Lead Supplier Manager

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.

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HMRC is transforming the UK’s tax system through cutting-edge digital innovation and the Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) Group is at the heart of that mission.

We are building high-quality digital services that will enhance the customer experience, enable real-time interactions, and make tax simpler and more intuitive for everyone. By equipping our colleagues with modern tools and technologies, we are also reshaping how we work — allowing HMRC to focus its resources where they can deliver the greatest impact.

As a Lead Supplier Manager, you will be responsible for managing CDIO Portfolio contracts within one of the practice pillars (Product, Platform or Service).

You will manage all aspects of your contracts including relationship, risk, issues, continual improvements, budgets and performance in line with the Supplier Management Practice principles and standards.

You will work closely with multiple stakeholders including commercial, strategic business partners, finance, security, major programmes, AROs, SROs and various suppliers to monitor and drive performance of all contracts within your respective pillar, whilst holding suppliers to account.

Job description

The Role:

You and your team will be accountable for the delivery of high value, critical contracts via our supplier network.

The role will require you to manage the contracts through every stage of the contract lifecycle.

The role requires you to manage the performance of several strategic suppliers and develop underpinning governance/ reporting structures to provide assurances that performance is being suitably delivered.

The role requires you to actively support and develop the Supplier Management Practice and the commercial sourcing strategy.

Person specification

• You must demonstrate a positive attitude and be flexible.
• You must be able to work effectively both as part of a team and independently, delivering to high standards and providing attention to detail.
• The work within in the team and practice will continually evolve at a fast pace, requiring you to meet challenging timelines.
• You must be a strong and confident leader, who is able to develop your team to become highly intelligent clients and operate in a culture that constructively challenges both internally and externally.
• You must be able to successfully support the wider Supplier Management community through significant changes, inspiring them to develop an exceptional Supplier Management culture, network and community.
• You will be an escalation point for any risks or issues which are unable to be resolved operationally by Supplier Managers (SO) and Associate Supplier Managers (HO) team members. It is therefore vital you are capable of building positive relationships, overcoming hurdles by providing them with solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

A great place to work (Happier)

• Leading a team of Supplier Managers (SO) and Associate Supplier Managers (HO) and create a culture where constructive challenge is encouraged.
• Coach and develop your teams to ensure they have the required skillset and training to be set up for success within their role.
• Building strong and close relationships with fellow G7 lead supplier managers, G6’s, internal stakeholders at all grades and External Suppliers.
• Development and optimisation of the Supplier Management organisational design.

Increasing value for customers and users (Better)

• Be the escalation point for Supplier Managers (SO) and Associate Supplier Managers (HO) and resolve potential disputes or conflicts, relating to any customer, operational and / or performance related issues.
• Monitoring supplier performance and delivery of contracts to ensure they deliver VFM and drive efficiencies.
• Attend and drive relevant Operational Performance Boards with suppliers to understand, manage and continually improve overall performance whilst identifying operational efficiencies.
• You will be the voice of the customer through the pre and post award procurement processes and champion continuous improvement to customer journeys.
• Support Business and Commercial colleagues with contract renewal, extension, and procurement and exit, and supplier mobilisation.

More streamlined and more effective (Sooner)

• Recognise and actively manage solutions for problems and risks.
• Drive continual improvements to reduce cost, time and effort, utilising automation and innovative technology wherever possible.

Trusted, resilient, predictable, and secure (Safer)

• Drive and deliver the vision and overall strategic objectives of the Supplier Management practice.
• Support the development of the Supplier Management Practice and the sourcing strategy through trust and relationships.
• Ensure the security of all processes and activities relating to security, including the on-boarding/offboarding of suppliers.

Essential Criteria:

• Professional working experience within a similar role managing strategic and high risk, high value contracts and suppliers within a large complex organisation.
• Considerable professional working experience of building and maintaining positive relationships with the business and suppliers.
• Deep practice knowledge and Subject Matter Expert in Supplier Management.
• Ability to evidence implementing and managing a Supplier Management function.
• Extensive Leadership and management experience including day-to-day people management and leadership of staff including developing directly managed staff and wider resources to influence and provide results.
• You must have a solution focused approach with a passion for continuous improvement.
• You must be able to tackle problems in an efficient and effective manner.
• Supplier management experience within Government and public or private sector.
• Working knowledge and understanding of ITILv4 framework.

Transitional Sites

For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

If your location preference is for one of the following sites, it’s important to note that these are not long-term sites for HMRC and we will require you to move to a new building in the future, subject to our location strategy and the applicable employee policies at that time.

These sites are:

• Telford Plaza, Telford - moving to Parkside Court, Telford
• Trinity Bridge House, Manchester - moving to an alternative office in Manchester/ Salford

You will be given more information about what this means at the job offer stage

Leeds Locations

Moves Adjustment Payment will be available for this role, provided the successful applicant is a current HMRC colleague in Bradford and meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the HMRC’s Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,541, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £16,959 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRChear from our insiders or visitThinking of joining the Civil Service

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 Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history.
• A 1000-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, referring to the essential criteria outlined in the advert.

You will be asked the following question at application stage:

Do you have professional experience of managing supplier performance and commercial contracts in a complex organisation in line with ITIL 4 principles?

Please answer Yes or No.

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

Sift

In the event of a high number of applicants, an initial sift may be held on the CV.

At full sift your CV, and your Personal Statement, will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, you will be asked Experience-based questions to explore your skills, abilities and relevant experience, and Strength-based questions to explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the role.

This is an example of a strengths-based question:

“It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.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 acc

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you can travel to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

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.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - 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.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 : Aubrey Graham
• Email : aubrey.graham@hmrc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns, unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website.