Commercial Officer WCC618677

As a Senior Commercial Officer you can make your own powerful contribution to Westminster's success. Working as a key member of our Procurement Service, situated in the Housing Need service, you'll lead the delivery of some significant tenders, and work as part of a team to support higher value and more innovative tenders. Providing commissioners or other clients with pragmatic and informed advice so that customer outcomes and value for money requirements are met, you'll use your specialist knowledge in areas such as market research or benchmarking to inform your procurement strategy.

Working collaboratively with legal professionals and other subject matter experts to develop the form of contract, terms and conditions, KPIs and incentive or payment plans, you'll prepare a strategy that describes your procurement findings and recommended approach. We'll also expect you to assess the relevant sustainability and social value, work to maximise the beneficial impacts that will arise as a result of the procurement, and ensure that specifications and outcomes are expressed in ways that can be priced by the market.

Developing evaluation models to achieve desired outcomes and best value for money will be another key responsibility, as will ensuring compliance with legal and Council requirements and policies. You'll also be expected to prepare a tender evaluation report on completion of the exercise, attend project and review board meetings, engage effectively with our stakeholders and partners, and assess and manage the risks associated with each activity.

With well developed experience of working in a procurement or commissioning environment and of managing tenders (some above the PCR threshold), you'll have translated technical or commissioning needs into specification and tender documents. You should also have researched markets and suppliers, understand how to develop a tender to gain maximum value while managing the likely risks, and be capable of using stakeholder analysis to guide communication channels and content.

Ready to work to tight deadlines in a fast moving, matrix-managed organisation, and with excellent knowledge of procurement regulations, PCRs, contract law, risk and contract management, you'll be skilled at compiling tenders to achieve the best value for money and excellent social value. Your expert written and verbal communication skills will allow you to simplify complex information and write concise reports, while your commercial abilities will include negotiation, project management and benchmarking skills, financial awareness and other business improvement techniques.

Capable of working well with a diverse range of people at all levels, you'll be flexible, creative, self-motivated and ready to work independently as well as in a team. When it comes to qualifications, you'll have literacy and numeracy-based Grade A-C passes at A Level, and either possess or be working towards a CIPS Level 4 qualification (or above) or hold a related graduate level discipline or equivalent practical experience.

THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF AWARD-WINNING CARBON SAVINGS ON HIGHWAYS PROJECTS

The Finance Team in Westminster City Council is a world of extraordinary stories, where we go above and beyond for our residents - in all sorts of pioneering ways. By being smart and courageous with the council's finances we can achieve more for our residents and wider society, especially when working closely with other council departments.

Our approach to responsible procurement and the way we work collaboratively with our suppliers can bring significant benefits, including huge reductions in environmental impact.

Take the award-winning Kings Street footway scheme. This was the first scheme of its kind in the UK to switch all possible high carbon materials and equipment for zero and low carbon alternatives. This included using electric tools and excavators, low carbon foundations, concrete and paving and zero-emission deliveries to site. The result? a 79% carbon saving compared to traditional techniques.

And why does this success matter? Because Kings Street has formed a blueprint for future projects. Its success has been translated to five further paving schemes, which have achieved savings of up to 94% operational carbon against comparable sites. A subsequent resurfacing project in Third Avenue achieved another UK first in its use of 85% recycled material on the roadway. These schemes demonstrate that partnership working with our suppliers can help us meet the councils net zero carbon targets., Westminster is an amazing place. We are home to more than 200,000 residents from all backgrounds, over 50,000 vibrant and vital businesses and three-quarters-of-a-million people work in Westminster.

Westminster City Council's strategy is to work towards a Fairer Westminster. A Fairer Westminster is one in which our communities are at the heart of our decision-making and help to determine the city's future. By working directly with our communities and other partners, we can build a more inclusive city that celebrates our diverse communities, and where residents, workers and visitors from all backgrounds will feel welcome and safe.

At Westminster City Council, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workplace and employer of choice. We encourage and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that, at all levels, represents the communities we serve. We champion equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging and is empowered to be their best, that is the Westminster Way. To find out more about how we do this visit https://www.westminster.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health-strategy-policies-and-reports/equality-duties

As a forward thinking Council we appreciate that people work in different ways, therefore our staff benefit from working a range of flexible working patterns as well as Agile working.