Apply Now
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Commercial
Market Research
Risk Management
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
What you can expect
Do you make a difference to people in your current role? If so how many people? How about deploying your skills to make a difference to literally millions of people? People who are vulnerable or at their time of greatest need? The Department for Work and Pensions is front and centre when it comes to supporting people when they most need it and in getting people in to work and getting the most out of work. If youre looking for somewhere with opportunities where you can make a difference and get involved with critical and strategic projects that truly transform lives, they truly dont come much bigger than this.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). is a big organisation, the largest public service department in fact, with big opportunities, big challenges and were leading on getting people back in to work and supporting those looking for work and ensuring that work is profitable, investing billions of pounds annually in to welfare and employment. If you are passionate, proactive, and can take ownership, and share our commitment to inclusion and innovation, we want to hear from you.
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. The DWPs Commercial Directorate (CD) is one of the leading government procurement functions, is commercially unique and presents an attractive opportunity for anyone wanting to advance their procurement career and truly connect to the work that you do.
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 thats heard. We do this well and as a result have a culture where innovation is driven at all levels and by everyone and all colleagues feel a sense of belonging! Does this sound like you?
- Do you have experience in working with suppliers and their supply chains?
- Do you have a keen understanding of how to manage the risks that can impact them?
- Do you want to play a critical role in supporting and enabling DWPs cutting-edge, multi-million pound programmes across the Commercial portfolio?
If so, these roles will reward and challenge you in equal measure but are unique in the way that they give you an incredible and meaningful connection to outcomes that really help ordinary people.
Job description
This position is in the Commercial Operations Team in DWPs Commercial Directorate and successful candidates will support CD in playing a crucial role in proactive risk and supplier management, driving DWPs efficiency agenda, helping DWP better understand and engage with our external market and supporting the uplift and ongoing collaboration with Operational Contract Managers throughout the business.
This role supports the Head of Supply Chain Management and Risk in the development and implementation of the DWP Commercial Directorate supply chain management and assurance requirements, creating and delivering on a strategy to ensure we work to proactively assess and identify the potential supplier risks that may hinder the reputation, delivery, security, and financial prosperity of the Directorate.
You will provide leadership to colleagues across the Commercial Directorate and stakeholders developing and facilitating the effective management and assurance of supply chain risks and issues facing the directorate by co-ordinating consistent identification, documentation, monitoring and reporting. You will be an advocate for supply chain management and assurance, sharing best practice as appropriate. You will lead the relevant risk or issue owners to identify and develop appropriate mitigation plans and escalate to the next level of management where appropriate. You may need to develop some category-level experience at a high level to best understand the needs of your customers.
A critical tool in our effective management of Supply Chain Risk is effective in-life management of suppliers and markets. This role is also pivotal in developing and delivering DWPs Operational Contract Management capability uplift strategy in line with Cabinet Office and sponsored by DWPs Permanent Secretary. It is key that all Operational Contract Managers on key contracts complete the Contract Management accreditation set out by GCO and through engagement with Category leads and the Operational Management Board, you will ensure progress remains on track. To supplement this, you will lead the implementation of cross category communities of practice and networks, ensuring further capability uplift through master classes and further learning.
You will engage with colleagues across DWP teams including Security, Business Continuity, Data Protection, Commercial and Operational contract managers. You will also liaise with 3rd party system support teams, suppliers, Group Cabinet Office and Crown Commercial Service.
In return, you will gain further development of Supply Chain Management and Risk expertise from within your team, and increase your level of commerciality, operational execution, and stakeholder/supplier engagement in general. The Directorate and the Department believe in supporting staff development and offer and fund relevant training; all staff are expected to use at least five working days per year on development activities, balancing on the job learning with more traditional training courses.
Person specification
The roles and responsibilities for this position include, but are not restricted to:
We require a driven and dynamic individual able to deliver the following activities related to supply chain risk management:
- Implementing and delivering the DWP Supply Chain Management strategy including roll out of DWP supply chain mapping and assurance tools and processes.
- Working with the Business Continuity Team to ensure completion of the DWP Commercial BCP Plan and setting the standards for Commercial Directorates Business Continuity plans linking into supply chains.
- Collaborative working with DWP Security to provide assurance on in life management of suppliers against DWPs security standards and act as liaison for supplier data breaches or alerts.
- Supporting the Head of SCRM as a representative on the cross-Government Supplier Assurance Solution working Group.
- Collaborating with Commercial Finance on supply chain financial alerts and risk mitigation.
- Implementing and delivering the DWP Supply Chain Risk Management Strategy for Operational Contract Managers, establishing communities, capability offering and shared networking opportunities across DWP.
- Providing Supply Chain Risk Management MI and reporting into the relevant Governance Boards.
- Working collaboratively with DWP Operations, DWP Finance, Cabinet Office, BCP team, Security Team and Commercial Directorate.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS
The application process will involve uploading a CV and personal statement. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed below. Further information under Application process.
Supplier Risk Management and Assurance
- Provide an understanding of your experience in a similar supplier risk management related role, preferably in a similar matrix managed complex organisation.
Organisational skills and planning
- Provide an insight into your planning and organisational abilities.
- Share your proven track record of formulating and implementing a delivery plan
Planning, Reporting and Tools
- Provide evidence of your use of the Microsoft Office suite and planning tools and in particular tools used to assess supplier risk and monitoring
- Demonstrate resilience in resolving issues and in working with others to manage setbacks.
Stakeholder Management
- Demonstrate previous experience of working collaboratively across a range of stakeholders and gaining buy-in using appropriate communication and influencing skills, preferably in a risk context.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
We offer attractive long term career opportunities and personal development. We also offer a range of unrivalled employee benefits (see below) whilst promoting a supportive and engaging working environment.
- Annual Leave of 25 days, rising to 30 days, plus all Bank Holidays.
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- Flexible working arrangements including ability to work remotely and flexi-leave.
- Dedicated training & professional development specific to your role.
- Exclusive access to join sports and social clubs with benefits vouchers.
This job role is suitable for hybrid working, 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 needs, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be considered. 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. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application:
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
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 your experience against the Essential Skills as well as the Behaviour listed above.
A presentation will be required during interview no longer than 10 minutes:
Presentation: How would you go about assessing the maturity of supplier risk monitoring and assurance in an organisation and implementing an improvement strategy when you have assessed the maturity level as low?
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.
- Sifting Panel: Week commencing 4th September 2023.
- Final Panel Interviews: Week commencing 18th September 2023.
Further Information
Find out more about Working for DWP
Postings
Posting will be made in merit order by location, this will be based on the geographical requirement at the time.
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.
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.
Places for Growth and Social Mobility
As part of the governments Places for Growth Programme, we are committed to delivering a more geographically diverse Civil and Public Service that will better serve the public and ministers. As part of this initiative, we are continuously reviewing how we recruit into each location listed.
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
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via commercialdirectorate.recruitment@dwp.gov.uk
as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the Assistance required 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 youre 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.
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 applicants 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.
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).
Apply and further information
You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Louise Gray
- Email : commercialdirectorate.recruitment@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.
