Army Commercial Contract Manager

The Contract Management Higher Executive Officer will be responsible for the commercial management of their nominated contracts ensuring the contracts are pro-actively managed, which entails monitoring supplier performance, implementing contractual changes, maintaining value for money, and building and maintaining good working relationships with the customer team, the supplier, and other key stakeholders. 

The post-holder will build and maintain their effectiveness by ensuring that they keep up to date with contract management, broader commercial and HR policy developments that affect them or their section. They will engage with other parts of the Army Commercial team when their nominated contracts are due to be re-let or replaced by providing learning from experience expertise to continuously improve future contracts.

The Contract Management Team is part of the Army Commercial team, and the post-holder is expected to contribute to wider activities that contribute to the overall team’s objectives when requested.

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join this fast paced and constantly evolving professional environment and form the core of the Army’s commercial professionals.

Army Commercial is one of four Front Line Command teams, alongside Navy, Air and Strategic Command, responsible for working closely with the British Army within a fast-paced environment to deliver innovative solutions to Defence requirements. We play an important 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 Contract Management team is spread over several UK locations and is responsible for the commercial management of a portfolio of high value and often complex contracts.

The overarching role of the post is to provide active leadership of a section responsible for providing the commercial management of a range of Army contracts, some of which are high-value and strategically important. The role has line management responsibility for 1 x Executive Officer. The post-holder will be responsible for ensuring that the section’s outputs meet Commercial policy standards, whilst ensuring effective management of resources, and the provision of continuous development of the section.

Key responsibilities are as follows: 

• Carry out line management responsibilities, which includes agreeing objectives, carrying out performance reviews, and supporting staff well-being and development.
• Develop yourself and your team members through a mixture of on-the-job learning, learning from others and via informal or formal training sessions. Share your knowledge with others.
• For the contracts managed by you and your section, ensure that the following activities are carried out:
• Manage and implement contractual changes in conjunction with the customer and supplier;
• Monitor and manage supplier performance, taking appropriate action where performance is below the specified standard;
• Manage the transition to new contracts and the exit from contracts due to expire;
• Ensure that payments to the supplier are correctly implemented;
• Deal with contractual disputes with suppliers or claims from suppliers,
• Keep contract documents, records and communications up to date and correctly filed in electronic filing system;
• Maintain Management Information and ensure that it’s kept up to date on the relevant electronic systems;
• Ensure that Authority obligations, such as provision of Government Furnished Assets, etc, are met;
• Manage risks and issues, which includes risks associated with the supply chain and supplier financial position, maintaining an up-to-date register;
• Manage contract extensions to ensure that they are correctly handled, and input as necessary to associated Business Cases / Review Notes;
• Conduct Assurance checks where necessary or scheduled to ensure compliance with policy and legislation.
• Provide commercial advice and guidance to customers and other project team members, including direction on the responsibilities of managing a contract and how to engage appropriately with suppliers.
• Collaborate with Army Commercial colleagues on new requirements in the pipeline, advising as necessary on issues such as terms and conditions and Key Performance Indicators, and inputting contract management knowledge and Learning From Experience.

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

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Functional Framework and Competencies to be used
  Commercial Technical Skills as referenced within the Government Commercial Function People Standards for the Profession

  The competency level for this role is: Commercial Practitioner
  You will be assess

As a civil Servant working alongside the Army, the successful applicant will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career progression prospects and a job that makes a difference.

The Civil Service prides itself on being a supportive employer, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance. Other benefits include:

• 25 days paid annual leave, rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Flexible Working Hours upon completion of 6 months’ service
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Personal and professional development of skills
• 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.
• 8 Paid Public Holidays per year
• Generous parental leave package
• Free car parking and access to a gym

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

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.

Please note: interview travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

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/

A Great Place for Veterans to Work scheme which was introduced by the Government in 2020 under the Veterans Strategy Action Plan which included the commitment of making the Civil Service a great Place to Work for Veterans. To be eligible for this scheme in the Civil Service, candidates must meet the minimum standard for the role being applied for and:

• Have served for at least one year in His Majesty’s Armed Forces (as a Regular or Reserve); this includes time spent training
• Be in transition from, or ceased to be a member of, HM Armed Forces
• Not already be a civil servant, or be employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body
• There is no maximum time limit from when you left HM Armed Forces to be eligible for this initiative.

Discover my benefits– outlines the range of benefits available to MOD Civil Servants.

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.

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 Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Job contact :

• Name : Elizabeth Scarfield
• Email : elizabeth.scarfield101@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk