Category Manager (G7) – Commercial Lead

Job summary

This leadership role is an opportunity to build and shape DfE commercial strategy with the objective of delivering first class commercial outcomes.�

This is a challenging and exciting role. You will be delivering category plans and sourcing strategies that deliver on the DfE vision of providing world-class education, encouraging teamwork and building effective relationships to deliver great commercial outcomes with real accountability.�

You will oversee and deliver procurement activity within your category, ensuring commercial activity is compliant with governance and commercial assurance requirements, policy and processes, often having personal involvement with key strategic suppliers and ensuring strategies are in place to manage these key stakeholder relationships.���

You will have a commitment to high standards, demonstrate excellent influencing and relationship management skills, and contribute clear, incisive thinking on a range of areas relating to the department�s most important priorities.

The Department for Education

The Department for Education is responsible for education and children�s services in England. We work to achieve a highly educated society in which opportunity is equal for children and young people, no matter what their background or family circumstances.

Our responsibilities :

• teaching and learning for children in the early years and in primary schools
• teaching and learning for young people under the age of 19 years in secondary schools and in further education
• supporting professionals who work with children and young people
• helping disadvantaged children and young people to achieve more
• making sure that local services protect and support children.

Approximately � of the Department�s annual expenditure is managed through commercial arrangements (grants and contracted third party spend � including capital spend and schools funding). We deal with a wide and diverse range of external suppliers and grant recipients across the private / public sectors and Voluntary & Charitable Sector (VCS).

Job description

The role sits within the DfE Commercial Delivery, Operations and Infrastructure Category.� This role will be involved in the development and procurement of key construction framework used by the department�s major building programmes, local authorities and education institutions for the delivery of education buildings. You will gain a deep understanding of departmental and government priorities and ensure that frameworks are developed and procured to deliver best commercial outcomes from c.� construction spend annually, underpin the delivery of current and future DfE Capital programmes and objectives, and support industry transformation.

You will help drive delivery of key department and government priorities for the education estate, aligned to the Construction Playbook and other policy requirements such as modern methods of construction, whole life cost and carbon, social value, Key accountabilities :

modern slavery and early supplier involvement. You will use data and judgement to drive decision making and performance.

You will have deep construction commercial expertise in complex, large-scale and high value environments, excellent awareness of the market and commercial processes and a CIPS, RICS or other relevant professional qualification or alternative experience is beneficial.�

This is a challenging and exciting role with a high degree of accountability. You will be helping to drive functional development, encouraging teamwork and building effective relationships to deliver great commercial outcomes with real accountability.�

Locations :

The successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace. Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance. This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.

Person specification

Technical skills

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

Benefits

As a valued employee of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), you will have access to all the benefits the centre has to offer; including flexible working, generous benefits, Career Coaches, Mentors, L&D, a Commercial College, active talent management and, most importantly, access to commercial projects that will far exceed the scale and complexity on offer elsewhere in the UK.

For existing Civil Servants : �For full details of the impact on any move across the civil service on your existing terms and conditions, please read the candidate pack. �Please note that any move across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to continue to claim childcare vouchers.�