UK Strategic Command Commercial Manager (Defence Support | Support Operations)

Strategic Command is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and is one of 4 Front Line Commands (FLCs) the others being Navy, Air and Army. The Strategic Command Commercial Team are responsible for working closely with their military and civilian colleagues across the UK to deliver innovative commercial solutions to Defence requirements. We play a vital role in supporting Defence by contracting a diverse portfolio of requirements ranging in value and complexity from long term commitments in specialist capability areas to low value short term support contracts from a wide and varied supply-base.
The Strategic Command Commercial Team is comprised of around 100 qualified commercial personnel across several UK and overseas locations who place around 200 contracts a year and manage £4.5bn worth of contracts.
Defence Support provides functional ownership and oversight of all support activities across Defence with an annual budget in excess of £14bn. The Defence Support Commercial team is embedded within the delivery teams and is recognised as a highly competent team of professionals who provide commercial advice and support to enable the objectives of the organisation to be met. Our portfolio of work is wide ranging and encompasses low value framework procurements through to large scale strategic programmes and activities spanning the entire procurement cycle through market analysis, procurement and contract management giving the team excellent opportunities to develop their functional skills and experience.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week., The UKStratCom Commercial Team has an opportunity for an experienced Commercial professional to work in a diverse, interesting and fast paced environment, delivering essential commercial sourcing and contract management activities to support UKStratCom (Defence Support) outputs.
This role is within the Defence Support, Support Operations Team– which supports the delivery of Support to front line commands. This includes procuring, managing, and improving how Support activity is delivered to Defence, the experiences of those working on the front line and realising financial savings for Defence., Key duties include:
+ Working with your team to meet the UKStratCom Commercial’s vision
+ Developing networks across UKStratCom, Ministry of Defence, Other Government Departments, Crown Commercial Services, to enable effective engagement with all stakeholders
+ Develop tender documentation and run procurement's, ensuring that best practice and lessons learned are incorporated from the wider Strat Com Commercial
+ Actively manage and monitor contracts in line with Contract Management Plans, ensuring compliance to the appropriate processes and operating procedures
+ Develop sourcing strategies in partnership with project and customer stakeholders in line with current legislation and Government/MOD policy and procedures
+ Actively seek out and promote 'Commercial Awareness' opportunities
+ Being an active member of the UKStratCom Commercial community, sharing best practice and LFE, actively seeking out opportunities to support the development of commercial skills both within the function and in the wider business
+ Act as a role model for others, demonstrating effective communication and appropriate behaviours, whilst ensuring compliance with standards and policies, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Leadership
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Leadership

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Sourcing – Executing the Sourcing Strategy (Practitioner Level)
+ Contract Performance Management (Practitioner Level)
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
+ Contract Performance Management (Practitioner Level), + Most sites have good travel links with free car parking; many also have other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club and Gyms.
+ A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
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 successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
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.
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 Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights., This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
At sift, you will be assessed against the following:
Experience:
+ A CV; details to include job history, full details of education and qualifications and previous experiences and skills
+ Statement of Suitability (maximum 1000 words)
Success Profile Behaviours:
+ Leadership
Technical Skills:
+ Contract Performance Management (Practitioner Level)
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
At interview, you will be assessed against the following:
Success Profiles Behaviours:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Leadership
Technical Skills:
+ Sourcing – Executing the Sourcing Strategy (Practitioner Level)
+ Contract Performance Management (Practitioner Level)
You will be expected to give clear examples of previous experience relating to the Behaviour Success Profiles and Commercial Competency Framework.
You should ensure that you read and understand the criteria within the Behaviour Success Profiles and the Commercial Competency Framework document.
Please provide evidence of those criteria using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format.
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: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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).

+ The successful candidate must provide evidence of CIPS level 4 (or equivalent) or be willing to work towards this by commencing study within one year of appointment.
+ Additionally, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake and pass the MOD Practitioner Commercial License Assessment.
+ Previous experience in a commercial/procurement environment.
Candidates should have experience of working in a commercial/procurement environment and will be a high performer who is seeking to build on their existing skill set involving procurement, stakeholder management, contract negotiation and supplier management. The candidates will be self-starters, who are confident with decision making and can work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
Good communication skills are paramount as you will need to build and maintain collaborative relationships with a broad range of stakeholders and enablers in Defence, Other Government Departments and Industry to deliver innovative commercial solutions at pace and scale. In an exciting and dynamic environment, you must have the ability to manage competing priorities, assess information and risk rapidly and be flexible in your approach to ensure that focus can be switched where required to respond to changing environments and assignments.

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,223 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
UKStratCom Commercial is passionate about delivering excellent commercial outcomes for our customers but we also understand you will have a life outside of work; we respect your priorities, and our industry leading flexible workings practices will give you real freedom to balance work and life. We employ talented people who challenge and guide each other whilst providing a culture of inclusion and diversity.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role.
+ An environment with flexible working options.
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
+ 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
+ Ability to roll over up to 10 days annual leave per year.
+ Minimum of 15 Days Special Leave in a rolling 12-month period to for volunteer military or emergency service reserve commitments.
+ Special Paid Leave for volunteering up to 6 days a year.
+ Enhanced parental and adoption leave.