Procurement Lead - Tech

On behalf of Defra, we are looking for a Procurement Lead (Inside IR35) for a 6-month contract based Bristol, Birmingham, London or Peterborough (with around 50% office attendance).

In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people's lives. We are responsible for England's environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards. We have developed a set of three strategic objectives covering our policy outcomes and corporate objectives. These objectives help us to deliver our ambitious vision to build our green and healthy future and provide a framework for all the important work we carry out.

Our objectives are:

• To pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future.
• To lead the world in food, farming, and fisheries with a sustainable model of food production.
• To be an outstanding organisation focused on making a difference, with world class delivery capability.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs www.gov.uk.

25 Year Environment Plan - GOV.UK www.gov.uk.

These roles work closely with Defra's Digital Data and Technology Security team and support and work with Arm's Length Bodies such as the Environment Agency and Rural Payments Agency.

Key areas of technology commercial delivery are: Geospatial, Data Infrastructure, Digital Delivery (including DevOps and ML Ops) AI and Digital Transformation.

As a Procurement Lead, you will:

• Provide commercial advice and deliver a large range of complex technology procurements. This will involve leading commercial and procurement strategy, seeking out evolving best practice, and commercial and procurement delivery at pace, to deliver high quality outcomes.
• Own and deliver subcategory and sourcing plans. Working with stakeholders, using and analysing demand data and market insight to inform and design sourcing approaches.
• Work with commercial colleagues to deliver procurement activity within your category, building and maintaining a clear pipeline and ensuring full compliance with public procurement law, Defra Group Commercial procedure, policy, governance, and assurance processes. Take ownership of end-to-end procurement delivery.
• Develop and continuously review market-facing category-specific plans and framework management mechanisms, delivering innovative propositions which meet the needs of Defra.
• Provide expert advice on commercial risk management and deliver mitigation plans/strategies to manage identified risks.
• Provide commercial advice and assurance to contract management activity led by delivery and supplier management colleagues.
• Effectively influence colleagues and suppliers to deliver value for money, achieving savings targets and sustainable outcomes.
• Work with team members and colleagues to share knowledge and develop their commercial capability, ensuring there is the required level of commercial expertise deployed to deliver the required outputs.
• Represent the Commercial Team at key meetings.

Essential

• Experience leading complex commercial activities within a digital/technology setting. With demonstrable experience across the commercial lifecycle, managing multiple stakeholders with differing objectives.
• Contribute clear, incisive thinking on a range of areas relating to technology commercial delivery; quickly learn about the key drivers in new markets to inform strategy and commercial options.
• The ability to engage with suppliers at both operational and senior levels, support senior colleagues and stakeholders, work under pressure, and deliver multiple projects within agreed timescales.
• Experience in the development of strategies for high value/risk, critical/complex procurements, and playing a leading role in their implementation and end-to-end delivery.
• Experience of leading strategic contract award negotiations and/or resolving disputes through negotiation.

Clearance (location specific)

• London: Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) clearance.
• Birmingham, Bristol, Peterborough: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, Defra encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates. Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".