This is our frontline for requests. It is a focal point for requirements and queries, establishing new contracts and utilising existing frameworks.
Procurement
VO: Authoritative woman in her 30’s. London accent.
Duration: 1 min 30 secs
This is Procurement. But not always as you know it. This is where you put your skills to the test. This is the core of our operations. From Thames House to Vauxhall to Cheltenham, and beyond. Here, what you’ll buy won’t always be ordinary. But even the ordinary could be used in a unique way. Across Technology, Estates, Supply Chain, specialist teams and more. You’ll give us the edge. New products. Unique requirements. It’s complex. It’s challenging. It’s flexible. It’s the tools we need to protect our nation from harm. Be smart. Be innovative. Influence and improve. This is where we work together to do something meaningful. This is where you take your career to the next level. This is the career package of a lifetime. Always with one mission at heart. To keep the country safe. This is Procurement at MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
MI5, MI6 and GCHQ (the UK intelligence agencies) work to protect the UK from threats to national security. Operating within an established legal framework they gather, interpret and respond to intelligence to combat a wide range of threats, including terrorism, espionage and cyber-attacks. Our highly capable, innovative and agile procurement team is crucial to enable the agencies to acquire the tools they need to carry out this important work. This is an exciting time to join us. Our procurement team’s work is fascinating, diverse and rewarding, and our teams help to shape the future by providing a service that is vital to support the nation’s security.
Procurement opportunities
We’ll support you through your professional qualifications studies and encourage completion of CIPS and MCIPS. We are particularly interested in people with procurement experience in the following areas:
Purchasing the skills and experience from the best in the business. We buy customised expertise and knowledge-based services across a variety of professional areas.
Technology Infrastructure supports and underpins critical activities and a wide range of other diverse customer requirements across the agencies and its partner organisations. Technology Applications supports the organisations in every aspect of what we deliver. We work with cutting-edge technologists to deliver ground breaking solutions to our most complex of problems.
We work with commercial, security, operation as well as our suppliers and customers to protect what we care about most – our National Security.
Provides the business with both a contract management service and a sourcing function, for bespoke construction and service requirements working across the intelligence communities.
In order for our commercial teams to be at the cutting edge of procurement technology and deals, we need a range of supporting roles with business experience and acumen.
Interested?
You can create a job alert to be notified about new opportunities as soon as they are posted on our vacancy page.
Create a job alertAssociate Commercial Lead
Central London and Cheltenham - £49,157 to £55,067
We are looking for an Associate Commercial Lead to manage challenging procurement projects in a major category area and be responsible for a portfolio of contract and framework agreements.
Working closely with the Commercial Lead, you will ensure the timely delivery of procurement projects to support our customers in highly sensitive operational areas through the delivery of goods and services.
A typical day may involve taking the lead on a procurement project, drafting specifications, providing input to the invitation to tender (ITT) and evaluation process, and task management for a team of Commercial Practitioners, Associate Commercial Practitioners and Commercial Support Officers.
Commercial Practitioner
Central London and Cheltenham - £38,647 to £43,970
We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic Commercial Practitioners to join our diverse procurement team.
You will support the Associate Commercial Lead by task managing a small commercial team and developing the team to engage with customers at all levels, including matrix management of other functions such as Finance, Legal and Cost Accounting.
Typical duties may involve monitoring and reviewing contract performance to ensure Key Performance Indicators are met, adopting a creative approach to deliver on complex procurements that ensure value for money, and contributing to the development of individual category strategies.
Associate Commercial Practitioner
Central London and Cheltenham - £32,050 to £37,203
We are currently seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals, who wish to gain exposure into the interesting and dynamic world of procurement.
As an Associate Commercial Practitioner, you will be working in a professional team, where you will support the Commercial Practitioner in the timely delivery of numerous procurement activities, from engaging with customers and suppliers, to requirements gathering, contract management and tendering.
Working collaboratively, you will support the reviewing of contract performance and delivery, to ensure we meet requirements and Key Performance Indicators which include Supply Chain Social Responsibility, Zero Carbon and Equality Diversity and Inclusion.
Careers in Procurement FAQ’s
We hope the information below will encourage you to apply with confidence for open position with MI5 Procurement
There is no requirement for a degree for this role.
We are looking for applicants with:
- the ability to manage contracts
- confidence to develop effective relationships with customers at all levels, suppliers, and industry to deliver on requirements
- the ability to identify risks
- excellent customer service skills
- the ability to manage finance and management information to support decision making and reporting
- a positive approach for supporting change and improvement across teams
- effective and impactful communication skills
You will already hold, or be willing to study towards, a professional Commercial qualification such as CIPS or other business equivalent.
Prior OJEU experience is not required to be successful for one of our roles.
We have opportunities across a range of roles, grades, and locations requiring different disciplines such as contract management, supply chain security and category management.
Working from home is possible for these roles – the expectation is that you will spend a minimum of 3 days per week in the office with some flexibility to work from home 1 to 2 days per week (however this will depend on business need and is therefore not guaranteed).
In addition to this, flexi-time is offered to help balance your personal and professional life in a way that suits you. Compressed hours may also be available.
The Commercial Function has Continuous Development of its workforce skills and experience at the heart of what it does. Whatever your current level of Commercial experience, the function will work with you to consider your own growth and development and help you identify the skills and experience you need to develop and progress professionally.
There is a wealth of core and technical skills training available within the organisation and there is support and funding for the use of external training, where appropriate. The function supports and actively uses mentoring (and reverse mentoring).
We will need to contact your current employer at an appropriate stage during the process and we will seek your permission to contact them. You will be asked to provide details of past employers.
You will have to provide a range of documents during the process. Examples, but not an exhaustive list, include:
- Current and expired passports
- Photo card and paper counterpart of your driving licence, if held
- Recent statements for bank, building society, credit card and store card accounts
A criminal record would not necessarily preclude an applicant from gaining a job here. Each case is considered on an individual basis and all relevant convictions are taken into account.
You can contact us by sending an email to [email protected].
To find out more about the other Agencies who collaborate with us, please visit their sites below
The Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6, is the foreign intelligence service of the government of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligence in support of the UK’s nation.
The Government Communications Headquarters is an intelligence and security organisation. GCHQ intelligence helps prevent terrorism, crime and protects against cyber-attacks. We are responsible for providing signals intelligence and information assurance to the government and armed forces of the United Kingdom.
Why join MI5?
A career at MI5 is like no other. Not only is it rewarding and unique but the variety here is like no-where else. It is this variety that means most people stay at MI5 as they are able to fulfil all their career ambitions here without ever having to leave. We are also committed to rewarding the people who work for us and demonstrating our appreciation for their vital contribution by offering an excellent range of benefits. And due to the nature of our work it means you can’t take it home with you, so when you leave the office you really do leave your work behind you, providing you with an excellent work-life balance. Whatever role you perform, you will be directly contributing to keeping the country safe.