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Crown Representative for the VCSE sector
Business need & role
Vision & business need
1. The government wants to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public
services. As part of this it wants to open up more public sector business to
smaller businesses, social enterprises, charities and the voluntary sector.
2. To help drive these changes it is developing a strong centre of government
working better with other government departments and suppliers to deliver
significant efficiencies and new business opportunities.
3. Significant savings have already been achieved through a programme of central
government contract renegotiation. Government has also been developing its
strategic supplier management and development capability.
4. The Cabinet Office has appointed several Crown Representatives to provide
senior leadership to government’s relationship with pools of key (non-military)
suppliers and support development of new entrants to the public sector market.
We have also brought in a Crown Representative to support the programme to
increase central government procurement from SMEs.
5. Government wants to ensure that more organisations in the Voluntary,
Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector are well positioned to take up
the opportunities presented by our open public services agenda. So we want to
appoint a VCSE Crown Representative.
6. The key business aims are to:
I.
Open up more business to VCSE organisations, influencing public sector
commissioning and procurement in central government and beyond.
II. Build strategic dialogue between government and the VCSE sector, providing
a strong VCSE voice at the highest levels, and communicating key
developments out.
Role & responsibilities of the VCSE sector Crown Representative
7. The VCSE Crown Representative’s (CR) task will be to improve central
government’s commercial relationship with the VCSE sector, and influence the
wider public sector commissioning and procurement landscape. They will provide
senior leadership, on behalf of the Crown, to:
1. Open up public sector business to VCSEs, by:
 Making it easier for more VCSE organisations to tender for public
contracts – e.g. making decisive interventions on public procurement
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policy and practices, building effective working relationships with other
government departments leading major commercial opportunities.
Helping VCSE organisations take their innovative products and services to
the public sector market, and working to remove barriers to market
entrance.
2. Build strategic commercial engagement with representative groups and other
stakeholders about VCSE commercial issues, by:
 Using intelligence on opportunities and barriers to VCSE public service
delivery to improve policies, processes and develop government’s
procurement capabilities.
 Disseminating and encouraging central policy and procedures to the wider
public sector.
 Contributing commercial insights to government’s overall Big Society and
public service reforms.
 Influence and act as an effective conduit with VCSE organisation on the
Autumn Statement Growth commitments.
 Acting as an ambassador to deliver systematic outbound communications
on e.g. key government developments and initiatives.
8. The VCSE CR will be expected to work closely with the Crown Commercial
Leads, the Crown Representative for Mutuals (Stephen Kelly) and the SME
Crown Representative (Stephen Allott) to achieve change together. The VCSE
CR will also need to develop links with public service reform and Office for Civil
Society colleagues.
Skills and experience
9. The multifaceted nature of this role requires a dynamic, senior individual with
significant leadership experience in the VCSE sector and an excellent grasp of
commercial issues.
10. Essential criteria:
 Strong strategy and policy development skills, able to think innovatively to
identify opportunities and solutions to VCSE business challenges.
 Excellent analytical grasp of business, commercial and operational issues.
 Experience of driving and delivering novel change in a complex and dynamic
environment to realise business benefits.
 Highly proficient stakeholder management skills, able to lead regular, effective
engagement with diverse VCSE groups and government departments at the
most senior levels (often CEO).
 Proven negotiation skills to influence commercial strategies and policies.
 Good representation, public advocacy and media-handling skills.
 Ability to work closely with Ministers, senior officials and equivalent.
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Further background
11. The CR is a Cabinet Office fee-paid position, it is not a civil service post so the
CR will not be a Cabinet Office employee. The CR network is overseen by the
Cabinet Office ERG Commercial Portfolio Executive Director (Matt James), and
ultimately Ian Watmore. There will be regular interaction and reporting to the
Minister for Cabinet Office and Minister for Civil Society.
12. The time commitment is expected to be an average of 2-3 days per week,
although this will vary week-to-week. There will be some flexibility to
accommodate other commitments. The appointment is expected to be for a 12
month period.
13. The Cabinet Office will provide a small team of support to the VCSE CR shared
with the SME CR, including analytical and logistical input. The CR will be
allocated working space and facilities at 1 Horse Guards Road, London.
14. In addition to a per diem rate of c. £400, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed
where incurred when following out the duties of the role.
Applications/how to apply
15. You are invited to submit a CV (max. 2 x A4 sides) and statement of suitability
which should provide:
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evidence of how you meet the essential criteria;
your reasons for applying; and
what you believe you would contribute to the role.
16. Please send completed application for the attention of Katie O’Driscoll to
flexibleresourcing@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 15th
February.
17. All CVs will be treated confidentially. Failure to deal with each of the criteria will
make it difficult for the panel to assess your application.
18. Further information is available from Kate Nutt (020 7271 1307) or Matt James
(020 7271 2787) - ERG Commercial Portfolio.
19. Interviews for shortlisted candidates are expected to be held w/c 27th February
and w/c 5th March
20. We encourage applications from all sections of the community irrespective of
age, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, religion or sexuality.
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