Contracts Lead

Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT)

This is an incredibly exciting time to join the DDaT team at DCMS, as we strive to collaborate across the department to deliver secure, user-centred services that drive smarter working, innovation and efficiency. We are transforming DCMS to meet the demands of an agile, delivery-focused department leading on some of the highest priority work for the government’s agenda to drive growth, enrich lives and level-up society.

Our plans include critical investment in our corporate systems, ensuring they are fit for purpose and reducing the manual input required. Equally, there is ongoing development of the way the department delivers its policy outcomes via digital and data services, using AI where needed to maximise the value these can bring to users in the department or throughout the society we serve.

We want to transform how we solve policy challenges by having user centred design and collaboration within multi-disciplinary teams at the heart of what we do.

Job description

We are looking for a self-starting problem solver who has commercial acumen and experience of working with a wide variety of stakeholders. The role holder will engage with contract managers, DCMS Commercial and suppliers to enable the development and execution of the DDaT commercial strategy. You will be the key relationship manager with our Commercial Business Partner and will coordinate and streamline all internal DDaT activity and engagement to help deliver a step change in performance and outcomes from all DDaT contracts.

This role will provide central coordination, support and challenge to ensure DDaT input to commercial activity is effective and efficient. This will range from gathering needs and technical specs from technical experts to ensuring delivery is aligned to strategic objectives, proactively identifying risks to compliance and service continuity. It will involve working with contract managers to ensure effective supplier performance management and providing assurance to the senior leadership on overall performance. You will work closely with our Finance Lead to ensure commercial activity feeds into budget forecasts and the purchase-to-pay process is efficient.

This is a dynamic role, with potential to shape the future DDaT Commercial Strategy, and contribute to improving the service DDaT delivers. DDaT is a busy Directorate, and you will be expected to keep on top of emerging issues and priorities, translating these into action where required. You will need to be agile and adaptable in the work you deliver, willing to contribute as required to a small central team within the Directorate.

Person specification

The ideal candidate will have the following key skills and experience:

Essential criteria:

• Contract management: involvement in day-to-day contract management, supplier performance management and reporting
• Stakeholder management: experience of managing effective relationships with stakeholders, including senior stakeholders
• Communication: experience of conveying technical and non-technical information clearly and effectively through written and verbal communication
• Planning: experience of prioritising and coordinating multiple activities in collaboration with others to support timely delivery

Desirable skills:

• Experience of working in a digital, data or technology role
• Procurement or management of digital, data or technology contracts

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Thembi Songo and will take place on:

• 10.00 - 10.45 on Tuesday 19 May

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this Registration form by 3pm the day before the session is scheduled and you will be sent an invitation. Invites will only be sent after this deadline has passed.

Please note that the session will not be recorded and will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk

To apply, please follow link- Contracts Lead - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving