Job summary The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that,with responsibility for an annual budget of over 10bn, the Army is a major part of the Ministry of Defence and one of its largest operating centres who employaround 12,000 Civil Servants located at over 300 locations supporting the110K regular and reserve soldiers across the Army. This Civil Service workforce isdiverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. Army Commercial is one of four Front Line Commands (FLC) in the MOD, alongside Navy, Air, and Cyber & Special Operations Command. The Army Commercial Team is responsible for working closely with the British Army within their fast-paced Military Head Quarters to deliver innovative 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 and sales contracts generating income and supporting wider Defence engagement priorities. The Army Commercial wider Team comprises of around 100 qualified Commercial Officers ranging in grades who place around 200 contracts a year for around 240M worth of activity and manage 5bn worth of contracts. At Army Commercial you will work within a highly capable team who will support you to develop your skills, knowledge and experience, we employ dedicated people who challenge and operate outstanding practices. Our commercial professional positions provide an excellent opportunity for candidates with a background in procurement and buying, to develop their skills across the end-to-end procurement process and develop a career as a commercial professional. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work on a high-profile programme and procurement actions spanning all stages of the procurement life-cycle for diverse requirements in support of the British Army. We are seeking highly motivated individuals to join this fast paced and constantly evolving professional environment and form the core of the Armys commercial professionals. These are fascinating and challenging roles in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Commercial Function, with a direct impact on procuring and purchasing the key items enabling the British military to conduct its various operational functions. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Job description These Procurement Team Leader roles will be responsible for the procurement of requirements as allocated to them and their team, ensuring the requirements are actively managed from definition to contract award. This includes defining the requirement and route to market, ensuring all approvals are in place, advertising, evaluating, and awarding the contract in collaboration with the Army customer and building and maintaining good working relationships with the customer team, the supplier, and other key stakeholders and ensuring the contract is managed once live or effectively handed over to the contract management team. In these roles, you will build and maintain effectiveness by ensuring that you keep up to date with procurement, broader commercial and HR policy developments that affect you or your team. This will ensure you keep up to date with the tools and systems used to support procurement and payments including the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and the Contract, Purchasing and Finance (CP&F) tool. These roles offer an exciting and challenging opportunity to develop or enhance a professional career in the commercial function within the context of the Army and the MOD. This role will include line management responsibilities and will require you to train and coach commercial and non-commercial staff. Management Management of Commercial staff, taking a direct interest in their performance and encouraging development, innovation and continuous improvement. Ensure the correct standards of professionalism, conduct and performance are maintained (in accordance with relevant Behaviours / Functional competence) by all Commercial staff. Ensure all data required for planning and reporting is up-to-date and that the team fully understand the importance of accurate MI and the impact that this has on business decisions. Ensure commercial activity is conducted in accordance with current Procurement Regulations and Government procurement policy. Ensure up to date knowledge management on all new commercial policy and directive changes. Liaise with other peer groups and commercial colleagues within and Pan MOD to ensure best commercial practice has been adopted in developing strategies. Improve commercial awareness throughout the Army customer base and promote the Commercial team. Procure and Manage Establishing and maintaining positive working relationships within all areas within the Army, ensuring requirements are placed on contract in a timely and effective manner, meeting both Army Commercial and Customer needs. The preparation, drafting, approval, issue, evaluation and award documentation (within Commercial Licence delegation) of all contracts within the teams remit. Implementation of procurement strategies, creating taut contract terms both financially and commercially, chairing Tender Evaluation Boards and taking the lead in negotiations with commercial firms within delegated authority. Make full use of the MOD systems for contract drafting and procurement activities. Ensure all contracts and amendments are placed and payments made MOD payment tool and ensuring that Government Transparency policy is implemented through use of the Find a Tender service where appropriate. The management of all contracts within the teams remit. Examine, negotiate and authorise non-competitive contract amendments within delegated authority. Provide a reactive and resourceful response to emerging commercial issues and risks, often delivering crisis management/problem solving when required to the local team, commercial senior management, and the Army customer. Person specification Essential Skills: Demonstrate a minimum of 2 years experience working in a Commercial Procure role. Must hold CIPS Level 4. Must already hold or be willing to obtain a MOD Practitioner Commercial Licence within 6 months in post. Effective communication and relationship skills. Ability to positively influence stakeholders, peers, and senior colleagues. An innovative thinker who is willing to challenge process and consider and propose ideas that may change the status quo. Desirable skills: A strong understanding of procurement processes and managing commercial requirements. Experience of leading and managing a team. Qualifications Must hold CIPS Level 4 Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Changing and Improving Working Together Communicating and Influencing Leadership Making Effective Decisions We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form: Working Together Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: You will be assessed against Section 2 - Sourcing, part 3, Executing the Sourcing Strategy through technical based questions at interview. Benefits Alongside your salary of 46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes 13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance. Other benefits for Army civil servants include: - 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years service - Highly competitive pension scheme with a 28.97% contribution - Personal and professional development of skills - Alternative working patterns for many roles - Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle. - Enhanced parental and adoption leave - 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities - Learning and Development Learning and Development: We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. Successful candidates can discuss their development options with their manager when in post. 1,500 per annum Commercial Market Skills Allowance (MSA) available to individuals who are eligible once essential criteria for this allowance is met. 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. Things you need to know Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills. At application stage you will be assessed against the following: Behaviour - Working Together CV Personal Statement - no more than 1000 words demonstrating your skills and experience in line with the essential criteria listed on this advert Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Working Together. Your Personal Statement and CV evidence will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift. At interview stage you will be assessed against the following: Technical - The competency level is: Commercial Practitioner. You will be assessed against Section 2 - Sourcing, part 3, Executing the Sourcing Strategy through technical based questions at interview. Commercial_Skills_Framework_v_October_2015__1_.pdf Behaviours Changing & Improving Communicating & Influencing Leadership Making Effective Decisions Please note: Should there be a tie in the scoring at interview, the Commercial Practitioner competency will be used as the deciding factor. Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs. 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. The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment. The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out. 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). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name : Sharon Stockwell-Smith Email : Sharon.Stockwell-Smith281@mod.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam3@mod.gov.uk Further information Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk. Attachments Commercial_Skills_Framework_v_October_2015__1_ Opens in new window (pdf, 452kB) 20240307-ArmyTLBEVP Opens in new window (pdf, 3932kB) EXTERNAL PACK Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB) Candidate Information updated_ Opens in new window (docx, 31kB) Apply now