Deputy Director Commercial – Head of IT Hardware and Services
Government Commercial Function
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 20th October 2024
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About the job
Job summary
The nature of modern warfare is changing, with access to and exploitation of information becoming a vital way of securing military advantage (National Audit Office). The Digital Strategy for Defence addresses this in three key elements, including the need to collect and use data appropriately to harness strategic advantage, further transform digital capabilities to enable military and business advantage, and to deliver this across all of defence both securely and at pace. The Defence Digital organisation is responsible for making sure that effective digital and information technology (D&IT) is put into the hands of the business and military front line.
We must position the UK Defence Enterprise in competition to the acquisition and delivery organisations of our adversaries. It’s imperative that we work across defence to acquire tomorrow’s technology today.
Defence Digital Commercial is the core team responsible for delivering outstanding outcomes and value for Defence across its exploitation of digital and information technologies, through our oversight and management of all third- party IT spend for Defence.
We are responsible for a large portfolio of complex contracts worth £4.7bn a year, through more than 300 suppliers. We have implemented Category Management and operate across five categories – Networks, Hardware and Services, Space, Software and Professional Services – engaging with suppliers of all sizes and specialisms across the defence landscape.
Our Digital Commercial Strategy allows us to build a more strategic approach to relationship management and to build capability and embed new ways of working.
It is an exceptionally exciting time within Defence Digital Commercial and we are seeking procurement experts to join us to share knowledge and experience. Working collaboratively with multiple key internal stakeholders, you will deliver the Commercial approach to new and exciting projects, driving innovation, value and agility through strategic Category Management.
If the opportunity to work in this critical fast paced environment excites you, we would be delighted to receive your application
Job description
The Deputy Director Commercial – Head of Information Technology Hardware and Services (ITH&S) is a senior leadership role within Defence Digital Commercial Team, reporting to the Defence Digital Commercial Director. This leadership post is critical in the development of Category Management across the Ministry of Defence and ensuring the optimisation of both resources and spend under ITH&S categories. The role scope covers the full spectrum of define, procure, and manage functional competencies, across a portfolio of over 100 Bronze, Silver, and Gold, contracts, with an annual spend of more than £700M.
The ITH&S Category delivers end user compute of business and military applications to over 220k global users across a range of security domains, within a ITIL service management model. It is engaged with leading global Defence and IT suppliers and SMEs alike, helping shape markets and delivering a world class IT service to its users, where cyber security is central. The ITH&S Category extends into deployable command and control technology in forward operating bases and across the Royal Navy surface and sub-surface Fleet, including the secure gateway enablers. The Category further extends the deployable command and control technology into the frontline tactical C4I (command, control, communications, computer intelligence) environment.
This team delivers capability across thousands ofin-service platforms and is predominantly Army focused.
The ITH&S category is designed to enable effective decisions to be taken, both business and military, due to the timely provision of secure data, translated into intelligence, to those taking those decisions, wherever in the world. The hardware and services that are defined, procured, and managed, are the information backbone that defends the nation and helps UK global interests prosper.
Locations
The successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace.
Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance.
This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.
Person specification
You will lead, motivate, and develop a team of commercial specialists, giving clear direction and support, embedding a can-do attitude and a culture of agile resourcing gearing the workforce to areas of greatest commercial opportunities and risks. Resilience and trust in your own judgement are key factors in being successful.
The role requires strategic close working with the other category leads within Defence Digital Commercial, as well as the wider MOD and Government Commercial Function teams, to develop a strategic approach to both Defence and cross Government technology spend.
Stakeholder and supplier management responsibility is also critical, especially the ability to influence across a wide set of views. The post works directly with civilian and military personnel and has high visibility and impact across Defence and Government. Whilst public sector experience would be a benefit it is not a prerequisite, but candidates will need to be able to demonstrate the clear ability to operate at this level of seniority.
CIPS
All successful candidates must be CIPS Level 6 accredited/hold MCIPS or must be willing to commence (or resume) CIPS studies within three months of taking up your post.
Clearance
All roles require SC before commencement of posts and will be required to be DV cleared once in post. This post is open to UK Nationals only
The successful candidate will:
- Be amongst the most senior members of the Government Commercial Function and play a role in the broader commercial reform programme led by the Government Chief Commercial Officer
- Play a key leadership and change management role in developing a strong commercial function for the MOD and across government.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Manages Complexity-Translate strategic priorities into clear outcome-focused objectives. Show efficiency & focus, while being open to new ideas & challenges. Provide clarity about the action required to achieve results
- Decisive-Visible & approachable, display enthusiasm for work, help to inspire colleagues & stakeholders to fully engage with the long-term vision. Embed a culture of inclusion for all. Work to influence the strategy, direction, & culture
- Market Insight-Make sense of political pressures, develop strategies to meet organisational goals. Ensure decisions meet diverse needs of end users. Act decisively & clearly, articulating impact on economic, environmental, political factors
- Builds Relationships-Communicate clearly & honestly. Influence stakeholders for mutual benefits. Encourage continuous development. Foster inclusivity and develop strategies to enhance sustainable capability and address diversity imbalances
- Political Insight-Develop strategies aligning MOD & Gov priorities. Anticipate impacts from economic, political, environmental, social & technological developments. Gain insights into customers, services & markets, ensuring needs are met
Benefits
As a valued employee of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), you will have access to all the benefits the centre has to offer; including flexible working, generous benefits, Career Coaches, Mentors, L&D, a Commercial College, active talent management and, most importantly, access to commercial projects that will far exceed the scale and complexity on offer elsewhere in the UK.
For existing Civil Servants: For full details of the impact on any move across the civil service on your existing terms and conditions, please read the candidate pack. Please note that any move across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to continue to claim childcare vouchers.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on 4th November 2024 and will require a full day's attendance.
If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team at commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates.
Details of schemes available are attached in the advert.
For full details of our process, and a likely timeline, please read the explanation provided in the attached candidate pack.
Throughout our selection process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the essential criteria for the role which are detailed in the attached Candidate Pack.
Your application will be reviewed by a panel and should you be successful at sift we will invite you to attend a Virtual commercial Assessment and Development Centre (VADC). The panel will review results of the VADC and determine which candidates will go through to a subsequent final panel interview.
IMPORTANT: If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within 2 working days please contact: commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
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Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Hayley Parfitt
- Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
