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The centrally managed Low Value Purchasing (LVP) Team is part of the Ministry of Defence’s Commercial Data and Systems team. The team has a key role in supporting the Department’s commercial function through driving efficiency, value for money and continuous improvement in commercial processes and outcomes. The team plays a critical role in enabling and controlling procurement in the low value space (generally under £12k). The department has around 8500 physical ePC cards in operation,, virtual accounts as well as lodged cards against major categories (e.g. Travel). Across all card schemes the MODs ePC programme is worth over £400m. It is therefore a highly strategic and crucial programme for the department to manage effectively.

The team also acts as coaching interface through the LVP Mentoring role to educate the business interfaces. This requires oversight and support to the business in all areas of low value purchasing activity; the primary focus to manage the best use of the Electronic Purchasing Cards (ePC) and the provision of the overall ePC programme. A key part of the advertised role will be engaging with key stakeholders (incl Comrcl Branch Leads and Corporate Governance areas) from TLB/Front Line Commands and supporting the effective management of low value procurement in these areas.

The role in question will be leading the Glasgow based team of four C2 LVP Mentors. The role therefore has line management responsibility linked to it.

The LVP Mentors cover two locations (Bristol and Glasgow) however this role is based in Glasgow. There may however be a need to occasionally travel between sites for F2F team meetings. The LVP Mentors monitor individual transactions, provide a support network to the LVP Managers and their deputies in the business, as well as the relevant ePC stakeholders. This includes advising on the most efficient way to manage LVP procurement activity and undertaking assurance and monitoring visits interventions to provide assurance to meet governance requirements. It will be the role of the LVP Glasgow Mentor Manager to oversee the output produced by the mentors in this location as well as providing a support/escalation channel.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Applicants seeking part time and job share will only be considered provided full time cover can be achieved.

Lead the Glagsow-based LVP Mentor Team (team of four LVP Mentors) ensuring systems are in place to meet propriety, regularity, requirement scrutiny/audit across the LVP process. Provide advice on all escalated LVP cases and ensure provision of a robust support network to the LVP Managers, their deputies, and stakeholders. Periodically undertake assurance and monitoring visits to sites (or remotely) with LVP Mentors to ensure compliance with departmental policies.

Be the day to day lead of the departments relationship with our ePC service provider. This will include but is not limited to: Leading weekly meetings, reviewing supplier performance (including quarterly reviews held with the Contract management team) continuous improvement activity, supporting the roll out of new bank systems and processes, resolving card/account issues across the physical card programme.

Lead regular ePC engagement sessions with all TLBs and Front Line Commands. This will include preparing slide packs and reviewing spend data/trends in support of discussions. Attendees will include Corporate Governance Leads as well as Commercial/Non-contract performance representatives.

Represent the LVP Assistant Head (when required) at MOD LVP meetings/conferences/working groups to ensure assurance policies are relevant and fit for purpose for implementation.

Input requirements, as necessary, to ensure that data capture systems (operated on a day to day basis by the Mentor Hub Team) so it meets the Management Information purposes

Review and consolidate the assurance levels and outstanding management actions from the reviews undertaken by the LVP Mentors, to provide the required assurance to Head Office of LVP compliance levels across the MOD.

Maintain and overview of the LVP visit programme and report to LVP Assistant Head as required. This will include conducting trend analysis against reasons for low assurance ratings and putting plans in place to address these both at an account level and across the department (if wider LVP knowledge/skills gaps identified). In addition, it will include making recommendations on how the team can enhance its visit programme and provide more effective assurances to the Def Comrcl 2* on how the department is controlling the use of ePC as a procurement mechanism.

Provide data analysis work as required to better understand LVP spend/trends and the development of strategic LVP plans, to affect a more cost efficient means of delivering the requirement (e.g. Enabling Contracts, Service Contracts, Multi-Activity Contracts, Standardised Contracting Template etc), liaising with the non-contract procurement team as necessary. This will also include working closely with MOD Category Management teams as well as supporting the departments tail spend initiative.

Provide Commercial approval for ePC transactions escalated by LVP Mentors, liaising with the ePC Management Team. This may also include facilitating urgent capability requirements at short notice in support of operations.

Provide guidance and assistance on ePC and paper-based LVP to LVP Mentors and LVP stakeholders where appropriate, including advice on the best routes to market such as existing contracts and frameworks, developing and issuing helpful enabling guidance and instruction of LVP notices as necessary.

Act as secondary contact (to LVP Mentors) for bank matters such as changes to bank processes/forms and acting as a ‘super user’ for approval of urgent changes to card/account limits. This includes supporting critical operations with ePC being the primary procurement route supporting front line operations.

Maintenance and development of the Policy (JSP 332) liaising with senior management and policy branches to ensure clear/up to date advice is available to the LVP and the wider business community. This will also include reviewing existing LVP ways of working and making recommendations to the LVP team leader on where changes are required to ensure LVP policy is relevant and fit for purpose in line with wider department objectives.

Liaise with Functional and Head Office Corporate Governance Teams to ensure consistency of approach and a common understanding of LVP policy and business challenges which we may be able to support.

• Leadership and communication skills
• Ability to review evidence and make timely decisions independently
• Ability to scrutinise spend and effectively conduct trend analysis
• Not afraid to make unpopular decisions based on evidence provided/upholding policy
• Be an effectively leader and held lead the team of mentors and wider team through challenging periods.
• Stakeholder Management
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to undertake travel to UK establishments on occasion
• CIPS LVL 4 or evidence of having worked in a commercially facing role for a minimum of 5 years. Candidates without a CIPS qualification may be asked to work towards this qualification within two years.

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

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/

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.

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.

Job contact :

Name :
Jamie Bassett
Email :
[email protected]

Recruitment team :

Email :
[email protected]