Senior Commercial Officer (EGS Programmes)

This is a really exciting opportunity to work within Defra Group Commercial and use your commercial expertise to directly contribute towards improving and protecting them environment. We are recruiting into 1 SEO role within the Environmental Goods & Services (“EG&S”) Strategy & Programmes Team.

We are a team of 7 responsible for commercial support to Defra’s major environmental projects and programmes such as the Water System Reform providing programme, the Natural Capital Eco Assessment (NCEA) programme and the Collection and Packaging Reforms programme.

As well as this, we provide strategic advice and procurement support to Defra’s Environmental Goods and Services category which sources environmental goods and services across four sub-categories - Vets and Labs, Research and Development (R&D), Land User & Biodiversity and Monitoring & Related Services. We also manage Defra’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) contracts that are strategically significant agreements to help Defra group measure, assess and continuously improve the effectiveness of its policy interventions, research and evidence programmes and grant schemes.

In this role you will lead procurement activity that supports delivery of key programmes such as Natural Capital Eco Assessment (NCEA) and lead the management of Defra's suite of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) contracts.

The role will involve the following:

• Provide support that facilitates delivery of projects, procurements and contract management roles providing functional / specialist input to improve ways of working and business change & efficiency.
• Responsible for explaining specialist commercial guidance to operational teams to influence compliance with Defra policy / legislation / best practice ways of working and contribute to the delivery of business plans.
• Keep up to date on changing legislation / best practice externally, to inform internal priorities and appropriate alignment.
• Contribute to the development of Defra policy / process at national / local level and monitor and advise on effective implementation in the business, in line with environmental targets.
• Build and sustain effective relationships with operational staff and customers to understand issues and provide effective response / steer for operational needs.
• Provide support such that in the delivery of contracts sustainable impacts and opportunities are identified and managed throughout the commercial lifecycle.
• Mentor and coach others on commercial procedures, practices and techniques equipping them with the knowledge and skills to deliver their work in an effective and efficient manner.
• Manage team members to deliver results on time, to required quality standards and cost to fulfil the business plan and achieve / support environmental goals.
• Maximise the efficient and effective use of resources (including electronic sourcing) and people to ensure that all activities are completed to time, cost and quality targets.
• Provide support to facilitate the development of Defra sub-category and category plans.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a tailored 2 page CV, 250 word personal statement and assessed on your technical skills. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your personal statement should describe how you meet the criteria set out in the person specification & technical skills.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview. The interview will consist of behaviour and technical-based questions.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Further Information

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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 defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.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 you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Criminal Record Check

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.

Internal Fraud Database Check

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’s 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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.