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Job summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) touches the lives of everyone in the UK in some shape or form, delivering services and support to help people find work, assist with a disability or provide support through their retirement. As a key part of DWP, the Commercial Directorate (CD) shapes how services are delivered across their 3rd party contractual arrangements.

What you can expect

If you like to be challenged, you’ll feel at home with us in CD as we’re one of the largest Government Commercial functions, with stretching challenges and opportunities created by using latest innovations to build on our reputation for pushing the Governments agenda in making a difference to the lives of our customers.

Making the Difference

The Estates CategoryCommercial Team within CD supports DWP in the strategic sourcing, procurement and contract management of contracts which find and secure the right buildings for DWP’s operations, including Jobcentre Plus sites and Corporate Centres. Once these buildings are secured, there are other contracts needed to fit out these buildings, furnish them and deliver a range of ongoing services including security and facilities management, to ensure our sites are both a great place to work for colleagues, and for members of the public to visit.

Statement from the Estates Director Category Lead: Jerry Scott
“DWP Estates is a critical and exciting category. We are a team that ensures DWP ’keeps the doors open and the lights on’. Where colleagues develop a deep knowledge of a Government Estates function, increasing your levels of commerciality, operational execution and stakeholder/supplier engagement”.

Job description

Your role will involve supporting the delivery of the entire end-to-end commercial life cycle of essential DWP Estates contracts. You will work as an effective team member to deliver on team objectives, in addition to collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders to instruct works and services with our supply chain delivery partners.

Within the Estates Commercial Category Team, we currently have a strong focus on strategic contract management, supplier performance, commercial assurance and continuous improvement, having recently gone through a series of large procurements, including the c£3bn Workplace Services Programme. You’ll have a key role in shaping commercial outcomes, building effective relationships with stakeholders and suppliers and helping to deliver high-quality public services that make a real difference to our customers and colleagues.

As an Associate Commercial Lead you will provide essential support on a variety of commercial activities for which attention to detail will be key. You will be required to communicate with key stakeholders including regular Supplier led activity to ensure information collected is up to date, accurate allowing senior managers to make informed decisions that affect the category and wider DWP.

You will also support the G7 Commercial Leads in all the necessary commercial activity to enable best value for money solutions are realised, ensuring contact compliance while working closely and in collaboration with stakeholders across DWP.

The Estates Category team pride ourselves on developing the skills of everyone in the team, along with supporting other colleagues, to build a professional commercial community that progresses and supports everyone we work with to grow personal and business capability.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities & Duties

Contract Management

• Ensure that procedures to deal with contract administration, change control, negotiations or variations to the contract are in place and managed, including registered files and e-procurement system Atamis.
• Track and monitor contractual obligations via Atamis and attend stakeholder meetings. Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools – Excel, PowerPoint, Word, SharePoint, Teams.
• Engaging in the commercial governance process and gathering data and evidence to support commercial decision-making.

Other responsibilities for this position include, but are not restricted to:

• Supporting Commercial activity for specific Category initiatives across the full commercial lifecycle (sourcing, contract, performance and relationship management).
• Work as part of a team to provide commercial advice to a wide range of stakeholders to support colleagues with market engagement, sourcing, tendering and a wide range of procurement activities.
• Work as part of a team to manage, engage and communicate with stakeholders at all levels (internal and external) to support the commercial lifecycle, including the development of the ESTATES Business Services strategy for commercial category initiatives.
• Deliver and support the development and collation of commercial reports and responses to Freedom of Information requests and Parliamentary Questions as and when required.
• Work as part of a team to create positive supplier relationships, encouraging innovation, creation of “value add” solutions, and a strong customer service ethic.
• Deliver and support the production and review on governance documents and act as Secretariat for DWP Internal Governance processes as and when required, alongside support to Ministerial, Treasury and Cabinet Office gated submissions.
• Develop and maintain compliant input and records of commercial activity on DWP’s eProcurement solution (which utilises Atamis) within the scope of your daily role.
• Deliver and support the contributions towards supplier cost savings targets, and initiatives that increase efficiency whilst maintaining performance and risk management.
• Drive and support the development, review and execution of contracts including supporting negotiation where required.
• Support stakeholder engagement surrounding more complex contract issues and procurement documents.
• Play an active part in supporting Commercial Directorate values and culture.
• Drive and support the ongoing development of, and continuing delivery of Continuous Improvement across all commercial activities & processes, reporting, governance and ways of working.

Overarching responsibilities

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, Value for Money and commercial outcomes.
• Support the use of data and insight to inform decision-making and measure improvements.
• Share best practice and lessons learned to support continuous development across the team.
• Contribute to the timely delivery of category and CD objectives, ensuring all necessary processes, including formal stakeholder engagement and approvals are completed through appropriate governance.
• Remain flexible to support changing business priorities and wider commercial objectives.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

The application process will involve uploading a tailored CV and personal statement. To be successful you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the essential skills listed below in your personal statement. Further information is available under ‘Selection process’.

Stakeholder Management, Engagement & Communication (SMEC)

• Provide evidence of previous experience of working collaboratively and partnering across a range of stakeholders where you have gained buy-in using appropriate communication & influencing skills.

Continuous Improvement (CI)

• Provide evidence of how you have applied your insight and knowledge by analysing key management information and data to help you make a better decision; demonstrating CI.

Proactive Problem-Solving (PPS)

• Provide evidence of how you have previously taken ownership to drive a problem to resolution within your team, including giving direction and feedback to colleagues that has produced positive results. This should include how you demonstrated personal resilience in resolving issues working with others in the team to manage setbacks.

Working Collaboratively (WC)

• Works collaboratively across a range of stakeholders, both internal and external, to support stakeholder management and gain buy-in using appropriate communication channels articulating requirements and potential commercial solutions.

Desirable Skills

• CIPS qualified &/or equivalent or willing to work towards qualification.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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.

Please apply on the Civil Service Jobs website. You will be required to:

• Provide personal information.
• Enter your CV in the space provided, setting out your employment history.
• Complete a personal statement (maximum of 1250 words) which should demonstrate how you meet ALL the essential skills as set out in the job description.

Stage 1 assessment - Sift:

At sift, we will assess your application by using your CV and personal statement only. To be successful, you must demonstrate within your personal statement ALL the essential skills listed in the job advert.

Applicants may choose to use the essential skill acronym at the fore of paragraphs to clearly demonstrate your consideration of each essential skill. This is suggested however is optional and not mandated.

i.e.

SMEC-xxxxxxxxx......

PI-xxxxxxxxx......

CCS-xxxxxxxx......

WC-xxxxxxxx.....

Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour-based examples in the content of your CV or personal statement. Applications will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in both your CV and personal statement and entered as one overall score within the results.

Stage 2 Assessment - Interview:

If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview in DWP Manchester Hub where we will assess your relevant experience against the essential skills listed above, in combination with the behaviours listed below:

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Prior to Interview

Once you have received notification of a success at the sift stage, you will need to select a date and time for your face-to-face interview in Manchester from the online list. If you live locally please select morning interviews to allow time for applicants travelling beyond the North West. Should we receive significant numbers from alternative locations we will try to manage a wider interview base beyond Manchester; however please be prepared to travel to Manchester.

You will then receive a formal outlook invitation for your selected date and time, along with details of the face-to-face interview and confirmed location.

Prior to your interview you will be required to email 3 copies of relevant documents to confirm your ID to TECHNOLOGY.BOM@DWP.GOV.UK

These documents should either be scanned, or photographed using a smart phone, and emailed, no later than 48hrs before your interview. Validation will be required at the interview; please bring your photographic ID with you. Further instructions will be provided in the interview invitation.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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 access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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

Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.

Important

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP 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 the Childcare Choices Website.

Feedback

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 : Joanne Young
• Email : TECHNOLOGY.BOM@DWP.GOV.UK

Recruitment team

• Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Welsh version _ v2.0-Candidate Pack SEO Estates 471872 W (003) Opens in new window (pdf, 1329kB)DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB)Success Profiles_ Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK Opens in new window (pdf, 503kB)260722_Final Candidate Pack SEO Estates Opens in new window (pdf, 1267kB)