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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Project Delivery
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About the job
Job summary
Job Summary
Do you want to work for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and care for the Defence Estate? DIO enables Defence to live, work, train and deploy, all with sustainability in mind. From net carbon zero accommodations to runways for the F35 fighter jets; our outputs are unique in the UK and across the globe!
Learn much more about DIO in our Candidate Information Guide attached.
Job description
About DIO Commercial teams:
Currently DIO Commercial is in the process of expanding. Due to business growth we are looking to recruit Procurement professionals to support us with our UKs defence strategy and pipeline of future programmes.
Across DIO Commercial we have over 19 different teams working throughout the UK leading and supporting various programmes of work. The teams include Regional Delivery, Major Projects & Programmes, Enabling Services, Utilities and Energy, Emission and Sustainability. We specialise in providing commercial expertise to Defence supporting them by managing and monitoring contracts, promoting Value for Money (VfM) and sustainability.
Why Join us:
Our DIO Commercial Practitioner roles will provide an opportunity to gain a wide range of experience in Procurement and customer engagement/management. Our roles provide a great opportunity to gain experience in working with both national and regional locations.
We support the Military and Civilians living and working in UK and overseas, contributing to NATO support, peacekeeping and the wider critical Defence missions within the UK.
Our roles provide a fantastic opportunity to gain experience to build strong relationships with DIO customers, suppliers and supply chains. We provide a great opportunity to develop communication skills whilst widening your cultural awareness and diplomacy skills.
A typical day could involve working with project managers to develop a forthcoming requirement for a new military installation, a conference call with the legal department to discuss resolution of a contractual issue on an existing contract, drafting criteria for evaluating a future procurement and evaluating bid proposals for a new construction project, or drafting an options paper to support your manager in a negotiation.
You will have the opportunity to further develop your skills in researching supplier markets, contract drafting and contract management. The scale and scope of the projects involved mean you will have the opportunity to liaise with many other teams, including legal, finance, risk management, cyber security, technical service providers who support our projects and of course, the contractors with whom we are working.
Although some of the workload is programmed, the nature of the work we do means that the successful candidate should expect to work in a dynamic and rapidly changing environment.
To succeed in one of our Commercial teams, you will need to be organised, team-oriented, delivery focused, with strong communication skills and the ability to create and maintain effective relationships with suppliers.
Person specification
DIO Commercial commits that we can offer you great training, a strong team ethos, and an opportunity to be proud of your work.
DIOs mission is to Be proud; Be challenged; Be unique.
To enable this DIO recognises that a diverse workforce is at the heart of different insights, ideas and innovation. A workforce diverse in background and life experience produces trusted public services and better decisions. We want our people to be curious and continuously strive for improvement, collaborative in an inclusive culture, ambitious and resilient and committed to Defence, empowered and able to challenge so you can play a key part in shaping the direction of our organisation.
To enable this DIO commits to offering its employees:
The ability to obtain industry recognised qualifications supported by DIO
Free membership for professional qualifications including CIPS
Professional and Personal Development of skills
Access to thousands of training courses through Civil Service Learning, some free or paid by DIO
Opportunity to join 6 networks covering Disability, Faith and Belief, Gender Equality, LGBTQI+, Race, Social Mobility and 3 networks dealing with employee wellbeing and support: Speak Safe Volunteers, Mental Health First Aiders and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisers
Opportunity to drive and embed sustainable practices and solutions through delivering and managing sustainable procurement for Defence estates
Join the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and have a future that matters: Be proud; Be challenged; Be unique.
Responsibilities:
As a Commercial Practitioner you will:
Identify, develop and deliver project sourcing strategies, lead key initiatives with cross-functional teams and drive the decision-making process for commercial activities
Lead/support in the development of collaborative relationships with suppliers, clients and other key customers with a principal objective of achieving the best cost and performance
Coordinate and collaborate with your local teams to deploy and implement the defined strategies
Support with the development of the sourcing strategies, tender documents, evaluation criteria drafting and awarding contracts (once qualified)
Evaluate supplier core proficiency and competitive positioning using industry cost models and bench-marking analysis
Support/Lead the fundamentals of sourcing and supplier engagement activities including tendering, spend pattern analysis, contract analysis, bid evaluation, negotiations, and supplier consolidation in accordance with DIO processes
Ensure Social Value and Environmental Polices are adhered to and included in relevant contracts
Provide commercial advice and mentorship to stakeholders, some of whom will be senior members to the MOD
Support the wider DIO Commercial officers, including staff development, mentoring & support
Ensure all mandatory and role specific training is undertaken
Essential Criteria
You must become a qualified Commercial Officer to Practitioner Level within 18 months of joining the organisation. This means you will have to to study to achieve CIPS Level 4, and sit a MOD accreditation panel
Ability and agreement to travel within UK when required, please note some roles may require overseas travel
Be able to manage competing priorities, assess information and risk and be flexible in your approach
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Commercial Skill and Competency Framework – Practitioner Level Section 1 Pre-sourcing 1. Supply Market Analysis – Defining the requirement
- Commercial Skill and Competency Framework – Practitioner Level Section 2 Sourcing 3. Executing the Sourcing Strategy – Developing the sourcing strategy
- Commercial Skill and Competency Framework – Practitioner Level Section 2 Sourcing 3. Executing the Sourcing Strategy – Developing and issuing the bidders pack
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- Commercial Skill and Competency Framework – Practitioner Level Section 1 Pre-sourcing 1. Supply Market Analysis – Defining the requirement
Benefits
£9,528 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Offered Benefits
- Highly competitive Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%.
- Alternative working practices such as working from home.
- Opportunity to join one of our several D&I Networks. We value diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
- 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years service.
- Enhanced Parental Leave.
- Most sites have free car parking, Sports & Social Clubs, Gym, on site shops and subsidised canteens.
To learn more about our full range of benefits, view our Candidate Information Guide attached.
Allowances
This post does not offer any assistance with relocation allowances.
£1500 Commercial Market Skills Allowance (MSA); individuals are eligible once qualified to Practitioner Level and have been issued with a Commercial Letter of Delegation. The allowance will be paid from the date a Commercial Letter of Delegation is issued and renewal is subject to achieving the correct amount of Continued Professional Development and remaining a member of CIPS. Please note that this allowance will be pro rated for Part Time staff.
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.
Employment Hours
The post advertised is for 37 hours net, however the Ministry of Defence offers a range of flexibilities to enable a better work-life balance for employees. Flexible working, Part-time working and Job Share working patterns will be considered.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework and Commercial Skills and Competency Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.
Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile and the Commercial Skills and Competency Framework elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.
Please provide your evidence using the STAR Technique using the attached information on how to apply.
Situation: Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.
Where are you?
Who was there with you?
What had happened?
Task: The recruitment panel will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.
What was the task that you had to complete and why?
What did you have to achieve?
Action: What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information of what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use I rather than we to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.
Result: Dont be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures easily understandable.
What results did the actions produce?
What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
Was it a successful outcome? If not what did you learn from the experience?
Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.
When providing your evidence please ensure that you avoid acronyms and company specific jargon.
At application you will be assessed against the following:
CV – detailing Job History, Previous Skills and Experience
Personal Statement – As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement of 500 words, the purpose for this, is for you to showcase your relevant skills and experience against the job requirements.
The statement is your opportunity to give examples of how you fit the requirements of the role.
When writing a personal statement it is important that you:
Read the job specification so you are clear about the job requirements
Outline the skills and experience that you have that are relevant to the job and use examples to help demonstrate this
Keep to the word limit, if your statement is too brief it will not provide the required depth of detail and evidence to be assessed fully
Technical: Commercial Skill and Competency Framework – Practitioner Level
Section 1 Pre-sourcing 1. Supply Market Analysis – Defining the requirement
Please review the Commercial Skills and Competency element that we require evidence on, please ensure that you review and understand the description of this testing element at Practitioner level. We require you to provide evidence and a demonstration of specific skills, knowledge or transferable experience. This will allow you to provide evidence to show a more rounded picture of your suitability for the role.
At interview you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
Leadership
Technical: Commercial Skill and Competency Framework – Practitioner Level
Section 1 Pre-sourcing 1. Supply Market Analysis – Defining the requirement
Section 2 Sourcing 3. Executing the Sourcing Strategy – Developing the sourcing strategy
Section 2 Sourcing 3. Executing the Sourcing Strategy – Developing and issuing the bidders pack
Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing: 22/01/2024
Interviews are currently taking place remotely and will be conducted week commencing: 29/01/2024
A minimum of 2 full working days notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.
To assist with your application please find attached below:
- DIO Candidate Information Guide
- DIO Candidate Information Guide – Accessible Version
- Commercial Skills and Competency Framework
For help and support with your application check out our Civil Service Careers Homepage and the How to apply section
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).
Apply and further information
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : DIOComrcl-BIResourcingTeam@mod.gov.uk
- Email : DIOComrcl-BIResourcingTeam@mod.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : DBSCivPers-DIOResourcing@mod.gov.uk
Further information
Applicants should monitor their Civil Service Jobs application centre regularly for updates.
Some of MoDs Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) changed from 3 February 2014. Those TACOS changes applied to Broader Banded and Skill Zone staff who were new recruits to MoD or who were appointed to a post on substantive promotion, progression or advancement. On the same basis, the TACOS for Departmental Retained Grades changed with effect from 01 September 2014. The document attached to this advertisement provides more information.
All employees joining MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.
Any move to Ministry of Defence 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 www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please contact the DIO Enhanced Recruitment Team on DBSCivPers-DIOResourcing@mod.gov.uk
Complaints
Please be aware that the selection and interviewing of applicants is the responsibility of the Recruiting Line Manager (RLM) and not the Defence Business Services (DBS) Resourcing team. DBS do not play any part in the selection and interview process.
Therefore, if you wish to discuss your feedback, or you are dissatisfied with your markings, you should in the first instance raise this with the Recruiting Line Manager of the vacancy.
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, PO Box 38, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 7NU
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
Cabinet Office Fraud Checks
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 whose details are found to be held on the IFD will be refused employment
Civil Service Recruitment Principles
Please see the link below for the civil service recruitment principles.
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-principles/
To find out a bit more about what its like working for MOD, visit the Civil Service Careers Website
https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/departments/working-for-the-ministry-of-defence/
Please see the MOD Privacy Notice link below which describes how we will use your personal data, explains your rights and gives you information you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-privacy-notice/mod-privacy-notice
Travel Costs
There will be no reimbursement for any travel expenses for the interview.
Nationality Statement
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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.
Smoke-Free Working Environment Policy
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 by 31st December 2022. 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.
