Deputy Director and Head of Air Command Commercial

Building a strong Commercial Function in Government, and with it the right commercial capability, is at the heart of a far-reaching programme of Civil Service reform.

We are building a cadre of commercial talent in all Government departments; people who can manage our commercial portfolios, who can lead our most complex and novel programmes and projects, people who have the gravitas and depth of experience to work alongside our policy and operational leaders to develop innovative commercial arrangements, whether through joint ventures, outsourcing or best-in-class contracts.

The Government Commercial Organisation is an employer which is truly committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and are able to perform to their potential. We understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and strive for a workplace that reflects the communities which we serve. We especially welcome applications from underrepresented groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with a disability and candidates with gender-diverse identities. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

We have already made significant progress through the establishment of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), our single employer of senior commercial talent across government. This role will sit within the GCO, but based in our Ministry of Defence commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

The Air Command Commercial team consists of around 90 FTEs, based predominantly at High Wycombe. The team is responsible for ensuring that the Royal Air Force’s supply chain is fit for purpose and able to meet its demands – both now and in the future.

The team’s activities cover leading directly on some sourcing activity, providing commercial advice on investment decisions for major equipment programmes, contract management of key service delivery programmes, income generation and market shaping.

The role holder is accountable for ensuring that the support provided to the Royal Air Force by their supply chain, across the full commercial lifecycle, is fit for purpose. Key aspects of the role are as follows: 

• Leadership and management of around 90 FTEs, mainly based in High Wycombe but also including resources in Cosford, Leeming, Glasgow, Andover and Abbey Wood. The role holder is responsible for shaping and sizing the team to meet demand and for recruitment, retention and staff engagement.

• Developing and implementing the commercial strategy for Air Command, in alignment with Royal Air Force priorities and MoD Commercial strategy.

• Ensuring compliance with commercial policies and processes in Air Commercial and driving continuous improvement in commercial performance.

• Forming and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships with senior military leaders and being viewed by key stakeholders as a trusted advisor.

• Delivery of a programme of procurement activity to meet the demands of the Royal Air Force and ensuring that all sourcing activity performed by Air Commercial (around 150 procurements pa) is conducted in accordance with good commercial practice and with a proportionate commercial approach. The procurements conducted by the Air Commercial team range in value and complexity from long term commitments of over £1Bn for specialist capability to low value short term goods and services. 

• Providing commercial advice on investment decisions – including major equipment programmes in support of Air priorities.

• Ensuring appropriate contract management arrangements for ca £3bn of contracts, including PFI and PPP arrangements.

• Membership of key Air leadership fora – participating as both a commercial expert and a senior leader.

• Commercial oversight of the RAF’s income generation activity.

• Membership of the Customer Delivery Directorate senior leadership team – working with other Heads of Commercial in the Directorate to develop and deliver Directorate Strategy and where possible to align processes. This will include Category Management, MI and aligning other business processes.

• Championing the upskilling of contract management capabilities – including ensuring the uptake of Cabinet Office Training.

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Procurement Knowledge: Strong procurement skillset across the full commercial lifecycle & track record of delivering successful commercial approaches across a diverse portfolio from complex & innovative multi-year programmes to low risk, low value
• Risk Mindset: Must have the ability to understand, apply and optimise proportionality in the commercial approach taken.
• Stakeholder Management: must be skilled and experienced in strong senior stakeholder management and adept at influencing non-commercial stakeholders.
• Leadership: Must have experience of leading and developing a team of commercial professionals, driving continuous improvement and empowerment.
• Strategic Mindset: Must be able to develop and deliver strategic programmes of work and drive organisational change.
• Contract and Supplier Management: Supplier and contract management experience including delivering efficiencies and continual improvement.

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.

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.

Job contact :

• Name : Suzannah Kwok
• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk