Location: Liverpool, Darlington or National
We are currently seeking a Commercial Specialist to support the organisation’s commercial requirements.
As a member of the Finance and Corporate Commercial team, you will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure customer and stakeholder needs are met and will deliver commercial activity in line with public accountability expectations.
You will be a member of the broader Home Office and cross government commercial community and will therefore be encouraged and supported to build relationships with colleagues across government.
Key responsibilities
As a commercial specialist you will develop relationships to support the organisation in reducing unnecessary spend and deliver value for money through commercial activities. You will be responsible for liaising across the organisation to offer advice to assist stakeholders in developing innovative commercial and procurement strategies. Your key responsibilities will include:
1. Implementing commercial and procurement strategies, defining and negotiating contract terms.
2. Identifying and mitigating contractual risk to reduce the risk of service failure and reputational damage.
3. Commercial management of new contracts and handover to contract management teams.
4. Ensuring compliance to and awareness of developments in procurement law, government accounting, commercial and procurement best practice.
5. Working closely with internal stakeholders to effectively develop and maintain a Commercial pipeline.
6. Ensuring that commercial risks are identified, understood, recorded and managed at all stages of the procurement cycle.
7. Supporting and/or leading on the procurement of services and the management of small, medium and large contracts across all relevant categories.
8. Supporting senior colleagues in raising awareness and understanding of Commercial policy among stakeholders across business areas.
9. Ensuring a full audit trail for each requirement, embracing continuous improvement and adapting to new ways of working as appropriate.
10. Developing an understanding of service supply markets, categories and business context providing options and opportunities for different ways of thinking from a commercial perspective.
About you
1. Great people skills and experience of building, maintaining and influencing customer and stakeholder relationships within a commercial environment.
2. Resilience when working under pressure and proven ability of leading or working within a team environment to deliver successful outcomes at pace and within a changing environment.
3. Understanding of working with CCS frameworks and associated development of schedules, statement of works, statement of requirements, milestones.
4. Experience of working in a commercial environment, either through working in procurement, supplier management or contract management.
Qualifications/Technical Ability
1. CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) membership, qualified to Level 4 Diploma (or equivalent).
2. An awareness of the Gov.uk Sourcing Playbook, the Contract Management Professional Standards and associated policies and the obligation on Commercial.
3. Willingness to progress towards CIPS Level 6 (or equivalent).
4. Completed (or be willing to complete) “foundation” level in the Contract Management Capability Programme.
Successful candidates must meet BPSS security requirements before they can be appointed.
Why Join us
This is an exciting opportunity to join DBS as it builds and strengthens its Commercial team. We’re currently revisiting our Corporate Strategy and embarking on a technological transformation program, both of which require strong commercial leadership and support. The newly restructured Commercial team will play a key role in advancing these strategic priorities and driving key changes. You will have the opportunity to apply your skills and experience to shape the strategic direction of both the Commercial team and the wider organisation as DBS embarks upon its new strategy.
As an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), DBS operates with more independence than many government organisations, so you’ll enjoy more autonomy and flexibility than typical government department Commercial teams and you’ll have the ability to drive commercial strategy across the organisation.
At DBS we have made a real success of flexible working and are not mandating the 60% ‘in office’ requirement that other government departments are bound by. We welcome applications from across the UK, with a willingness to travel as needed.
Alongside your salary, we contribute (28.97%) towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
In addition, we offer a number of excellent benefits for its employees. These can include:
1. Generous annual leave entitlement
2. Excellent maternity, paternity and adoption schemes (after a qualifying period)
3. Employee Assistance Programme
4. Flexible working opportunities*
5. Eyecare voucher scheme
6. Occupational Health Service including referrals for counselling and physiotherapy
7. 24/7 Counselling and Wellbeing Service
8. Car parking/bike to work scheme
9. Discounted gym memberships
10. Dental insurance policy benefit
11. 5 days per year for learning and development
*Please note that Candidates from all UK locations will be considered on the proviso you are able to travel to their Liverpool office 1-2 times per fortnight, potentially more frequently during the first month of employment to be agreed on commencing.
About The Department:
DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 on 1 December 2012, operating from two sites, Liverpool and Darlington. We operate on behalf of government delivering Disclosure functions in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and Barring functions for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We operate in the complex world of safeguarding alongside our multi agency partners. Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.
We provide a service that enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make better informed, safer recruitment and other decisions. We do this by providing information to enable them to determine whether individuals are unsuitable or unable to undertake certain work, particularly with occupations involving regular contact with vulnerable groups, including children.
The closing date for applications will be Tuesday 22nd April and interviews will commence from Wednesday 7th May.
All applications must be supported by a full CV and a cover letter of no more than 500 words outlining your skills and abilities that align to the role.
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