Vacancy -- Head of Commercial Governance and Assurance

The commercial and procurement function within Welsh Government provides policy direction, access to information, best practice, guidance and technical expertise in procurement and contract management across the organisation and the wider Welsh public sector.

The Innovative Finance team within the Welsh Treasury is responsible for developing a programme of innovative investment with a capital value of £1.9 billion. The programme includes a £1 billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) pipeline to deliver: dualling of the last two sections of the A465, redevelopment of a specialist cancer facility (Velindre), and targeted investment in the next phase of the 21st Century Schools Programme. It is expected that a PPP Programme Office will be created with the Innovative Finance team over the next twelve-months to support delivery of this pipeline.

The Head of Commercial Governance and Assurance (hereafter, the postholder) will report formally to the Commercial Director, WG. However, activity management will to fall under the Head of Innovative Finance. The postholder’s normal place of work will be Cardiff, situated with the Innovative Finance team.

The post holder will need to influence SCS in WG and wider public sector in terms of PPP procurements and assurance .

They will need to make independent decisions around best practice and assurance in PPP, engage others to help shape this and develop strategies for the organisation . The post holder will also be responsible for challenging areas of resistance to assurance mechanisms in place and therefore will require the job holder to be able to confidently apply expertise in engaging with very senior stake holders and to challenge where required.

• Working with PPP experts in the Innovative Finance team, the postholder’s primary responsibility will be to advise, and to conduct assurance on the procurement of Welsh PPP schemes. This will include providing commercial advice related to PPP procurement, and establishing best practice across the Welsh Government and wider public sector as appropriate, and participating on PPP assurance panels.
• In consultation with Senior Responsible Officers for Welsh PPP schemes, the Innovative Finance team has established a bespoke PPP assurance process to complement Gateway, i.e., Commercial Approval Points (CAPs). The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that CAPs are embedded in Departmental assurance processes and are well-run, properly managed and appropriately resourced, ensuring that PPPs are assessed robustly.
• The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that CAPs are fully compliant with the Governance and Assurance Framework in order effectively to manage commercial risk for the organisation.
• In addition to ex ante assurance, the postholder will use his / her experience of managing PPP contracts (or complex service contracts similar to PPP contracts) to advise on effective and efficient service delivery once contracts are operational.
• Manage stakeholder relationships across the public sector. They will engage in public speaking and other public activities to champion their area of expertise.
• To provide advice on commercial matters to Departments, and other public bodies in Wales, sponsoring PPPs.
• To identify risks, both commercial and contractual; and to provide advice on mitigation or resolution measures.
• To ensure that Welsh PPP schemes are assessed in accordance with the appropriate assurance processes, taking a lead role in the preparation of CAP reviews.
• To participate as CAP Chair or panel member for Welsh PPP schemes.
• To ensure that all tenders receive commercial approval prior to their being published.
• To ensure that PPP contracts are properly reviewed prior to Financial Close (as part of the CAP process), i.e., before contracts are entered into legally.
• To act as lead reviewer of the Commercial Cases of non-PPP innovative finance schemes and other centrally-funded capital schemes.
• To work with sponsoring Departments to ensure there are robust processes are in place (possibly over decades) for the monitoring, managing and evaluation of PPPs.
• Provide support to other teams in the Procurement Function, where appropriate.
• Support the implementation of Commercial Reform including representing the organisation through engagement with the wider market and commercial community where appropriate, including speaking and other engagements.
• To Chair CAP panels, and be responsible for advising Director-level SROs in both Treasury and sponsoring Departments on the allocation of significant sums of funding for PPP schemes.

We will offer up to Level 4 of the pay scale for an exceptional candidate.

 

 

13/07/2017, 16:00

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

• UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

• Nationality rules – GOV.UK

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

• Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
• For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have a disability which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to a disability in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Welsh Government recruitment process, please see the Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link).

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.