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Capability Manager - HEO

Wales, United Kingdom Full-time Posted 1 week ago
Vacancy title

Capability Manager - HEO

Closing date

16/06/2026, 16:00

Advertising basis

Permanent

Actual starting salary

£37,111

Salary range or pay band

HEO £37,111 to £45,378

Allowances

Yes

Allowance

Procurement Allowance

Work pattern

Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)

Group

Corporate Services and Inspectorates

Directorate

Commercial and Procurement

Branch

Business Support, Engagement and Capability

Location (s)

Pan Wales

Purpose of post

Growing the Welsh public sector procurement and commercial profession is central to achieving value, sustainability and social benefit from the £11.4 billion spent annually across the Welsh public sector.

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape and strengthen public procurement and commercial capability across Wales. Working as part of a dedicated Capability team, the post holder will help design, promote and deliver programmes that support professional development across the public sector and contribute to the delivery of Welsh Government’s Programme for Government commitments.

Reporting to the Senior Capability Manager, the Capability Manager will support the delivery of national capacity and capability initiatives and, in some cases, lead discrete capability projects. These may include supporting the development and implementation of procurement and commercial apprenticeship pathways, the design and continuous improvement of eLearning and blended learning solutions, and the creation of practical guidance, tools and resources to support knowledge building and professional standards across the sector.

The role involves working closely with colleagues across Welsh Government and the wider public sector to identify skills gaps, respond to sector changes and ensure programmes remain relevant, prioritised and impactful.

The post holder will play an active role in strengthening procurement and commercial capability across Welsh public sector organisations, supporting continuous improvement and professional standards, and helping to build a confident and connected procurement community in Wales.

While this role does not hold direct responsibility for Cyd (formerly the Procurement Centre of Excellence for Wales), it sits alongside and complements Cyd’s work. The post holder will be expected to stay informed of developments and will have opportunities to contribute to, promote and support the continued growth and embedding of Cyd as a core part of the Welsh public sector procurement landscape.

This role would suit candidates with some experience in procurement, commercial, workforce development or improvement programmes.

Key tasks

Programme Delivery, Reporting And Evaluation

  • Support the Capability team to deliver the objectives set out within the programme strategy and delivery plan.
  • Support the Senior Executive Officer (SEO) in delivering a portfolio of capability projects and initiatives.
  • Lead some capability projects fitting with grade and responsibilities.
  • Implement project management techniques to ensure effective and efficient delivery of capability projects.
  • Ensure project administration and governance, including accurate record-keeping from initiation to implementation and delivery.
  • Develop business cases and draft update reports to support programme approvals.
  • Monitor and report progress of initiatives, providing evidence-based feedback on operational and delivery issues.
  • Identify any issues and challenges during delivery of the projects and escalate.
  • Support contract management of externally commissioned services as required.
  • Assist in the development and maintenance of existing programmes to ensure continuous improvement and best value for money.
  • Identify opportunities for programme improvements.

Communication And Engagement

  • Liaise with policy and programme officials across Welsh Government Departments, UK Departments, and external stakeholders to support successful project development and delivery.
  • Support the SEO on programme and project groups and lead stakeholder groups as required.
  • Develop communication resources to inform, promote, and engage stakeholders in the projects.
  • Communicate key messages and persuade audiences through public speaking, presentations, workshops, and written reports.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to promote capability and capacity initiatives.

Leadership And Resources

  • Line manage the Capability Officer (Executive Officer), providing guidance and support.
  • Deputise for the SEO at meetings and events with external organisations.
  • Support, the SEO in delivering seminars, events, and workshops focused on capacity and capability.

Development opportunities

As Procurement undergoes a significant period of change, the role presents an exciting opportunity to develop initiatives that aids procurement teams across Wales to implement the change.

The varied initiatives include the development of professional upskilling programmes, apprenticeships and new qualification development which will provide the post holder the exciting opportunities to be involved in projects at a national level.

This may involve exposure to shaping and supporting national steering groups and developing digital content where they will be required to engage with the sector across Wales to shape programmes that meet their needs.

The post will support someone looking to progress their career in procurement or someone new to the profession with an appetite to gain the professional qualification.

Other vacancy related information

  • In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience: Ability to engage and collaborate with stakeholders, to identify requirements, and co-create solutions that delivers improved outcomes. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
  • A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.
  • Pan Wales. (The team predominantly works from the Cardiff, Swansea or Merthyr offices alongside colleagues across Wales operating on a hybrid basis, with regular office attendance, agreed in line with business need).
  • Application of professional allowances will be as per the current WG Professional Allowances policy:

RATES OF PURCHASING ALLOWANCE - Band Team Support, EO, HEO & SEO

Candidates who have level 4 Certificate of Competency will receive an allowance of £1,728.

Candidate who have full Membership of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply will receivean allowance of £4,607.

Note thatallowance will be capped at £1,000 above maximum of SEO pay band.

  • Evidence must be provided before being appointed if successful of CIPS level 4 qualification.

Vetting level

Basic

Number of posts

1

Contact point for further information regarding the post

CommercialCapability@gov.wales

Welsh language requirements

3 - Welsh language skills are not essential for this post, they are however desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.

Understanding by reading

0 - No skills

Speaking and being understood

0 - No skills

Understanding by listening

0 - No skills

Writing and being understood

0 - No skills

Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

Behaviour 1

The selection process and stages are:

Managing a Quality Service

Successfully deliver high quality outcomes that meet the customers’ needs and gives value for money.

Behaviour 2

Communicating and Influencing

Encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness.

Evidence to provide

Experience questions

Experience 1

Applying procurement or contract management techniques to deliver a positive commercial outcome.

Experience 2

Ability to engage and collaborate with stakeholders, to identify requirements, and co-create solutions that delivers improved outcomes.

Strength 1

Adaptable

Strength 2

Team Player

Technical 1

Application of project and programme delivery techniques, including planning, tracking progress, managing risks and operating within agreed governance arrangements.

You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Civil Service. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

All Welsh Government staff are members of the Civil Service, and as a result are eligible for:

  • Civil Service Pension Scheme
  • 31 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time)
  • training and development opportunities
  • Cycle2Work Scheme
  • Smart Working flexible working arrangement
  • Green Car Scheme (subject to availability)

If you are an active Civil Service Pension member you can continue your membership throughout your employment with us.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles on the Commission's website.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales . Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk.

How To Apply

All applications for this vacancy must be made using our online application system.

Unless stated otherwise in the 'Other vacancy-related information for advert', the Welsh Government cannot offer Visa sponsorship. Welsh Government holds a Visa sponsorship licence, but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

Applications are welcomed from people with a diverse range of lived and professional experiences. We are actively committed to becoming an increasingly diverse organisation which represents the diverse communities we serve. There are a number of Diversity networks that staff can participate in, which include the Disability Awareness and Support Staff Network; Minority Ethnic Staff Network; Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (LGBTI+), Women Together and the Neurodivergence Network.

If you have an impairment which prevents you from applying online, please email our recruitment team. You can:

  • request an application pack in an alternative format
  • request a recruitment adjustment to help you submit your application

Use the 'Apply' button to submit your application. You will be asked to register if you don't have an account or sign in if you do. Registration takes a few minutes and you will need an email address.

You should check your Application Centre regularly for updates to your application. Please also check your spam/junk folder in case any communication regarding your application and/or assessment details finds its way there.

Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form. You must complete this and submit it before the deadline on the closing date. We will not consider an incomplete application form.

If you would like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the Change Language link on this page. We welcome applications in Welsh, and applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English.

Please see the candidate guidance for more information on the recruitment process.

For information on Civil Service Success Profiles please click here .

For TS to G6 recruitment schemes: When presenting your evidence, you may find it useful to consider the expectations of the grade as set out in the Grade Description as well as the main responsibilities that are essential for the role.

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