Senior Commercial Manager - IT Hardware and Services (Deployed & Interoperability)

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) is seeking a Senior Commercial Manager to deliver procurement services within Defence Digital. This full-time role involves contract management and sourcing for IT services, requiring extensive commercial experience and strong negotiation skills. With the potential for hybrid working, this position is ideal for individuals committed to excellence in procurement.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Fully funded training for CIPS qualifications

Civil Service pension with contributions

Commercial Market Skills Allowance

On-site parking and amenities

Qualifications

• In-depth experience in a commercial or procurement environment.
• Strong communication skills for stakeholder management and influencing.
• Proven experience in negotiating with suppliers for savings and value.

Responsibilities

• Provide expertise to project delivery teams in sourcing new goods and services.
• Negotiate favorable terms for pricing and contract terms.
• Manage full life cycle of contracts, ensuring value and service quality.

Skills

Commercial experience

Stakeholder management

Supplier management

Negotiation skills

Decision making

Education

Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) Level 4

Job description

Reference number: 404943

Salary: £44,590

ACivil Service Pensionwith an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade: Senior Executive Officer

Contract type: Permanent

Business area: MOD - Strategic Command - Defence Digital Commercial

Type of role: Commercial, Procurement and Contracts Management

Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available: 1

Location:MOD Corsham, Wiltshire (SN13 9ET) as base location. This job role is suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (the permanent duty station), which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this). If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

About the job Job summary

Due to the nature of the role, this position is open to UK Nationals only

We are looking for talented and hard-working individuals with demonstrable commercial experience or transferable skills, to join us in providing a full procurement service for digital technology capability across Defence.

Defence Digital is responsible for delivering and integrating new digital capabilities, giving our forces the advantage on the cyber battlefield to combat an ever-evolving threat.

In support,Defence Digital Commercialis building a centre of procurement excellence, focusing on getting the best outcomes across all our contracts. We are developing a more strategic approach to supplier relationship management and implementing new ways of working that will embed good practice category management.

We are committed to developing our staff, providing opportunities to develop and grow within an inclusive and supportive environment. You will work within a highly capable, diverse team who will support you to develop your professional and personal skills, knowledge, and experience, including a fully funded professional qualification (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS).

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

IT Hardware & Services (H&S) Deployed and Interoperability

This role will be operating at the heart of the Gateways team delivering IT services between the MOD, International Organisations and Other Nation States. The role covers a wide variety of experiences which include:

• Procurement of Outsourced Suppliers (up to £30m)
• Contract management of Government owned and run capability
• Establishment of a new Gateway Category

The team operate in a highly collaborative manner with diverse and committed delivery teams across multiple projects. The work environment is fast-moving and gives a good level of agility and responsibility to the commercial team supporting delivery.

The contracts are critical to national security and have a good blend of strategic suppliers and new and upcoming SMEs which allows for different contracting methodologies and contract managing styles. Performance management is a key building block for the H&S commercial team and this role will allow for direct engagement in the entire end-to-end procurement and delivery processes.

The nature of the work requires SC with a portfolio that will offer the opportunity for DV.

The role ofSeniorCommercial Managerincludes the following:

• Providing expertise to Defence Digital project delivery teams to influence and inform the sourcing of new goods and services from 3rd parties
• Proactive market insight which includes a coordinated monitoring of potential and existing suppliers in a strategic and dynamic way
• Define and run Procurement processes in line with public sector regulations and using agreed tools and systems
• Selecting appropriate suppliers using relevant evaluation criteria and responsible for ensuring value for money for the duration of supplier engagement
• Negotiating favourable terms for pricing and contract terms that deliver immediate and ongoing financial and non-financial benefits
• Identification, definition and tracking of financial and non-financial benefits and savings
• Ongoing proactive management of key supplier relationships
• Effective management of full life cycle of the contracts including managing changes and ensuring ongoing value and service quality standards are delivered
• Commercial risk identification, mitigation and management
• Supporting category management maturity improvements by identifying opportunities to further enhance the value delivered
• Intelligently developing and deploying a range of sourcing strategies in cooperation with internal stakeholders
• Supporting continuous improvement and change management, using knowledge and experience to influence and embed good practice across the sourcing life cycle
• Supporting the senior commercial officers in the negotiation of complex contracts
• Hold formal delegated powers of up to £10M
• Providing specialist advice on commercial policies and processes to other teams for e.g. delivery group
• Potential line management responsibilities based on skill set and business requirementof 1 or 2 x HEOs
• Providing coaching, support and leadership to junior team members; acting as a role-model and inspiring leader
• Champion, embed and promote Diversity & Inclusion as part of the DD Commercial team culture

The post advertised is full time equivalent. There may be opportunities for part time candidates if a job share partnership can be established, subject to full time hours being achievable. Offers made to candidates below 37 hours per week (FTE) will be subject to business need and at the Authority's sole discretion.

As part of flexible resourcing, reserve candidates may be offered alternative roles within DD Commercial teams, although key responsibilities will remain the same.

Person specification

Specific skills and experience required for the role:

• In depth experience in a commercial or procurement environment, including sourcing through to contract management
• Stakeholder management and influencing, with strong communication skills
• Experience in negotiating with suppliers to achieve savings and Value for Money
• Experience in supplier management
• Confident with making decisions and able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to manage competing priorities, assess information rapidly and be flexible to respond to dynamic situations
• Hold Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply CIPS Level 4, or be willing to achieve this qualification by commencing study once in post. This will be fully funded and supported by MOD.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• People Standards for the Profession - Understanding Needs and Sourcing Options - Associate Commercial Lead
• People Standards for the Profession - Contract and Supplier Management - Associate Commercial Lead

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,590, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,917 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
• ACivil Service pensionwith an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Hybrid working options including some working from home where appropriate
• Commercial Market Skills Allowance of £1500 per annum, payable to staff on completion of CIPS Level 4 and mandatory commercial e-learning courses.
• Fully funded training for professional qualifications with Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), a global membership organisation
• MOD Corsham has on site parking, staff restaurant, coffee shops, sports facilities including fully equipped 24/7 gym for a fraction of the cost of a commercial gym. Classes run daily by fully trained PT instructors.
• MOD Corsham is a modern building surrounded by countryside, perfect for lunchtimes walks.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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 athttps://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

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