Senior Commercial Manager - Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

Job summary

This role will sit within the GCO, but based in our Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) commercial team delivering departmental objectives for Defence.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the Dstl Commercial team. Our programme portfolio of science and technology research procurements covers an exceptionally diverse areas and is truly leading edge. You will be working with teams that are developing technologies that ensure UK forces maintain their winning edge. This is an opportunity to be at the forefront of developing commercial delivery, to lead an outstanding team, and be part of a wider network of commercial professionals. We are investing in our people and our process, and functional development. This investment has a high profile within the MOD overall function plan and within Defence Reform. Over the coming years you will help develop: how we operate our business, supplier relationships, and your team; thereby making a genuine difference to the efficiency and effectiveness of Dstl.

The Opportunity:

In return, as well as the generous benefits package on offer, and the career development and management support you receive through being part of the GCO, you will have the opportunity to take so much more from this role.

You will take on accountability on a significant scale, being responsible for the delivery and supplier performance of some of the most ‘cutting-edge’ scientific research in UK Government. You will get to work with senior civil servants and industry leaders. The relationships and professional credibility you develop during this time, both within government and outside in the supplier market, will last throughout your career.

You will get insight and build knowledge and expertise into the way the scientific community, MOD and government works, with a new experience and learning around every corner.

Finally, you will have the chance to work on high profile programmes and relationships, with the ability to make an impact on a significant scale, bringing benefits to the taxpayer and supporting the core role of the Dstl.

Job description

Working in partnership with the Programme Manager(s) they are supporting, the Senior Commercial Manager is required to manage and deliver their acquisition pipeline, notably delivering:

• Timely cost-effective delivery of your sub-portfolio’s acquisition programme(s),
  
  
• The performance standard setting and delivery monitoring,
  
  
• Leadership of key contract placement and supplier negotiations for your programme(s),
  
  
• Managing commercial/business risk and leading assurance.

Successful delivery will come from developing a trusted strategic relationship with the Programme Managers you support to enable:

• Effective Science & Technology programme delivery: quality of service; efficiency and cost savings, optimising tax payer impact for money; continuous improvement, innovation and best practice transfer.
  
  
• Strategic supplier capability management: continuity of availability of mission critical and/or sensitive services; and continuity of service for ‘sensitive’ operations; compliance.

Key Relationships:

The Senior Commercial Manager develops and coordinates extensive external and internal relationships with:

• External - Leaders in the supplier organisations selected on their importance to the delivery of Dstl strategy and programme performance;
  
  
• Internal Civil Service – Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office stakeholders and peers;
  
  
• Internal Defence Science and Technology Laboratories – Programme managers, project managers and key stakeholders. Functional colleagues and our commercial team

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

Key Responsibilities in this role:

• Advising senior programme & project staff on acquisition strategies for complex and strategic procurements.
  
  
• Partnering with commercial practitioners in managing major competitive and single source processes and sourcing activities.
  
  
• Developing invitations to tender for complex contracts which require non-standard pricing and bespoke terms and conditions.
  
  
• Support in the management of large complex contracts, and where appropriate assisting with contractor performance management.
  
  
• Supporting the management of procurement pipelines, and ensuring awareness of incoming commercial requirements over the short / medium and long term.
  
  
• You must appreciate and be responsible for the health and safety of yourself and others;
  
  
• You will drive and influence a proactive and positive health and safety culture whereby everyone is empowered to report their concerns, no matter how small, and to stop work where they feel it is unsafe;
  
• You will lead by example, implementing safe and secure ways of working ensuring colleagues know that their safety and health are paramount and comes ahead of everything.

As a Line Manager you will lead with the following skills:

• People - Manage with confidence and empathy so everyone feels respected, valued, included and motivated at work to deliver high quality services and outcomes.
  
  
• Delivery - Create a sense of purpose, recognise successes, tackle poor performance and effectively manage resources to deliver results, and drive productivity and business outcomes.
  
  
• Self- Focus - Focus on your personal effectiveness and impact to ensure you deliver on your goals.
  
  
• Decision - Make ethical, inclusive and evidence-based decisions to deliver improved business outcomes.
  
  
• Change - Guide your team(s) through change and develop a culture of creativity and innovation.

Important information for applicants

• Must holds MCIPS or working towards (Level 5 or 6) or be willing to work towards within 12 months of commencement in post
  
  
• Minimum clearance for the role is SC but the incumbent must have the willingness to achieve DV once in post

Technical skills

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

• Ability to take calculated risks to implement efficient & innovative solutions. Demonstrates ability to conduct analysis of options, risks and margins of error to provide assurance on decisions and manage subsequent trade-offs.
• The ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment delivering to strict deadlines. Experience of working in a complex environment and leading complex procurements.
• Demonstrates resilience in resolving issues internally and in helping the team to deal with setbacks, influencing and implementing change at a local level.
• Demonstrates ability to work with senior stakeholders, fostering collaboration, delivery improvements, is trusted for commercial advice and is able to put technical considerations in plain language for stakeholders.
• Demonstrates seeking early engagement and planning with stakeholders. Has strong commercial knowledge of high value/risk, critical/complex procurements and playing a leading role in the implementation of the commercial lifecycle.
• Demonstrates good supplier and contract management experience including delivering efficiencies, continual improvement and resolves disputes effectively.

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 Wednesday 17th June 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-recruitment/
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

Open to UK nationals only.

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

Guaranteed Interview Schemes (GIS) Opens in new window (pdf, 64kB)462054 - Candidate Pack - Dstl MoD - Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.docx Opens in new window (pdf, 444kB)