DIO – Associate Commercial Lead - Private Finance Initiative (PFI) - Northwood London, England
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Location
About the job
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 our PFI team:
Would you like to be part of a team passionate about supporting and delivering challenging infrastructure construction and refurbishment programmes, whilst ensuring contractual levels of service are achieved?
The DIO Northwood PFI commercial team are responsible for all commercial aspects of a £1.15billion, 25 year-long contact to support our Armed Forces, including Army, Navy, Airforce and NATO based at the Northwood site in Watford.
Joining our Northwood PFI team means working on site with a diverse, committed, and upbeat team who all bring different skills and experience, crafting an environment of continuous learning. You will be working with military colleagues, civil servants and consultants of all grades and ranks.
Are you a commercial professional with a background in Contract Management based in Northwood near Watford? If so, this is the job for you!
As DIO Commercial continues to grow, now is a great opportunity to get involved with innovate and interesting infrastructure projects from the outset.
Why join us:
This role will provide you with an opportunity to gain a wider range of experience in contract management from contract amendments, administration, performance management and stakeholder engagement whilst also becoming part of an embedded DIO Northwood PFI team, which you will have the opportunity to shape the future of.
The role provides you with an opportunity to be at the heart of helping the military and civilizations, supplying to NATO support and peacekeeping and the wider critical Defence missions within the UK.
This role offers a phenomenal opportunity to develop expertly within DIO with the opportunity to complete MCIPS in addition to other development opportunities.
DIO’s 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 acquire 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.
Locations
Our Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) Commercial Teams are based across the UK including Northwood. If found successful, you will be offered the above location as your base office. You will be required to work from this specific office on a hybrid basis (i.e.,40%/60% of your time office based), therefore you must consider if the above location is within a reasonable travelling distance before applying.
Postcode information: Northwood HA6 3HP.
About DIO
View our YouTube video to see more about our work
Person specification
As an Associate Commercial Lead in the PFI team:
You will act as the DIO Commercial on-site liaison in relation to all Northwood PFI related activities. You will also be the lead for contractual Change under the Northwood PFI which will involve stakeholder engagement, change scrutiny and supplier negotiation.
You will be create and deliver commercial strategies for projects within an existing programme pipeline. Alongside this, you will develop effective commercial relationships with the Northwood PFI supplier and their supply chain with a principal objective of achieving optimal cost and performance.
Your role will involve crafting strong working relationships within your own team as well as other parts of the Commercial function across DIO and beyond across MOD. You will provide guidance to internal customers on matters including commercial strategies, procurement ethics and PFI obligations, in accordance with DIO, MOD and wider Government policies.
This role requires you to handle the fundamentals of supplier engagement activities including spend pattern analysis, contract analysis, negotiations, and supplier consolidation in accordance with DIO processes and operating procedures.
This role has a requirement to be present at the Northwood site at least 4 days per week.
Responsibilities:
- Act as a DIO point of contact for all Commercial related activity under the Northwood PFI, actioning tasks or delegating as appropriate. Such activity will include supplier negotiation, information briefing to customers and contract interpretation, and will also involve the engagement of external resources such as Legal services.
- Management of commercial aspects of Change under the Northwood PFI up to the point of instruction and then Change management during delivery.
- Build strong working relationships with the PFI supplier and their supply chain, internal customers within other parts of the DIO and MOD and in your own team.
- Lead supplier performance management, delivering value for money, whilst improving sustainability and social value within the communities in which we operate to the highest ethical standards.
- Be part of the strategy development in conjunction with wider stakeholders.
Essential Criteria:
- CIPS level 4 or willing to study to achieve this level within 2 years of joining.
- Ability to undertake travel to overseas and UK establishments on occasion.
- Strong analytical skills including the ability to quickly synthesize, distil and draw conclusions on large amounts of disparate data.
- Experience of negotiations.
- Be present at the Northwood location at least 4 days a week.
Please be aware that as part of this role you must achieve a CIPS Level 4 and sit a MOD accreditation panel to have a letter of delegation.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Commercial Skills and Competency Framework: Section 3 - Contract Management 3. Contract Performance Management: Measuring and Monitoring Contract Performance.
- Commercial Skills and Competency Framework: Section 3 - Contract Management 4. Supplier Relationship Management: Relationship Management.
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
£1,500 Commercial Market Skills Allowance (MSA); individuals are eligible once essential criteria for this allowance is met.
£3,000 Recruitment and Retention Allowance. Please note that these allowances will be pro-rated for Part Time staff.
This post does not offer any assistance with relocation allowances.
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 elements and Commercial Skills and Competency Framework technical 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.
At application stage you will be assessed against the following:
Experience
- CV including Job History, Full Qualifications and Previous Skills
At interview you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours
- Leadership
- Making Effective Decisions
Technical: Commercial Skills and Competency Framework
- Section 3 - Contract Management 3. Contract Performance Management: Measuring and Monitoring Contract Performance
- Section 3 - Contract Management 4. Supplier Relationship Management: Relationship Management
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months. It is also possible that we may offer similar lower graded role/s to reserve candidates or, if no reserves are appointed, candidates that meet the lower grade criteria in merit order.
Application sifting is scheduled to take place week commencing 27/02/2023.
Interviews are currently taking place either remotely or face to face and will be conducted week commencing 06/03/2023.
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavor to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.
To assist with your application please find attached below:
1. DIO Candidate Information Guide
2. DIO Candidate Information Guide - Accessible Version
3. 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
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
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
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
Applicants should monitor their Civil Service Jobs application centre regularly for updates.
Some of MoD’s 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 [email protected]
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: [email protected]
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 it’s 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.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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.
