Contract Management Officer (Non-Commercial)

Job summary

This role is based as the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, MOD Shrivenham. The Defence Academy’s mission is to develop the intellectual edge needs for success on operation and leadership in government. The work we do here makes an important and substantial contribution to Defence through our delivery of professional defence and security education. This benefits circa, 41,000 people each year, not only MOD personnel but our partners across government, allies and international partners and occasionally, civilians providing contracted support to Defence.

The role sits within the Defence Academy’s Contract Management team. This team comprises of Contract Management (CM) resources responsible for the pro-active monitoring, control, and management of all activities necessary to ensure that contracts for supply delivers the goods, works or services as laid out in the contract.

This post is primarily responsible for providing the day-to-day contract management of Defence Academy Academic Provider Contract with Cranfield University managed by the Academic Provider Governance Group. The primary focus of the contract is to deliver Technical Training and Education up to an including post graduate level.

It should be noted that the post sits within a larger Contract Management Team. The Post Holder will be required to provide support to and/or cover to for other contracts on an ad hoc basis as and when required to meet the business needs & priorities. It is also important to note that the team manages the contract, it does not tender new requirements or award them, which is purely CSOC Commercial Function

Responsible for the line management and general and professional development of Contract Management Support Officers (Band EO).

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Key Responsibilities include (but are not limited to): -

• Ensure that the Academic contracts allocated to you consistently deliver value for money and provide clear audit trails as evidence of this overview. Scrutinize and challenge, where necessary, data provided by the contractors.
• Liaise with other contract managers and stakeholders as required to ensure the interdependencies between contracts are delivered in a seamless manner.
• In conjunction with the commercial team, act as the focal point for the Deeds of Variation/Contract Amendments/Annual Requirements to the contracts allocated to you. Where necessary, act as the Point of Contact (POC) for re-runs of the financial model and audits.
• Ensure that contract management processes are understood by Defence Academy colleagues and its stakeholder community ensuring they are rigorously complied with providing advice and training, as necessary.
• Undertake line management, mentoring and countersigning tasks as required by the role. This role has one direct report.
• Undertake learning and development and upskilling as required.

Person specification

This is an established role which requires the incumbent to be a proactive, collaborative individual able to engage confidently and constructively with colleagues across the whole force to develop effective working relationships.

Essential Criteria:

• Good leadership, management, and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication, both verbal and written.
• Ability to prioritise and deal with complex information and work to deadlines.
• Previous experience in a supporting Contract Management, Commercial, Business Management or Finance support role
• Hold or be willing to obtain the Government Contract Management Foundation Accreditation Certificate
• CP&F training.

Desirable:

A level 4 Certificate in Procurement and Supply and/or MCIPs

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Generous Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave increasing by one day per year to a maximum of 30 days after five years of service.
• Career Development: Benefit from continuous professional development opportunities within the Contract Management field, helping you grow and advance your career.
• Equipment: Laptop
• Family Support: Access enhanced parental leave policies to support work-life balance during important life events.
• Exclusive Discounts: Enjoy savings through the Defence Discount Service (fees apply), offerings deals on a range of products and services.
• Health and Wellbeing: Receive Specsavers eye test vouchers and access on-site gym facilities (where available).
• Community and Social Perks: Join the Civil Service Sports Club (CSSC) or the Civil Service Club in London, providing access to a variety of social, cultural, and recreational activities (membership fees apply).
• On-Site Amenities: The Defence Academy offer free parking, cafes, subsidised messes, sports and social clubs, and an on-site shop for your convenience.
• Inclusive Workplace: Join one of our Diversity and Inclusion Networks. We value diversity and are committed to creating an equal and supportive environment for all.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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 Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (500 words)

At sift you will be assessed against your CV, Personal Statement and the following behaviours:-

• Managing and quality Service
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

At interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours:-

• Leadership
• Managing and quality Service
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the big Picture

What to Expect:

The interview will explore both your professional experience and how your Behaviours align with the roles requirements, we recommend using the STAR format when answering Behaviour questions.

Interviews are planned to take place Face to Face in Shrivenham.

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) generates and operates specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

Always on, we are across every UK operation, delivering the capabilities you don’t usually see - or those you can’t.

From cyber warriors and medics to intelligence analysts, special forces, educators, and Defence attachés, our collective expertise delivers the warfighting edge Defence needs to deter threats and secure the nation today and prepare for tomorrow.

CSOC unites Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army, and the Royal Air Force - acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command. For more information, please see here.’

Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to design the way in which the new Military Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, posts within CSOC are/or may become subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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 security 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.

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.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 : Sara Smale
• Email : Sara.smale114@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dbscivpers-resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

CSOC Candidate Pack 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 1777kB)Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)