22856 - Head of Supplier & Service Management

Ministry of Justice UK•National City, CA

4d•£58,511 - £70,725•Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005. OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection. OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve. OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable. The role will be situated in the Business Design, Development & Delivery (BD3) team within the Operational Directorate. The BD3 team covers a wide range of change-related activities including continuous improvement projects for operational teams, implementation of policy and digital changes, and involvement in OPG’s larger transformational projects. The small systems (User Defined Applications or UDAs – non-Sirius operational software) development, maintenance and improvement work is also situated within BD3. This role Will be a new role in the team.

Requirements

Proven ability to manage complex supplier relationships and service contracts, supported by substantial relevant experience. (Lead criterion)
Experience of operational contract management and supplier performance management, including holding suppliers to account for delivery against contractual commitments, performance targets and service levels.
Strong understanding of contract management, supplier relationship management and commercial governance.
Experience of managing supplier performance through KPIs, SLAs, service reviews and improvement plans.
Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, including experience working with senior leaders and external suppliers.
Experience managing operational risks and resolving complex service delivery issues.
Experience leading and developing teams and individuals.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret performance data and use evidence to drive decision-making.

Nice To Haves

Professional qualification in contract management, procurement or commercial management (e.g. CIPS, WorldCC, Government Contract Management Capability Programme accreditation or equivalent).
ITIL Foundation or higher qualification.
Experience of Digital, Data and Technology services.
Experience of working within central government or the wider public sector.
Knowledge of Government Commercial Function standards and best practice.

Responsibilities

Act as the senior business owner for supplier performance and service delivery management across a portfolio of digital and technology contracts.
Establish and lead effective operational supplier governance arrangements, including supplier performance management, service review boards and clear escalation processes.
Ensure suppliers deliver contracted services in accordance with agreed KPIs, SLAs and contractual obligations.
Validate supplier performance information, using data and evidence to identify performance issues, trends and areas requiring improvement.
Hold suppliers operationally accountable for underperformance and agree and oversee service improvement plans where contractual expectations are not being met.
Lead strategic supplier relationship management activities, developing constructive relationships that support effective service delivery while providing robust challenge on operational performance.
Oversee operational compliance with contractual service requirements, risk management and assurance activities.
Work collaboratively with commercial and procurement colleagues on contract variations, extensions, renewals and procurements.
Ensure contractual issues, risks and disputes are identified and managed appropriately, including escalation to Commercial where required.
Develop supplier performance dashboards and executive reporting for senior governance forums.
Identify and drive opportunities for continuous improvement, innovation, operational efficiency and improved value for money across supplier-delivered services.
Provide leadership and strategic direction for IT service management capabilities across OPG.
Line manage and develop the SEO ITIL Service Manager.
Ensure effective management of incidents, problems, changes, service requests and service performance.
Drive continual service improvement initiatives across live services.
Ensure services are aligned with government and organisational service management standards.
Support service transition activities for new and changing digital services, ensuring operational requirements, supplier responsibilities and support arrangements are clearly understood before transition into live service.
Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across OPG, MoJ and supplier organisations.
Provide expert advice on operational contract management, supplier performance, service assurance and service management.
Lead multidisciplinary discussions to resolve complex supplier performance, service delivery and operational issues, escalating commercial or contractual matters to Commercial as appropriate.
Contribute to strategic planning and decision-making relating to supplier-delivered services.
Champion a culture of accountability, transparency, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Benefits

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year.
Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day.
Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management.
A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.