Assistant Director - Commercial

Details

Reference number

358300

Salary

£100,000

A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

GBP

Job grade

SCS Pay Band 1

NS&I Band 2

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

NS&I - Business Delivery & Transformation

Type of role

Commercial

Senior leadership

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location

• About the job

• Benefits

• Things you need to know

• Apply and further information

Location

Durham, North East England, DH1 1SL : Lytham St Anne's, North West England, FY8 4TS : Glasgow, Scotland, G2 8JX : City of Westminster, London (region), SW1P 3BT

About the job

Job summary

National Savings and Investments operating model is delivered through strategic agreements with service delivery partners, including many outsourced operations. Spending on external services and goods is therefore significant.

The Assistant Director, Commercial, working to the Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for delivering procurement, supply chain and contract management and third party risk management capabilities to deliver the strategic outcomes for NS&I, whilst operating in accordance with NS&Is risk appetite.

The NS&I Commercial Function has advanced significantly over the last few years in preparation for the adoption of a multi-supplier model for its outsourced service delivery operations. This role is key to ensuring the continued development of the function as it both capitalises on opportunities and addresses future challenges.

Job description

The post holder will:

• Play a key role in leading the development and continuous improvement of a strong commercial function for NS&I.

• Be accountable for ensuring that all commercial arrangements represent value for money and optimize the make or buy decision for taxpayers and departmental business owners.

• Identify, own and actively managing senior stakeholder relationships with internal teams, programmes and third parties to ensure service delivery is smooth and issues are addressed.

• Lead and manage a team of commercial professionals and ensure their output contributes directly and aligns to the Departments priorities and objectives, including the management of public money and delivery of value for money;

• Continue to develop and improve processes and systems to ensure excellence across the commercial lifecycle, including pre-procurement market engagement, deal-making, contract management and risk management;

• Ensure alignment with and progress against the Government Functional Standard for Commercial, including applicable guidance and playbooks;

• Ensure that all members of the commercial team are appropriately trained, qualified and experienced to make sound commercial judgements so that contracts are let and managed to deliver both service excellence and value for money;

• Maintain and enhance the Commercial teams supportive and inclusive culture and ensure high staff engagement;

• Own sourcing systems, data quality and management information, ensuring that the system and records are maintained in line with our obligations;

• Deputise for, and support, the Chief Operating Officer as required in governance forums

• This role may require travel to other sites

Person specification

Essential skills and experience

• Experience of successfully designing, implementing and managing a commercial strategy and strong control framework for complex contracts, in either the public or private sector.

• Evidence of managing significant outsourced service agreements, ideally including transition of services in and out of such agreements.

• Experience of stakeholder management and influence at all levels, through formal governance forums and informally, to ensure senior level buy-in and delivery from internal colleagues and teams, suppliers/delivery partners and other external stakeholders.

• Demonstrate commercial expertise and business acumen resulting in appropriate and innovative strategies to deliver on required business outcomes, whilst achieving value for money and balancing risk.

• Demonstrable experience of communicating complex commercial and contractual concepts clearly and concisely with the ability to adapt approach to differing audiences.

• Demonstrate outstanding consultancy skills, whether internal or external; ability to gain credibility and influence through network development, strong stakeholder engagement and effective communication skills.

• Evidence of negotiation skills, likely to have been gained from multiple large deals. Able to demonstrate examples of having been able to secure a deal, while maintaining strong customer/supplier relationships

• The ability to support the development of others through sharing technical knowledge, coaching and mentoring.

Essential technical knowledge

• Advanced knowledge and skills commercial and contract management techniques and methods across the full commercial lifecycle.

• Knowledge of applicable UK central Government commercial policies and compliance requirements, ideally with a working knowledge of the Public Contract Regulations.

• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to review, challenge and utilise data and information.

• Demonstrate a Risk Mindset - experienced in effective identification, proportionate assessment and management of commercial and supply chain risks and issues in accordance with Government guidelines and best practices.

Desirable Qualifications

• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Level

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £100,000, National Savings and Investments contributes £27,000 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK with more than 24 million customers and over £218 billion invested. We are both a government department and an Executive Agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Our origins can be traced back more than 150 years to 1861.

A small company with a big reach, we offer a range of benefits including flexible working, great opportunities for development and a generous pension scheme. We care for colleagues, respect one another, invest in our people and manage talent effectively.

Some benefits of working at NS&I include:

• Learning and development tailored to your role

• An environment with flexible hybrid working options

• 9 day fortnight scheme

• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

• Generous annual leave starting at 25 days, increasing to 30 days

• Performance related variable pay bonus

• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave

Things you need to know

Selection process details

NS&I has appointed Green Park as our recruitment partners to assist with this vacancy. If you would like to know more about the role and/or apply, please contact Miles Mackie or James Greengrass by emailing Miles.Mackie@green-park.co.uk or James.Greengrass@green-park.co.uk. If you would like to know more about the role and how to apply, please visit https://micro.green-park.co.uk/nsandi/

Working for NS&I

NS&I is currently working in a hybrid way with colleagues expected to work in the office for 40% of their working month and this will be increasing to 60% of their working month in the summer of 2024. If you are applying to work in London, the role is currently based in Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BT and in summer 2024 it is anticipated that NS&I will be moving out of Sanctuary Buildings and into another office within central London.

Any move to NS&I 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/.

If you are applying for a role at the same NS&I band as you are currently and the advertised salary of the role is higher, if you are successful, any salary increase will be at the discretion of NS&I and will be reviewed as part of the next annual pay review, in accordance with the NS&I employee handbook.

Note to existing permanent employees at NS&I - Please be aware that if you are a permanent employee appointed to a fixed term role, our recruiting principles ensure you will retain your permanent status at the end of this contract. However, you are not guaranteed to return to your original role. At the conclusion of this fixed term period, you may be redeployed to another suitable role at NS&I, offered retraining or will be given priority mover status to find another role in the civil service.

NS&I employees on a fixed term contract moving to another fixed term role, will continue to be employed for a fixed term to the end date of this role. You may apply for suitable roles within NS&I or the civil service.

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