide the greatest leverage in delivering the Government’s missions, we would love to hear from you. There are few limits to the scope of this role, and this is a fantastic opportunity to grow your commercial experience into a wider strategic context, working across a large and diverse range of spend categories and including all elements of the commercial life cycle. If you would like to discuss the role informally, please reach out to us for a confidential discussion.

Job description

This role is part of DfT’s Commercial Strategy team, and although the team is relatively small it plays a key role in shaping the commercial approach of the DfT Group to deliver the direction of the main Department. There are no direct reports to this role, however the post-holder will present and coordinate a number of stakeholder groups comprised of senior commercial professionals from the DfT Group and the wider transport sector. They will use their network to implement appropriate programmes of work to effectively deliver DfT’s commercial activity. This will include, but is not limited to a number of specific areas.

Locations
The successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace.

Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance.

This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.

Person specification

• Sustainability and initiatives that will promote decarbonisation, biodiversity and reducing our impact on our environment, when undertaking commercial activity.
• Innovation and driving a culture where data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology are leveraged to deliver the outcomes required in the future.
• How our commercial activity supports the skills required to deliver the future pipeline of procurement across the DfT Group, supporting Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), in the private, voluntary and community sectors.
• How we increase social value in our supply chain and ensure that our procurement activity maximises the longer-term societal improvements that a focus on social value should deliver.
• How we can develop our commercial pipelines so that our activity contributes to economic growth across the UK.
• How we develop commercial capability where it is needed and ensure that our overall activities provide value for money, are competitive and take a long-term approach to the outcomes desired.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Experience leading in complex commercial activities, with experience across the commercial lifecycle with the ability to relate to the diverse needs of stakeholders and develop strategies that take account of the complex needs of organisations.
• Being able to maintain a commercial focus in developing strategies, upholding the aims of the commercial profession, and keeping advice and guidance within acknowledged parameters that deliver value for the Government and taxpayer.
• Ability to challenge senior stakeholder decisions, work under pressure, and deliver projects within agreed timescales, which will often require significant consultation and developing text for inclusion in strategic documents and support materials.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, presenting to groups and addressing challenges which may arise, and the ability to grow a network of relationships within the Department, DfT Group, and across Government.
• Good understanding of public procurement policy, best practice, and legislation, with the ability to translate the requirements of these into commercial strategies. Drafting clear written documents, supporting implementation of strategic direction.
• A comprehensive understanding of the procurement process and how the process can incorporate initiatives that leverage opportunities to drive economic growth and contribute to delivery of the Government’s missions.

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.

Kindly refer to the following link for the GCF Rewards and benefits page.

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/gcf-benefits/

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

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.

Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on Monday 13th April and will require a full day's attendance.

If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team on commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates.

For full details of our process, and a likely timeline, please read 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 Technical Skills (essential criteria) and your Job History (CV) that you will be asked to provide during the application process. Further help and advice on our application and selection process can be found at this web address https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/gcf-how-to-apply/

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-re…

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Sean Kelly
• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should direct this to the Head of Commercial Resourcing Hub at the following email commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk quoting the vacancy reference number (if applicable) and the details of your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission via the following web page: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

Attachments

451897 CL2554 Candidate Pack - Commercial Strategy Lead - Department for Transport.docx (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 628kB)Guaranteed Interview Schemes Opens in new window (pdf, 70kB)