Defence Nuclear Organisation Commercial Officer Opportunities

at  Ministry of Defence

JOB SUMMARY

Do you want to be at the heart of real Defence issues and play a key role in the United Kingdom’s (UK) national security?
Established in April 2016, the Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO) delivers nuclear capability to deter threats and protect our nation.
The DNO oversees all defence nuclear business (excluding operations) and is responsible for providing nuclear deterrence; sponsoring the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (all the organisations, programmes and people that sustain the UK’s nuclear deterrent); and advising on UK nuclear policy, planning and international co-operation on nuclear matters.
The UK’s independent nuclear deterrent has existed for over 60 years to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, and that of our NATO Allies. To ensure that we have a credible and capable nuclear deterrent for as long as the security situation requires, we are building four new nuclear armed submarines – known as the Dreadnought Class – and replacing our nuclear warheads. These renewal programmes will utilise world-leading technology and are a showcase in science and engineering, highlighting the prowess of British industry.
Here at DNO we strongly believe that diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do but is also essential for a thriving and successful organisation. We know that diverse teams bring a wide range of perspectives, experiences and ideas, which lead to better decision-making, creativity and innovation. We have a culture where differences are celebrated and our people feel supported, included and empowered. Join us and be part of an organisation that truly values diversity and inclusion and makes a positive impact on the world.
This post is advertised at 37 hours per week.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The DNO Commercial Team has staff based in London, Bristol and Reading. These posts will be based in either MOD Abbey Wood (Bristol), AWE Aldermaston (Reading) or MOD Main Building (London) and will require occasional travel between the sites.
DNO Commercial is a dynamic and dedicated team working at the heart of maintaining the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) which deals with complex market forces and monitors the supply chain fragility of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE).
We conduct every part of the commercial lifecycle from identifying complex requirements to procuring sensitive material to running billion-pound contracts and Category A programmes – the work we undertake is at a highly classified level.
Whilst assessing the supply chain, we look to intervene in the market to protect CASD whether that be nationalising businesses (Atomic Weapons Establishment), acquiring businesses (Sheffield Forgemasters) or ringfencing sensitive capabilities (Ultra Electronics).
Throughout our work we manage a wide range of stakeholders with partners across the Defence Nuclear Enterprise ranging from the Submarine Delivery Agency to the Royal Navy, Babcock, BAE, Atomic Weapons Establishment and Sheffield Forgemasters.
We operate with an annual budget of £6.9BN, working at the heart of government and protecting the UK’s most sensitive national security capabilities.
As a commercial officer within DNO Commercial, responsibilities may include sourcing and handling the delivery of a range of contracts and providing commercial support and assurance of AWE, Sheffield Forgemasters Ltd and the wider supply chain across the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.
The role will involve both sourcing and contract management and successful candidates can have a delegation of up to £2.5M once certain criteria are met.
Successful candidates will already be working in a commercial environment and will be able to demonstrate a blend of strong professional functional skills, including an understanding of procurement principles and practices, supply chain and category management principles, leadership skills, a great customer service and a consistent record to develop and maintain productive working relationships.

QUALIFICATIONS

• CIPS Level 4 or above (or working towards/willingness to work towards to achieve this level within 2 years of joining). Support will be provided in completing the Level 4 CIPS qualification with MOD funding and time allocation.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Comrcl Competency 2 Sourcing
• Comrcl Competency 3 Contract Management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,528 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%
• 25 days annual leave, raising to 30 days following 5 years’ service

The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
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.
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/.
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 however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. 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.
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.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
Things you need to know

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

Open to UK nationals only.

RESPONSIBILITIES MAY INCLUDE

• Undertake commercial activities across the procurement lifecycle from pre-market engagement, developing and implementing sourcing strategies, contract management and closure.
• Execution and post award management of contracts through high quality contract management, ensuring key contract artefacts are in place, leading supplier performance and contract change effectively, to ensure ongoing value and service quality standards are delivered.
• Collaborative working with project colleagues to achieve customer requirements
• Deliver effective customer engagement and management within the MOD, other government departments and industry partners
• Using strong financial and commercial analysis to inform evidence-based decision making
• Providing commercial advice and guidance through business partnering
• Promoting continuous commercial improvement across the team.