Assistant Commercial Officer in Bristol

£26,000 - £28,000 per annum (plus benefits) Bristol. As part of our Commercial function, you’ll join a diverse team of around 1,000 people who support the successful delivery of defence procurement programmes with real world impact. Equipping and supporting the UK’s armed forces, these programmes range from peacekeeping to disaster relief to humanitarian aid projects – and we’re proud to help deliver them while ensuring compliance and best value.

You’ll benefit from a clear career path with plenty of opportunities for progression, support from colleagues and mentors to develop your career, access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications, and a c.27% employer pension contribution. You’ll also have access to a wide range of employee networks, including the Women’s Inclusive Network, Race & Culture Network, Pride Network, Disability Network – and many more. We recognise that the best people for the job may have commitments outside of work, so we’re pleased to promote flexible working to support our colleagues in balancing work and home life.

We are currently looking for Assistant Commercial Officers to join our Commercial teams in DE&S and SDA to provide support to cover routine aspects of the function’s activities, including negotiations, contract sourcing, contract management, corporate activities, sales and disposals, allowing you to work on a wide variety of vitally important programmes. Other Commercial roles can also include those within DE&S / SDA Corporate Commercial, for example supporting function activities with Assurance and Training or Commercial Business Improvement.

The career path within the Commercial function will enable you to develop the full range of commercial skills used in the organisation. With the support of a dedicated Functional Development Officer – an experienced commercial mentor and a large network of experienced peers and colleagues you will be actively encouraged to test and develop new skills in a variety of roles and projects. In addition to a full induction and on the job training we actively encourage ongoing career development including professional qualifications. We provide an array of training and other development opportunities to help our employees develop their skills and experience for a great career supporting the Armed Forces.

Please note that some of the positions available will be open to Sole UK Nationals only and some successful applicants will need to be able to pass Developed Vetting clearance. Please note some attendance to the stated site may be required for this position. We strongly recommend tailoring your CV in line with our CV guidance before applying, with specific sections to highlight Key Achievements, Relevant Experience, and Applied Skills & Knowledge.

Responsibilities for DE&S / SDA Assistant Commercial Officer

• Negotiating terms and pricing, placing and managing contracts and contract amendments up to a maximum delegation of £0.25M in accordance with the Ministry of Defence policy.
• Communicating in a timely manner with a range of internal and external stakeholders including Senior Leadership, suppliers and Subject Matter Experts.
• Provide assurance and due diligence commercial activity within own area of responsibility in order to provide confidence in commercial outcomes.
• Support and provide advice to Commercial Assistants.
• Determine the appropriate commercial actions for requirements, draft strategy plans, contract management plans and facilitate key aspects of the delivery.
• Ensure all contracts adhere to EU procurement regulations and Government policy.
• Assist / Lead (depending on project value) in the portfolio management of contracts ensuring contract obligations are met in line with the contract and organisation requirements.
• Draft Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), Invitation To Tender (ITT) and contract documentation in accordance with MOD policy and legislation.
• Support negotiation and contract placement above level of delegation when required.
• Highlight novel and contentious issues to the Senior Commercial Officer (SCO) to ensure satisfactory resolution.
• Provide support and assistance to commercial enabling teams to assist delivery of DE&S / SDA Business Improvement projects.
• Contributing to wider Commercial function and business improvement activities.

What you will be assessed against

To be successful with your application you must demonstrate that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Have some experience with stakeholder management and communicating across different levels of the business.
• Have an understanding of Commercial processes and activities, such as – Contract management, Negotiation and tender and bid processes.
• Proficient IT skills including Microsoft Office and ability to use IT systems and programmes will be required for the role.

If not already held, we will support you to undertake the following:

• CIPS level 4 qualification or equivalent.
• The MOD Practitioner Commercial Licence assessment.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competencies and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Contract management.
• Tender and bid process.
• Managing a quality service.
• Working together.

What’s in it for you?

Our careers offer stability, training, progression – and much more! Discover more about what our organisations offer in the DE&S Little Book of Big Benefits and the SDA Benefits. Find out more about our pension schemes. We’re exploring future ways of working with a flexible and a family-friendly approach in mind. This means that successful candidates may be offered the option of hybrid working, combining working at home with working at their contractual location. Further information relevant to hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post, to find a balance that suits your needs and those of the organisation.

Please note that employees are responsible for meeting the cost of their travel to and from work when attending site. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are dedicated to creating a great place to work that reflects the diversity of the society we serve. To help us do this, we particularly encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, disabled people and people from LGBT communities. By bringing together different ideas, experiences and perspectives, we can achieve our ambitions, together.

Closing date: Monday 5th September 2022.