Senior Commercial Manager Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) - Military Joint Overseas Operations

Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) Mission: Generate and operate specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the United Kingdom secure at home and strong abroad. The Command excels in defining integrated training, preparing our people for the fight today and tomorrow, through diplomatic and military effects. Delivering always on data, information, and intelligence, enabling our people to make the right decisions in the toughest of conditions. Constantly combatting Cyber and Electromagnetic threats, protecting our people and strategic assets. Executing and supporting the fight, ensuring our people deploy with the best equipment and benefit from world leading medical services.

CSOC Commercial has a rich and varied portfolio of contracts across multiple categories of spend. We have 100 commercial specialists geographically spread over the globe covering contracts worth 7.5bn. It is a dynamic and exciting place to work at the leading edge of Defence. We welcome diversity, we our passionate about inclusivity, and love challenge that drives innovation. We value each individual contribution, learn together, and deliver stronger.

This post is within the CSOC Commercial Team directly supporting strategic joint military hubs overseas. You will support the Integrated Global Defence Network (IGDN) Overseas Bases. This post is located in Cyprus but will support the wider IGDN Portfolio which may include the following locations, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Germany, Cyprus, and Oman. Travel to these locations as required.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

This is an established MOD post within Cyprus and any Cypriot National will not be eligible to apply as a UKBC (UK British Civil Servant).

Strategic Command Transformation:

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. Because of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Commands transformation programme is committed to following the MODs framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Commands personnel and Trade Unions.

This role is leading the military joint overseas operations commercial team within Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) based in Cyprus, and offers a unique opportunity to make change and be a Commercial leader in a diverse, interesting, overseas and high tempo military environment. You will play a crucial and pivotal role leading and cultivating the Commercial team, displaying significant commercial experience and deputising for Asst Hd Commercial as required. You will need exceptional leadership qualities knowing how to bring the best out of people, developing and supporting individuals in and outside the team. You will have the opportunity to maintain an inclusive working culture, whilst working with a wide range of Defence stakeholders. This is a hybrid role of leadership and Commercial subject matter expertise giving you an ideal opportunity to build and hone the skills required for progression.

The portfolio of work is varied and includes both sourcing and contract management and often requires problem solving to overcome the challenges associated with overseas contracting, understanding local markets, remote base locations, long lead times and logistics challenges.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate commercial leadership to guide and coach stakeholders through the commercial process to reach outcomes that are compliant with regulations and policy. You will be working with a diverse range of stakeholders to offer sound commercial advice and develop achievable commercial strategies. You will need the ability to manage competing priorities, assess information and articulate needs that is understood by stakeholders with a range of previous procurement experience.

Your team will consist of 1 HEO, 2 x EOs and 1 x Locally Employed Civilian all based in Cyprus.

Your Line Manager will be based in the UK.

The tour length is 3 years with the option to extend for a further 2 x 1 years with Line Management approval.

This is an established MoD post within Cyprus and any Cypriot National will not be eligible to apply as a UKBC.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at [email protected]

The successful candidate must perform in the position quickly and without the need for significant improvement, therefore they must have.

• Experience of working in Defence or understand how Defence does its business.
• Experience of working in a commercial role with a comprehensive understanding of public procurement routes to market for requirements ranging in value, complexity, and sensitivity.
• Exceptional leadership qualities and know how to bring the best out of people, developing and supporting individuals and the team.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to refine complex technical advice into a singular, tailored message for multiple audiences, with varying levels of subject matter knowledge.
• The ability to work in an ambiguous environment, problem solving and delivering commercial solutions, often at pace with competing priorities.
• The ability to assess information rapidly, seek clarity or additional information where necessary and articulate needs or processes in a way that is understood by the diverse stakeholder audience.
• Line Management experience.
• Excellent organisational skills, recording and tracking data and MI, managing a busy pipeline of activity and ensuring commercial compliance via audit trails.

Responsibilities

As part of this role your key responsibilities will be:

• Lead and develop the commercial team based in Cyprus, to ensure a consistent and value-added approach is adopted in their engagement with customers and stakeholders. The Line Management for this role is based in the UK.
• Lead and support the team with your commercial expertise in drafting, issuing, and evaluating tenders whilst working collaboratively with the wider Strategic Command Commercial team on best practice and lessons learned.
• Ensure compliance to PA23 ensuring stakeholders and team understand their responsibilities
• Support in providing a Commercial service to Contract Management and re-procurement of critical contracts such as Secondary Health Care contract and Logistics support contract .
• Develop an understanding of the customer challenges and unique political landscape and sensitivities of the customer location and its impacts on the procurement strategy whilst proactively navigating policy to successfully deliver solutions.
• Develop a network across Defence including other Front-Line Commands, Government Departments, Crown Commercial Services and Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office to enable better stakeholder engagement.
• Provide a confident approach to Risk Management. Balancing commercial risk v operational risk v resources v priorities in the pursuit of efficient solutions.
• Ensure accurate Management Information Actively seek out and promote Commercial Awareness opportunities.
• Act as a role model, mentor and leader for others, developing the team to get the best of out of each individual.

Be willing to complete all required elements to obtain their Practitioner Commercial Licence and MSA Allowance:

1. CIPS Level 4
2. Procurement Reform eLearning
3. CMCP Foundation eLearning
4. Sourcing Mechanics Course

Desirable Criteria

The successful candidate must provide evidence of CIPS level 4 or be willing to work towards this by commencing study within one year of appointment.