Contract Manager x 2

Job summary

UKEF’s Commercial Function sits within the Corporate Services Division which ensures a smooth day-to-day operation for UKEF. The team is responsible for the delivery of all commercial activity including sourcing strategies, procurements and the implementation of government commercial standards across the organisation. This is a key function, critical to the success of UKEF’s business ventures which often rely on support from external suppliers. The key areas within the UKEF Commercial function are:

• Sourcing – developing sourcing strategies and leading the procurement of contracts to both service UKEF requirements and achieve value for money outcomes
• Policy & Governance – Oversight of governance and policy to embed best practice across the wider organisation and adhere to defined regulations
• Contract Management – effective contract management to maximise supplier performance and value for money

This role will sit within the Contract management Team, however, the expectation is that the successful candidate will work across multiple workstreams, supporting the over-arching strategy and vision of the wider function where required.

Job description

The Contract Manager role is a brilliant prospect for a high performing individual who wants to build their public sector commercial career. It will provide the opportunity to make a real difference and help shape how this commercial function will deliver an exceptional commercial service for UKEF.

The role requires experience of actively managing strategic contracts including the implementation of good commercial practices to drive behavioural change within an organisation.

The Contract Manager role will sit within the Commercial function.

This role provides an opportunity to:

• Engage with a diverse supply base, across a range of contracts
• Work within an integrated commercial functional team, working on delivering innovative commercial solutions
• Work closely with internal colleagues to proactively seek opportunities to drive additional value and increase efficiency
• Drive overall functional development, encouraging teamwork and building effective relationships to deliver great commercial outcomes
• Influence how commercial excellence is set up at UKEF and be part of a new and growing team.

Should you be successful in this role, there is the opportunity to undertake an Apprenticeship (subject to course availability and candidate’s existing qualifications).

Main Activities:

• Be responsible for the Contract Management of a range of UKEF’s most strategically important contracts, ensuring performance and value are achieved whilst mitigating commercial risk.
• Manage the performance of the contracts you are responsible for ensuring that under performance is addressed and formal improvement actions are developed and monitored.
• Manage the contract schedules ensuring that dates for review meetings, completion of contract documents and key milestones are achieved.
• Lead on the approval and enactment of contract change including ensuring a clear audit trail of variations is in place.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships which develop your understanding of the contract services, the key business issues and drivers.
• Support on Contract pre-procurement and mobilisation activities, ensuring that robust contract management practices are embedded from the start of the commercial lifecycle.
• Support the development of Commercial requirements including building specifications, defining performance measures and payment mechanisms.
• Support Commercial upskilling of UKEF colleagues ensuring adherence to contract management standards.
• Collate, analyse, and interpret commercial data to provide Commercial Management Information which inform the priorities for the team.
• Support the delivery of performance management and reporting for the Commercial function, servicing internal strategic and external regulatory requirements.
• Assist with the implementation and embedding of procurement and commercial best practice. Working with colleagues across the function and business to identify opportunities to update and improve policies, processes, governance, and systems.
• Champion the use of the procurement software (Atamis) as a user, upskilling the team and business users in the software where required.
• Work collaboratively within the Commercial team and across UKEF to activity manage the UKEF contract portfolio.

This list is not exhaustive, and you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.

Person specification

Essential

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English equivalent or above, or good numeracy and written skills. (A)
• Evidence of completing recognised Contract Management training. (A)

Knowledge

• Sound knowledge (gained through experience) of the commercial lifecycle, specifically (A&I):
  • Contract management governance processes and variation process
  • Supplier relationship management including issues resolution and delivering savings
• Sound knowledge of standard contract clauses including termination, variation and performance management. (A&I)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office. (A)

Skills/Ability

• Good commercial skills including negotiation and risk management (A&I)
• Numerate with the ability to use data sets to support opinions and recommendations. (A)
• Proven planning and organisation skills to manage multiple competing requirements, prioritise work and meet deadlines with minimal supervision. (A&I)
• Good written and verbal communication skills, which must include the ability to convey complex information clearly with confidence and credibility. (A & P)
• Ability to build and maintain effective professional relationships with colleagues (A&I)
• Creative thinker with a solution-oriented mindset (P)

Experience

• Significant relevant experience of managing contracts including risk management and addressing under performance (A&I)
• Experience presenting to senior management on analysis and recommendations. (A&I)
• Experience in managing stakeholders effectively (both internal and external). (A&I)
• Resilient and able to progress work using own initiative. (I)

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English equivalent or above, or good numeracy and written skills.
• Evidence of completing recognised Contract Management training.

Behaviours

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

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

Technical skills

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

• Successful applicants will be invited to attend an initial short 15-minute interview – this will be based on several technical questions relevant to the role.
• Technical - A 10-minute presentation followed by a Q&A based on a topic determined by UKEF and will need to be prepared in advance.
• Technical Questions relevant to the role

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,890, UK Export Finance contributes £12,714 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%

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, Experience and Technical skills.

For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:

1. Experience - CV

Following the sift, successful applicants will be invited to attend an initial15-minute technical interview – this will be based on several technical questions relevant to the role.

If you are successful following the initial technical interview, you will be invited to an 2nd stage interview; this will include the following assessment:

1. Behaviours/Experience- a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all three behaviours and the line manager standard highlighted in in Appendix 1.

2. Technical - A 10-minute presentation followed by a Q&A based on a topic determined by UKEF and will need to be prepared in advance, the details of this will be provided to the relevant candidates. This will be assessed against the behaviour 'Changing and Improving'.

3. Technical Questions relevant to the role

Details of interview panel members will be e-mailed to all successful candidates who are invited for interview.

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 : UKEF Recruitment team
• Email : recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Further information

Should you have a complaint or wish to raise any concerns regarding the recruitment process, please e-mail your complaint to the Head of Pay and Resourcing (UKEF) at Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk and include “Complaint” in the subject heading. Should you remain dissatisfied following UKEF’s investigation then you can refer your complaint to the Commission - http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/making-complaint.

Attachments

UKEF Information Pack - Contract Manager x 2 (Jan 26) (3) Opens in new window (pdf, 1860kB)