Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location Cardiff, Wales, CF10 1EP : Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 8FT : Leicester, East Midlands (England), LE4 5SP : Didcot, South East England, OX11 0DF About the job Job summary Background: The UK Space Agency: The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the governments space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the governments vision. Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanitys horizons. We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country. Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development. We also promote the UK space sectors interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes. We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency. More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?vZbZZ-o0IkVU Our Inclusive Environment We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions. We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive. We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. Job description Job Purpose To accommodate this rapid growth in the sector, in 2019 the UK Space Agency stood up its in-house commercial capability. The successful candidate for the Commercial Officer role will therefore join a growing, agile and friendly team with the opportunity to make a great impact on how we engage with the marketplace and meet the demands of our customers. This will include a blend of commercial assurance and policy compliance audits and dealing with contracts and grant agreements. The priorities for the post holder will be to lead on & carry out policy compliance checks to provide commercial assurance. The post holder will also enable our projects and programmes by resolving procurement and grant queries and provide support to the Commercial Team and Assistant Director of Commercial. The UK Space Agency Commercial Team has a strong culture of supporting personal growth and development, including support to undertake relevant qualifications in procurement and/or project management. Duties will include, but are not limited to: Managing the UK Space Agency Commercial inbox, helping to resolve commercial queries and triaging more complex matters to relevant Commercial Leads to support their resolution. Supporting commercial activity within UK Space Agency, including low value and high value tenders and grant competitions. Managing the UK Space Agency Commercial Share point area, taking responsibility for ensuring valid document templates and kept up to date and stored correctly Conducting policy compliance checks on UK Space Agency grant funded calls for competition ensuring processes are followed and mandatory requirements are met. This will require engagement with project and programme leads. Working closely with the Finance and Operations Teams to ensure the commercial processes and policy incorporate fraud prevention principles. Providing support to Commercial Team led projects including business case development, procurement activities, and contract management on a range of procurement. Supporting the Commercial Managers and Commercial Leads in providing commercial advice and support to project and programmes. Maintaining the Contracts and Commitments tracker by co-ordinating regular communications to contract owners. To support the delivery of training and awareness for Agency staff in commercial matters appropriate to their needs. Ensure that Commercial policy & resource documents within the Centre of Excellence is maintained and updated, replacing documents and updating content on Share point as necessary. Preparing summary of audit reports findings & improvement plans for senior managers. Person specification The successful candidate should have a good understanding of the UK procurement landscape, including changes to be implemented under the Procurement Act 2023. The successful candidate should be able to integrate into the commercial team effectively, whilst being comfortable engaging with people from across the agency from a range of professional backgrounds. They should have a willingness to develop their skills and explore a broad range of commercial opportunities the post offers including experience of small and large projects, grant funding, and alternative commercial models. They must be comfortable in a fast paced and changing environment with the ability to prioritise competing workloads. Essential: Experience of contracting activity through conducting tenders; frameworks or open competitions, or the award of grants. Good knowledge of procurement processes and experience of following identified processes. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong relationships. Ability to communicate clearly, succinctly and persuasively in writing, in meetings and in presentations. Desirable: Good knowledge of Public Procurement regulations, with an understanding of the processes and constraints of UK Government procurement processes. Conducting policy compliance/assurance checks Knowledge of supply chain fraud prevention principles Experience of working on Grants and an awareness of the Functional Standards for Grants MCIPS, working towards (any level) or willingness to undertake. Programme or project management qualification, or willingness to undertake (such as from the Association of Project Managers, PRINCE2, Managing Successful Programmes or similar) Familiarity with Microsoft Share point Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Working Together Delivering at Pace Managing a Quality Service Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Legislation & Procurement policy Benefits Alongside your salary of £33,015, UK Space Agency contributes £9,564 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. UK Space Agency offers a competitive mix of benefits including: A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours. Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27% A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30. An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue. Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts. A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package. This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home, or elsewhere, as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this). If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post. 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. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills. UK Space Agency is undergoing a transformation programme which may impact your role, line manager and/or location in the future. We will share more details with you as they become known As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement (maximum 500 words) and behaviour examples (maximum 250 words each). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. The CV is for information purposes only and will not be scored. Please use your personal statement to include the skills and experiences you have that make you suitable for this role The Sift will be assessed on Personal Statement and Behaviours The Interview will be assessed on Behaviours and Technical Skill. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Working Together. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. Sift and interview dates Expected Timeline subject to change The sift is expected to take place week commencing 13/01/2025. Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 03/02/2025. Interview location: MS teams. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process. Further information 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 uksarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.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 youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out. Any move to UK Space Agency 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms directly. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checkscabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Infodisclosurescotland.co.uk. 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 applicants 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. Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements 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) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. 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). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name : Miles Collinson Email : miles.collinsonukspaceagency.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : uksarecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance UKSARecruitment.GRScabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints Attachments Job Description and Personal Specification- commercial officer Opens in new window (docx, 66kB) Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail