Commercial Practitioner
Department for Work and Pensions
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 31st October 2024
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Commercial
Procurement and Contracts Management
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
Leeds – Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7UA.,
Manchester – 2 St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 3AA,
Sheffield – Hartshead Square, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 2FD.
About the job
Job summary
Working towards sustainable futures. Championing diversity in the workplace. At the Department for Work and Pensions, it’s all in a day’s work. From HR to Finance, Policy to Communications, this is work that sustains and supports, where everyone’s voice is heard, and our customers are at the heart of everything we do. For a career packed with possibility, a comprehensive benefits package, where we live by our values and have the opportunity to improve the lives of people across the UK, look no further.
Supporting people who need it most. That’s our purpose. Start your own career today.
Making the Difference
The DWP is one of the UK's biggest government departments, building services that make a real difference to the lives of 20 million people. Commercial Directorate (CD) is one of the leading government procurement functions, is commercially unique and presents an attractive challenge for anyone wanting to advance their procurement career.
Our Inclusive Culture
We continue to grow our inclusive, diverse culture and focus on making CD a fabulous place to work. A culture where all our people feel themselves, feel valued, empowered, and have a voice that’s heard. We do this well and as a result have a culture where innovation is driven at all levels and by everyone!
Job description
Person specification
The roles and responsibilities for this position include, but are not restricted to:
Commercial Strategy
- Take the lead in providing commercial advice to a wide range of stakeholders to support colleagues with market engagement, sourcing, tendering and a wide range of procurement activities.
- Ensure "best outcome" commercial solutions are delivered in line with DWP, Commercial and Category strategies, and ensures value for money
Stakeholder Management / Engagement / Communication.
- Working with stakeholders at all levels (internal and external) leading work to develop strategy and tactics for procurement category initiatives.
- Create positive supplier relationships, encouraging innovation, creation of “value add” solutions, and a strong customer service ethic.
Managing the Procurement Process
- Undertake end to end procurement activity, utilisation of standardised e-tools, CCS and other framework agreements and contracts as required.
- Producing, reviewing and advising on governance documents and processes such as papers for Commercial Board, Programme Board, gated project submissions etc.
- Project manage necessary work streams and initiatives to ensure timely delivery of objectives, ensuring all necessary process, including formal stakeholder engagement and approvals are completed.
Leadership
- Promote and play an active part in supporting Commercial Directorate values and culture.
- Manage, coach and develop team members
Contract Management
- Take responsibility for the development, review, execution of contracts including supporting negotiation where required.
- Commercial management of related suppliers including analysis of contract performance information.
Application of Contract Law
- Be comfortable dealing with complex contract and procurement documents.
Other Information
- Project manage necessary work streams and initiatives to ensure timely delivery of objectives, ensuring all necessary process, including formal stakeholder engagement and approval are completed.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
If successful you will join us in one of our brilliant DWP hub locations of Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester or Sheffield.
Our team values the ability to balance their life and their work, with flexible hours, flex-friendly, hybrid working (some time in the office, some time at home) and lots more. Flexi-time policy means that at those times when you might need to work longer to get the job done, you build up flexi-credits that you can use to start later or finish earlier or take extra days off.
Our teams are friendly and supportive – the work we do is important, but your life, health and happiness come first.
In return for your skills, we offer salary range of £40,201 - £43,347 p.a. an attractive Civil Service pension with employer contributions of over 28% into a defined benefit pension scheme and a generous leave package of 25 Days, rising to 30 Days over time.
We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Flexible working and family friendly policies.
- Volunteering and charitable giving.
- Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more.
- Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it’s even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference.
- Sports and social activities.
- Learning and development, including coaching, mentoring, progression opportunities and guaranteed 5-days formal learning per year.
- And lots more.
Hybrid Working
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess Behaviours and Experience elements of the Civil Service Success Profiles Framework.
Please apply on the Civil Service Jobs website. You will be required to:
- Provide personal information.
- Enter your CV in the space provided, setting out your employment history.
- Complete a personal statement (maximum of 1250 words) which should demonstrate how you meet ALL the essential skills as set out in the job description.
Stage 1 Assessment - Sift:
At sift, we will assess your application by using your CV and personal statement only. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed in the job advert above.
Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour based examples in the content of your CV or personal statement as these are not assessed at sift. Applications will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in both your CV and personal statement and entered as one overall score within the results.
Stage 2 Assessment - Interview:
If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview using MS Teams, where you shall be assessed on the listed Behaviours as well as Experience based questioning.
We will assess your relevant experience against the essential criteria mentioned above and we will assess the Behaviours listed below.
Interview Assessment Elements (Success Profiles):
We will assess the following Behaviours at interview;
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
Candidates will be expected to provide suitable ID at interview stage.
Indicative Timeline:
Please note that the following dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these time frames, please let us know in your application.
- Application closing date is tbc
- Sifting Panel: to be held w/c tbc
- Final Panel Interviews: to be held w/c tbc
Further Information
Find out more about Working for DWP
Successful candidates will be posted to a specific role and will have the opportunity to express a preference as part of the selection process, although final decisions may come down to business need, and the skills and development needs of candidates. Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.
Postings
Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.
Any move to DWP 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
Successful candidates will be posted to a specific role and will have the opportunity to express a preference as part of the selection process, although final decisions may come down to business need, and the skills and development needs of candidates. Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.
Location
You will be asked for your preferences for up to 2 locations, these will tell us where you would prefer to work if you are successful. Please do not select a location unless you are prepared to accept a role in that location.
Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles here.
Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles here. Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences, where appropriate, and the geographical requirements of the business. Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer DWP may offer you a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list if one is being held.
The roles available will be based in :
- Blackpool Peel Park – Brunel Way, Blackpool FY4 5ES.
- Leeds – Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7UA.
- Manchester – 2 St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 3AA.
- Sheffield – Hartshead Square, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 2FD.
Some travel may be required, but individuals’ circumstances will be taken into account.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
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
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Jayne Hirst
- Email : cd.policyandoperationsbom@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.
