Commercial Apprentices For the MOD Commercial Function. Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme

Transcription

1 Commercial Apprentices For the MOD Commercial Function Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme

2 Imagine being responsible for products that think, fly, break the sound barrier, orbit the earth, cross the oceans undetected, fight disease, end droughts, keep flood waters at bay, repair roads, rebuild homes, strengthen communities, provide hope and save people s lives all over the world. These are just some of the opportunities a career in purchasing and contracts management in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) can offer. As a member of the Defence Commercial team you will play a key part in helping to equip and support the armed forces for everything from disaster relief to reconstruction and from peacekeeping to humanitarian aid. 1.

3 Introduction Is it for you? I am delighted to present you with this opportunity to be part of the Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme. The portfolio of MOD¹s business is unique. We acquire and support a huge range of equipment, services and infrastructure: from the latest vehicles used on the front line to new accommodation for service personnel. We have by far the largest spend and most diverse acquisition activity in UK Government, and as big as anything in the private sector. The aim of the Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme is to develop you into commercial officers with excellent professional skills and industry recognised qualifications in order to strengthen our support of this varied and complex business. Our two-year Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme will provide you with exposure to many areas of our business. You will receive support from senior mentors with your knowledge and experience being enhanced through your academic studies. We¹ll make sure you¹re well prepared to progress your career as a commercial officer in the MOD, with its exceptionally wide range of commercial opportunities. Whether it is developing a commercial strategy for the next generation of battle fighting systems or the local purchase of food and water for the Armed Forces on operations, or leading-edge Research & Development, our commercial officers are the key to what we do: ensuring the Armed Forces are provided with world class equipment and services. If you¹re looking for first-class training and development, the chance to work on some complex, high-profile programmes, and, above all, the opportunity to make a real impact then the MOD is the place to be. I look forward to welcoming you to the MOD. Mike Greatwich, DE&S Commercial Functional Director Do you have: The vision and foresight to work in a team? The ability to plan, organise and solve problems? Excellent communication, negotiation and team working skills? The potential to manage people? Are you looking for: First Class training and a professional qualification? A competitive remuneration package? Opportunities to work with major industrial partners? An Apprenticeship that will provide you with a route to a fulfilling career? 2.

4 Why the Ministry of Defence? The Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Armed Forces work together to defend Britain s interests at home and overseas and to act as a force for good by strengthening international peace and stability. A civilian role within the MOD allows you to make a vital contribution to this effort whilst enjoying levels of variety and challenge that can t be found anywhere else. What is the Defence Commercial Function? Defence Commercial handles all the purchasing and contract management activities of the MOD under the strategic leadership of the Director Commercial. This involves everything from servicing submarines to purchasing medical supplies. Working at the MOD can also give you exposure to a huge range of related commercial activities, such as improving supplier relations, dealing with Intellectual Property Rights matters, and providing commercial policy guidance. This reflects the fact that the MOD is the UK manufacturing industry s biggest customer. What is a Commercial Officer? The role of the Commercial Function is to establish and manage contracts that deliver equipment, support and services for the Armed Forces. Once trained as a Commercial Officer you will use innovative purchasing strategies to secure best value for money whilst at the same time safeguarding the Department s interests and minimising risk. Getting to know the underlying objectives of your customers is an important part of the role, so you will work with a range of people, including serving members of the Armed Forces and other MOD civil servants. You will use that knowledge to advise on the right purchasing strategy and form of contract. You will also get involved in the tendering, negotiation and pricing procedure and in managing the contract once it is in place. Supplier Relations is another key focus of the role. As well as using intelligent market information to choose the right suppliers, you will then build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with them, continually encouraging them to improve their performance. 3.

5 What will you be doing? You will complete a two year programme working in a variety of placements, typically 6 months¹ duration, primarily in the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation in Bristol. During this time you will work in placements ranging from 4-6 months, primarily in the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) area to gain hands on experience in purchasing and contract management. Day-to-day, your placements will provide the opportunity to learn about all aspects of Purchasing and Contract Management. You will be provided with real experience in; Developing appropriate contracting methods Agreeing and evaluating against tender specifications Assisting in negotiations with industry, including pricing and payment considerations Adherence to European Union Procurement and Intellectual Property Law Supplier Relations and contract management Risk mitigation and management The Apprenticeship Programme is intensive, providing a succession of challenging placements tailored to giving you the widest possible experience across the Defence Commercial Function. It also provides the opportunity to develop the personal and professional competences that will prepare you for potential early promotion. Professional Development The MOD will sponsor you to become professionally qualified through studying towards the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) Levels 3 qualification (equivalent to A level standard). You will also be expected to complete a range of mandatory and optional training during your time on the Programme. You will also attend 1 day a week at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (Filton Campus) completing Functional Skills (if required) in Maths, English and IT, this is also when you will undertake your CIPS training. Whilst on the programme you will also be expected to complete a Level 3 NVQ certificate in Procurement and Supply (equivalent to A Level standard). Support You will have access to a dedicated team and a personal mentor. Both the team and the mentor will guide you through your time on the Programme, providing you with professional support and guidance, advice on your developmental requirements and potential placements. And beyond? At the end of the programme, provided you have delivered to the standards we expect, you will be promoted to a middle management role within the Department. Beyond this you will be supported during the next phase of your Commercial Career in the Ministry of Defence. 4.

6 Lucy Ashton Defence Commercial Apprentice Working in retail was not the career path I dreamt for myself; I was working long and unsociable hours in a position that provided me little job satisfaction, and very few chances for career development. Applying for a job with the Ministry of Defence seemed daunting at first as I knew nothing about commercial, however, once I attended the interview it quickly became apparent that it was a field where I could grow and develop my potential to achieve an amazing career. When I started the job I was given a 2 week induction course with my cohort, this helped me to understand more about the role I would be doing as well as enabling me to bond with my new colleagues. My first placement was in Air Support and this taught me so much about how the commercial function worked and the places that the organisation could take me. I was exposed to exciting meetings and trips, including trips to RAF Boscombe Down and the Royal International Air Tattoo show. I had the opportunity to see the aircraft that I was involved in purchasing and supporting. This was not only rewarding, but also really helped me gain a greater understanding of their capabilities. My second and current placement in Special Projecst has allowed me to gain so much more experience about how a project team works and understanding the process of procurement and supply. Moving placements every six months initially seemed scary but it is a fantasitc opportunity as most members of staff don t get the opportunity to move as frequently and expand their experience by learning from new people. In addition to my day-to-day placement work I am completing a NVQ in Procurement and Supply. The college and my assessor are always there to support me throughout the learning process and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure I understand the subject matter. To find an organisation that is interested in developing me through both experience and professional qualifications is amazing because it helps build confidence, and shows that they believe that I can be successful within the Commercial function. The best thing about being a commercial apprentice is the people I encounter on daily basis; the apprentice management team are very helpful and are always there if I have a problem. I have a buddy from the cohort above who is also there to help and my mentor is very experienced and helpful when it comes to moving placements and finding development areas. The placement teams I work with help me with my NVQ and provide challenging work, and finally, my cohort are all really supportive and provide me with friends within such a large organisation. Applying for this job is the best career move I could have ever made because I love coming to work every day! 5.

7 Oliver Howard Commercial Apprentice 2014 & 2015 I joined the Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme (DCAP) in January 2014 at the age of 19 and I haven t looked back. It s given me a fantastic platform to start my career within the Ministry of Defence. During my two years on the scheme I had the opportunity to work in 4 different placements, Air Commodities, Artillery Systems, Special Projects and the Low Value Purchasing team, for a period of 6 months each. The variety of experience I gained from these placements was excellent and provided me with a very strong foundation to my commercial knowledge and career that can be very hard to find elsewhere. One unique aspect of working at the MoD is the chances to get out wherever possible to see equipment that you may have been a part of purchasing. This will be dependent on the teams you are assigned to, but I personally have been lucky enough to experience live artillery firings on Salisbury plain, various visits to Brize Norton to have a tour of the C17, and (if you want to) work away from Bristol in such places as Glasgow and London. Alongside your working commitments, you will continue to work towards further qualifications such as the NVQ in Supply Chain Management and a professionally accredited and worldwide recognised qualification from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS). This seems like a large workload to manage, but I and the other apprentices are given exceptional support from the DCAP team. In addition you will spend time away from work to study at college one afternoon a week. Upon joining the MoD you will be assigned a mentor who will be an invaluable asset to you. My mentor provided advice from their experiences working within the MoD and was able to recommend placements and teams that would assist my development. I successfully completed the programme in December 2015 and was promoted into a permanent position in the Weapons team. I am now looking forward to applying all I have learnt on the programme and progressing my Commercial Career further. If you want to kick start your career in an organisation with a large scope for progression, I would highly recommend the Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme. 6.

8 Salary and Benefits How do I apply? As a MOD Civil Servant, your starting salary will be 16,253. Following successful completion of your 1st year on the Programme your salary will increase to 17,760 (based on pay scales as at August 1st 2015). Pension You will be entitled to choose between a defined benefit pension scheme or a stakeholder pension with an employer contribution. See Civil Service Pensions website link for further details. Holidays 25 days annual leave on joining, increasing by 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days after 5 years service, plus 9 days of public holiday. Other Benefits Professional and personal development. Promotion based on merit, and you ll enjoy all of the support you need to speed your progress. Flexible working hours and alternative working practices. A generous maternity and paternity packages and workplace nurseries at most major locations. Optional Sports and Social Club membership Study leave The advert for the Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme will be advertised on Civil Service Jobs during March To find it and apply please go to the Civil Service Jobs website and narrow the search criteria to Ministry of Defence (Department) Commercial (Job Category) and Bristol (Location): Eligibility Nationality To join the Defence Commercial Apprenticeship Programme you must have British nationality and normally have been resident in the UK for the past five years. If you have dual nationality, you may be eligible to apply if one of those nationalities is British, you are eligible to hold a British passport, and you are free to work in the UK. The Civil Service is aiming to ensure that its workforce reflects the society which we serve in all aspects of diversity. Therefore applications are welcome from young people aged 18 21, in line with section 158 of the Equality Act 2010; this means that positive action is being taken as this age group is currently under-represented in the Civil Service workforce. Qualifications 5 A - C Grade GCSEs including Maths and English or equivalent, 2 A Levels Grade A - E or equivalent are desirable. Contacts For queries on the application process please contact Defence Business Services; Telephone: [email protected] The Ministry of Defence is an equal opportunity employer and is fully committed to equal opportunities policies. Applications from all sectors of the community, irrespective of racial origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion or disability are positively welcomed. 7.

9 The Ministry of Defence is an equal opportunity employer and is fully committed to equal opportunities policies. Applications from all sectors of the community, irrespective of racial origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion or disability are positively welcomed. Information correct as at January 2015.