I am Deputy Director of Commercial Lifecycle Assurance & SM Group Commercial. I have been with the Department for just over 2 years. I am a Cabinet Office employee and part of the Government Commercial Function (GCF) and an SCS1. DfT are my host Department. I have worked in several Government Departments and ALBs. Earlier in my career, I lived and worked in Africa and Asia for 16 years on several development projects.
My role is diverse. I chairs the Commercial Assurance Board (a sub-committee of IPDC) and spend much of my time working with ALBs and Agencies assuring the Group’s Tier 1 Projects and the Supply Chain engaging with DfTs Strategic Suppliers.
My Commercial Lifecyle Assurance (CLA) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) teams work daily with ALB colleagues in HS2, Highways England and Network Rail. They also work with our agencies, including DVLA, DVSA and MCA.
The work requires commercial knowledge and expertise to assure DfT projects for compliance, VFM and good practice.
Working with my teams, I am involved in some of the ground-breaking Transport Construction Projects which provide me with a helicopter view of the high value and complex range of the DfT Portfolio and how it is planned and delivered.
The job is fast paced, diverse and interesting, reflecting the breadth of transport modes (aviation, maritime, road and rail). One minute you can be dealing with one of our strategic suppliers discussing areas for innovation and the next you could be reviewing a vessel purchase or a major road construction project.
Working at DfT and for the GCF provides plenty of development opportunities as a Civil Servant and as a Commercial Professional. I am currently part of an HS2 Integrated Assurance Board as we seek to launch this pioneering project.