Supply Chain Risk Management Lead

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); Blackpool; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Supply Chain Risk Management Lead to enhance procurement and commercial solutions. This role involves proactive risk management, ensuring compliance, and driving continuous improvement across supply chains. You'll collaborate with diverse teams, leveraging data-driven insights to strengthen supplier relationships and enhance resilience. Join a dynamic environment that values your contributions and supports your professional growth through funded learning and development opportunities. This position offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package aimed at promoting work-life balance and employee well-being.

Benefits

Generous Annual Leave

Flexible Working Patterns

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Funded Learning and Development

Health and Well-being Support

Enhanced Maternity Leave

Employee Discount Scheme

Qualifications

• Strong commercial acumen and value for money understanding.
• Proactive approach to continuous improvement and risk identification.

Responsibilities

• Identify and manage supply chain risks proactively.
• Develop and implement supplier risk management programs.

Skills

Commercial Acumen

Risk Management

Communication Skills

Data Analysis

Process Improvement

Education

CIPS Membership

Relevant Qualifications

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield

Job Summary

The Commercial Directorate provides end-to-end procurement and commercial solutions to deliver DWP business providing robust and proportionate review and assurance of DWP’s third party spend. The Supply Chain Risk Management Lead role sits within the Commercial Compliance Team, which is part of the Commercial Operations and Strategy (COS) function. The high-level aims for COS are to:

Support the Directorate by providing a strong corporate centre to keep the department safe through effective management of risk, policy and standards compliance and strong proportionate control and assurance frameworks.

Deliver Commercial benefits through influence and challenge, policy, process and insight, building capability and driving continuous improvement.

Deliver excellence in supply chain management and improve the identification and treatment of commercial/supplier risk.

Build professional commercial teams by attracting and retaining great people, from diverse backgrounds, and supporting them to achieve their full potential whilst protecting their wellbeing.

Maximise the opportunities presented by Procurement Reform, Social Value and Technology.

Embed CD’s Strategic Change programme by supporting delivery of our strategic change objectives and maintaining alignment and enabling the commercial team to support delivery of DWP, GCF and wider Government priorities and functional standards.

Meet central reporting and transparency standards and supporting effective decision making through data driven insight.

The Supply Chain Risk Management Lead is responsible for the proactive identification and management of supply chain risks to the Department. This encompasses a range of risk management considerations, including: monitoring adverse events that may have a direct impact on the delivery of DWP services, monitoring of supplier financial health and providing data driven supplier insights, and embedding best practices and reporting supplier risk profile changes to CD.

It is a key requirement of the Supply Chain Risk Management Lead to build knowledge, understanding and intelligence on the supply base, and to recognise what “good” looks like from suppliers in accordance with DWPs risk appetite.

Job Description

In this role you will also be responsible for:

Working with the Commercial Compliance Lead in the development and implementation of a robust supplier risk management programme, that strengthens the DWPs work with suppliers & their supply chains across commercial spend categories.

Provide oversight of supply chain security incidents across CD to support Commercial’s consistent management of incidents and ensure risk mitigation across the supply chain where appropriate.

Proactive identification of supply chain risks & development and oversight of mitigation of supply chain risks, including through collaboration on effective solutions for process improvements and system implementations.

Supporting the Directorate in improving its supply chain resiliency, including advising on and embedding Commercial contingency processes.

Maintain and manage supply chain risk monitoring systems.

Triaging (including confirmation of impact with the supplier) and analysing supplier and market intelligence from supply chain risk tools for appropriate escalation to stakeholders and contract managers.

Monitor, analyse and draw together trends and insights from critical data to form management reporting and drive risk-based decision making. Working with the Commercial Compliance Lead to report & escalate supplier risks outside of appetite to CCO & SPOR.

Develop internal and external networks (including x-gov) that promotes collaboration to deliver efficiencies and effective solutions, supports a strong ability to apply judgement to data and build knowledge for when to bring in experts to add value through additional available risk lenses, and enables the sharing of best practice in running a supply chain risk function.

In This Role You Will Also Be Responsible For

Working with the Commercial Compliance Lead in the development and implementation of a robust supplier risk management programme, that strengthens the DWPs work with suppliers & their supply chains across commercial spend categories.

Provide oversight of supply chain security incidents across CD to support Commercial’s consistent management of incidents and ensure risk mitigation across the supply chain where appropriate.

Proactive identification of supply chain risks & development and oversight of mitigation of supply chain risks, including through collaboration on effective solutions for process improvements and system implementations.

Supporting the Directorate in improving its supply chain resiliency, including advising on and embedding Commercial contingency processes.

Maintain and manage supply chain risk monitoring systems.

Triaging (including confirmation of impact with the supplier) and analysing supplier and market intelligence from supply chain risk tools for appropriate escalation to stakeholders and contract managers.

Monitor, analyse and draw together trends and insights from critical data to form management reporting and drive risk-based decision making. Working with the Commercial Compliance Lead to report & escalate supplier risks outside of appetite to CCO & SPOR.

Develop internal and external networks (including x-gov) that promotes collaboration to deliver efficiencies and effective solutions, supports a strong ability to apply judgement to data and build knowledge for when to bring in experts to add value through additional available risk lenses, and enables the sharing of best practice in running a supply chain risk function.

Person specification

You Should Have

• Demonstrably strong commercial acumen and understand value for money and how to deliver it.
• A proactive approach and a focus on continuous improvement of self and service, with an appetite to work with others to simplify processes and improve efficiency.
• Ability to identify risks and concerns and identify realistic improvements to address risks in acceptable timeframes for DWP.
• Excellent communication skills to maintain strong internal and external relationships and ability to be persuasive, engaging, and confident when having 1-2-1 dialogue with supplier personnel or other stakeholders, as well as challenging others’ opinions in a professional way if required.
• Experience in influencing, articulating and driving change to processes.
• Demonstrable track record of working at pace in a methodical manner to meet deadlines while remaining agile to adapt to emerging priorities.
• Proficient with all Microsoft 365 productivity applications and ability to work confidently with data held in various formats and on numerous IT platforms, to draw meaning and conclusions from data and present these clearly to a variety of audiences.
• Commitment to being a strong team player and contributing to a culture of collaboration across teams, sharing lessons, and helping others.
• A willingness to grow commercial and risk management expertise and knowledge through personal development and training opportunities.
• Strong commercial acumen - experience of working in commercial/procurement roles across the whole of the commercial life cycle.
• Solution orientated – motivated to look for new opportunities and find new ways of overcoming problems.
  
  

It Is Also Desirable That You Have

• Ability to interpret and communicate financial information that could affect suppliers adversely, which could potentially expose DWP to risks in the supply chain.
• An understanding of commercial assurance and supplier compliance regimes.
• Experience of working with suppliers to hold them to account using knowledge of supply chain ethics and governance good practice.
• Good knowledge of the commercial/contractual life-cycle and how to apply it in a risk setting.
• CIPS membership (or equivalent professional assurance/risk qualifications may be considered).
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
  
  

Alongside your salary of £55,557, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,094 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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 well-being, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and well-being 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 accreditation's, 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.
  
  

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

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

• Complete a CV 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 your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed in the job advert above.

Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour-based examples in the content of your CV or personal statement.

Stage 2 Assessment - Interview

If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview using MS Teams, where you shall be assessed on relevant experience and Behaviours listed below.

• Communicating & Influencing
• Seeing the bigger picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
  
  

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

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

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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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 [e-mail] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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

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

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. 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.

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. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

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 Government Recruitment Service via [e-mail] 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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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.

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.

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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

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 : John Lavery
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

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: [e-mail].

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.