DIO - Commercial Officer

Job description

This vacancy is for the role of a commercial officer to join SSG's Commercial Team which has it's HQ based in Shrivenham Defence Academy. We are looking for a proactive and knowledgeable individual with a strong reputation for innovation, delivery and commercial excellence to join our commercial team in an exciting and variable role.

This is an interesting and challenging role within Government Security at high profile and technically complex Defence sites, Other Government Departments and Critical National Infrastructure security programs.

Successful applicants will join a team described by industry auditors as hard working and talented individuals among the best in the business.

Person specification

Your primary function will be the delivery of commercial services and support to SSG teams and their priority customers, which comprises commercial support throughout the life of projects and programmes from initial Procurement Strategy development through to project / programme closure. The role will include the following activities:

• Provide support / commercial advice and representation to DNO SSG team.
• Support the creation and execution of SSG commercial strategies, both procuring (goods & services) and tendering for work.
• Review and approve sales quotations to MOD and OGD customers.
• Support negotiation and contract placement above level of delegation when required, highlighting novel and contentious issues to the Senior Commercial Officer to ensure satisfactory resolution.
• Support SSG marketing and procurement strategies by implementing commercial deals, that consider potential alignment across Government and the wider public sector.
• Develop the use of technology and how it can be used in the security services category to influence customers accordingly; develop strategies to simplify buying, crafting efficiencies.
• Support market engagement activities to gain collaborative input into category and sourcing strategies. Ensuring solutions are fit for purpose and deliver outstanding procurement solutions through demonstrating added value through a deep understanding of customer requirements.
• Supporting the Senior Commercial Officer in ensuring SSG adhere and conform with all agreed Government commercial processes and procedures and for assuring all the commercial activity undertaken is in accordance with the terms of your Commercial Letter of Delegation. In addition, you will need to ensure compliance with regulations, policy and commercial standard process.
• You will have the opportunity to provide commercial advice and guidance to internal and external customers some of whom may be senior members of the MOD, being accountable to SSG Senior Commercial Officer for any commercial activity you undertake. Customer engagement is a significant aspect of your role requiring excellent interpersonal skills.

You will require stakeholder leadership skills to help lead and develop SSG as a business unit and there will be ample opportunity to develop your own skills further by continuing professional development.

Allowances:

If applicable, this role may attract the Commercial Market Skills Allowance of up to 1500 per year.

Employment Hours:

You will be contracted to work 37 hours a week, typically between 08:00-16:00 with flexible working options as standard.

Further information can be obtained on enquiry.

Desirable Experience and Skills

• Overview and understanding of sourcing processes from initiation to contract award
• Experience of working in a commercial role or involvement in procurement or contract management
• Good communication, written and verbal and stakeholder management skills
• Awareness of public sector procurement legislation

Qualifications
The successful candidate must ascertain a sales licence and a qualified Commercial Officer to Practitioner Level within 18 months of joining the organisation. This means you will have to study to achieve CIPS Level 4, and sit a MOD accreditation panel.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes 9,528 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Highly competitive Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years service
• Continuous professional development within the security field
• Enhanced parental leave
• Access to Defence Discount Service
• Specsavers eye test vouchers
• Access to the Civil Service Sports Club (CSSC) (fees apply)
• Access to the Civil Service Club in London (fees apply)
• Most sites have free car parking, Sports & Social Clubs, Gym, on site shops and subsidised canteens.
• Opportunity to join one of our several D&I Networks; We value diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer

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 at https://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.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.

At application you will be assessed against the following:

Experience:

• CV
  • Job history
  • Full qualification details
  • Previous skills and experience
• Personal Statement (500 words):
  • Commercial Awareness
  • Government Procurement Regulations
  • Tender Process
  • Contract Management

Behaviours:

• Communicating & Influencing
• Working Together

At interview you will be assessed against the above PLUS the following:

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering At Pace

We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn't always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months. It is also possible that we may offer similar lower graded role/s to reserve candidates or, if no reserves are appointed, candidates that meet the lower grade criteria in merit order.

A minimum of 2 full working days notice will be provided for interviews.

To assist with your application please find attached below:

DIO Candidate Information Guide

DIO Candidate Information Guide Accessible Version

For help and support with your application check out our website Home , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk) .

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

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [email protected] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) .

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

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