This is our frontline for requests. It is a focal point for requirements and queries, establishing new contracts and utilising existing frameworks.
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 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats.
Our procurement teams play a key role in keeping the UK safe. They oversee the delivery of vital items and services across MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, ensuring they arrive on time to meet unique requirements. Working closely with customers, colleagues, suppliers and partners in the intelligence community, these teams are relied upon to deliver a vital service right at the heart of our organisations.
Procurement opportunities
Whatever your previous experience or background, we’ll work with you to build your own progression plan, whether that’s through mentorship with an assigned partner, or encouragement towards gaining professional qualifications such as the CIPS Level 4. We’re 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, operations 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.
Upcoming roles
You can create a job alert to be notified about new opportunities as soon as they are posted on our vacancy page.
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.
Depending on the role, you may have more experience in some areas than others. However generally, we are looking for applicants with:
the ability to develop effective relationships with customers, colleagues, suppliers and industry partners
proven customer service skills from a previous role in a professional or corporate environment
communication and interpersonal skills
the ability to identify risks and trust your own judgement to reach justifiable conclusions
time-management and organisational abilities; you will be overseeing contracts, projects and supply chain matters
the ability to manage finance and management information to support decision making and reporting
a desire to grow and/or develop a career in procurement, with the willingness to learn and undertake further training and/or professional qualifications
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.
This role requires a minimum of 3 days per week in the office, with flexibility to work from home 1-2 days per week. There will also be a requirement to travel to other locations as needed.
We recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a range of flexible working options to help balance your personal and professional life in a way that suits you. This includes flexi-time, part-time, full-time, job share and compressed hours.
No matter your current level of procurement experience, we’ll will work with you to further your own growth and development throughout your career with us.
We’ll work with you to build your own progression plan, from mentorship with an assigned partner to a structured development plan. With our encouragement, you’ll also study towards a professional commercial qualification such as the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) Level 4 (or a business equivalent).
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, also known as MI6, protects the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. Working across the globe and in close partnership with MI5 and GCHQ, MI6 helps the UK government to counter these threats through the provision of secret intelligence.
The Government Communications Headquarters, referred to as GCHQ, is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. GCHQ uses cutting-edge technology, ingenuity, and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, GCHQ protects the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage.
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.
