Department for work and pensions (dwp)
Lead Supplier Manager
Job Description
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Information Technology
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
Would like to grow your career? Would you like a challenging role where you deliver and inspire change on a large scale?
Do you have experience of working in a commercial and financial environment across a range of stakeholders and enjoy building relationships?
Do you have experience in gathering requirements for supplier engagements and an understanding of financial information?
Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment continually looking to evolve?
The Department for Work and Pensions deliver services and products that impact some of the most vulnerable people in society. We’re looking for people who are as motivated by that unique purpose as we are.
Our DWP Digital Supplier Management Teams are vital in supporting the delivery of these services. As a Lead Supplier Manager, you will own and manage both existing supplier relationships and work with colleagues to identify and secure new suppliers, ensuring policies around sourcing, procurement, finance and governance are fully met.
You will work with an array of senior stakeholders to ensure the necessary commercial agreements are in place, optimising value for money and supplier partnerships. You will own the cost models, ensuring they are managed efficiently.
As a Lead Supplier Manager, you will manage the team through prioritisation of requirements throughout the procurement lifecycle. You will develop the strategy for Supplier Management and manage the team and lead on more complex sourcing and procurement requirements.
Job description
As a Digital Lead Supplier Manager, you will be responsible for implementing procurement strategies for an area of DWP Digital.
You will work with an array of key stakeholders to deliver procurement plans in line with Programme objectives, gathering requirements, embedding appropriate Governance and Approvals in line with Government, Programme and DWP Digital processes.
You will ensure the necessary commercial agreements are in place and are subsequently managed efficiently and effectively to ensure high value outcomes.
Your key responsibilities will be, but not limited to:
- Lead the team in executing supplier management strategy including the development of processes, team skills and sourcing capability to meet ever evolving business needs
- Lead on the development and maintenance of critical Supplier Management tools
- Develop the digital sourcing strategy, establishing a supplier selection framework that enables effective decision making on suppliers with successful outcomes and minimising delivery risks
- Manage performance improvement initiatives to ensure the delivery of contract outcomes are within budget
- Manage and support relationships with strategic suppliers, to oversee supplier selection processes for individual outsourcing engagements
- Establish and enforce governance structures, supporting and participating as appropriate
- Resolution of escalated supplier related incidents, problems, or unsatisfactory performance
- Be a source of expertise, insight and knowledge for Supplier Management related activity
Person specification
See selection process for further details.
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Natalie.selby1@dwp.gov.uk.
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Demonstrable evidence in leading the development, implementation and evaluation of effective supplier management strategies and plans, resulting in both effective delivery and measurable improved supplier performance.
Benefits
We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
- Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
- Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
- Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
- Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
- An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
Salary Information
New entrants to the Civil Service will join on band minimum.
Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.
Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Stage 1: Application
Your application will consist of four parts:
1. A Personal Details application form.
2. Employment history – this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed based on the essential criteria below.
3. Personal statement – up to 1000 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria listed below.
- Demonstrable evidence in developing strong strategic relationships/networks within teams and across the wider organisation and the confidence and professional credibility to influence Director level colleagues.
- Experience in thinking strategically and leading a team to deliver effective results and a quality service.
- Commercially minded with experience of achieving value for money in complex environments.
- Experience of utilising contractual and financial information to critically assess problems and lead with delivering a timely resolution across multiple workstreams.
- Experience of delivering at pace, managing and prioritising tasks in a fast-paced agile working environment.
4. Technical statement (up to 250 words).
- Demonstrable evidence in leading the development, implementation and evaluation of effective supplier management strategies and plans, resulting in both effective delivery and measurable improved supplier performance.
An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.
The sift panel will use the information in your employment history, personal statement, and technical statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria above.
Important Information
- You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
- Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
- If your employment history, personal statement or technical statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
Stage 2: Interview
Sift dates to be confirmed.
If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria and technical statement.
You will be asked to do a 10 minute presentation on a specific topic. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Interviews will take place from late February 2025. Interview dates to be confirmed.
Further information:
Find out more about Working for DWP
For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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 you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team