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Social Value Matters Conference 2020

social value matters 2020
social value matters 2020
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Value Match are proud to be part of Social Value Matters 2020 conference, to share the experiences of communities in the UK and learn from the success of others to apply changes to improve the lives of all of the people we impact.

Social Value Matters brings together the global and local urgency to address the pressing issues of our time – well being, inequality, and environmental degradation.  Social Value Matters will cover topics including;

  • Our Post-COVID Future: Building a Sustainable Economy
  • Reconciliation and the Social Value Agenda
  • Dismantling Racism will Create Value for Everyone
  • Inequality and Climate Change
  • Creating Social Value: Policies, Tools & Levers
  • Community-Driven Outcomes with Scalable Results
  • Wellbeing as a Lens for Impact
  • Sustainability is Financial, Environmental and Social
  • Practitioner Conversations

Social Value Matters commences on the 28th through to the 30th September.  You can register today by clicking here to receive 25% OFF.

David Shields, our CEO will be hosting two webinars at the event, The Potential of Procurement to Solve Wicked Problems (29th September, 16:45) as well as Are the Dollars You Spend Supporting your Local Economy (30th September, 19:00).  David will be joined by Major Lisa Helps (Major of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) and Major Josie Osbourne (Major of Tofino, Vancouver, Canada)

At Value Match, our values run through everything we do, including valuing people, the environment,  sustainable prosperity and relationships, this is why relationships, locally and internationally, are vital to how we work and create social value.

Communities all over the world have experienced drastic change, whether through environmental changes or the recent Covid-19 pandemic, and the pace of change is accelerating, but so can the response of companies all over the world.

Now, more than ever, there is the potential embed social value through everything we do and ensure we make significant contribution to every level of society and within each of organisation we partner with.

Value Match are proud to share our voice at Social Value Matters and help build a sustainable future.

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News

Can you help us shape the future of social value in the UK?

Social Value Survey
Social Value Survey
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As a member of ‘Contract for Change’ a thought-leadership group founded by Social Value UK.  It brings together procurement and sustainability professionals from all sectors to share their knowledge and help improve the way Social Value is delivered through procurement processes. 

We really need your help.  We’ve put together this short questionnaire to find out how people are currently working to create social, economic and environmental benefits through their procurement activity.  

This is a major opportunity for our profession to make a significant contribution at a national policy level.  The results will be used to help understand how organisations currently implement social value; how professionals want to see things change in the future; and what resources and support they need to help them embed social value properly across their organisations. 

Please take part in the survey and share it with your networks.

 Click here to complete it:  https://forms.gle/yvQaxitLcXtdDnM79

As well as procurement professionals, we also want to hear from anyone who works within community benefits, societal benefits, sustainable development, added value, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG).  

Help us understand how social value is being delivered across the UK, and how it can be improved.  

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News

Value Match are proud to be partnering with Billmonitor

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Value Match are proud to be partnering with Billmonitor – whose insights and technology can save businesses and organisations (including large corporations, SMEs, charities, and the public sector) on average 49% on their mobile phone tariffs.

At a time when local authorities and businesses all over the UK need to find savings that can be reinvested elsewhere, whether in dealing with the current pandemic,  reinvesting in local communities, or delivering any of their social value objectives, Billmonitor have a proven track record (featured in The Times and recommended by MoneySavingExpert and MoneySupermarket) in releasing cashable savings.

Value Match co-founder, Jo Parkes-Newton, worked extensively with the Billmonitor team to determine their values and ensure both companies are aligned in our beliefs and our desire to help the public sector and charities.

Billmonitor share our belief that all organisations should be purpose-focused and value-driven to address social and economic inequalities, positively impact the environment and bring real cost savings.

Billmonitor have saved St Bart’s Cancer Research Institute 42%, you can view this impressive case study here.

Value Match believe this is just one example of success that can be replicated easily elsewhere in the NHS at this critical time or in other public sector bodies.

At Value Match, we believe this kind of innovation is needed to drive savings and develop sustainable prosperity in local economies.

For an introduction to how Billmonitor can help your organisation, click here – be sure to quote Value Match 2020 to avail of an additional Value Match discount.

They are 100% independent and remuneration is completely success-driven as they charge a percentage of actual savings achieved.  So, if there’s no saving, there’s no fee.

For further information, contact Lindsay Rosul

T: 07702 823 648
E: Lindsay.Rosul@value-match.co.uk

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News

Social Value Matters 2020

social value matters 2020
social value matters 2020
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This September, Social Value Canada is convening Social Value Matters 2020: People, Planet & Power on behalf of the Social Value International network.  Speakers include local, national and international thought-leaders, and practitioners from across the social value agenda.

Social Value Matters 2020 People, Planet & Power is set to be the biggest social value event of the year, tackling themes such as inequality, climate change, our post-COVID future and much more.

Far too often, key decisions about economic growth, environmental impact and social policy are made using a limited concept of value that fails to consider important effects on people and the environment.  As the gap between rich and poor increases and the effects of climate change become more apparent, the need to change the way society accounts for value has never been more urgent.

David Shields will be speaking at the event on September 30th at 19:15 and the panel will include Mayor Lisa Helps (Mayor of Victoria, BC) and Mayor Josie Osborne (Mayor of Tofino, BC)

Social Value Matters 2020 will take place as an online summit between 28th September and 2nd October.  Buy tickets and find out more here.

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News

[Webinar] Enabling sustainable IT in the public sector

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Our co-founder and CEO David Shields joined the panel as part of Circular Computing webinar “Enabling sustainable IT in the public sector” to demystify changes to government policy and outline how to deliver sustainable IT against UN SDGs and the Social Value Act.

The line up included:
Sue Riddlestone OBE, CEO of Bioregional.
Adam Turner MSc, MIEMA CEnv, HMG Sustainable Technology Lead, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Stephen Haskew, Strategic Sustainability Executive – Public Sector, Circular Computing.

Rewatch the webinar here and follow us on LinkedIn to keep up-to-date with up and coming webinars, events and more.
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News Resourcing

Bid Management Interview Questions & Answers

Job Interview
Job Interview
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When you are preparing for an interview as a Bid Manager, even with a wealth of experience, interviews can be daunting prospect.  Your performance during an interview can impact the outcome on whether you secure the role.

One of the main reason’s candidates are unsuccessful in securing a role is their performance in the interview.

We have pulled together some helpful tips and answers samples for you to keep-in-mind during an interview to help you secure the role.  We recommend you build upon the answers where possible based on your own experiences.

If you’re a business and looking to hire whether it be the first time, these questions may help you ask the right questions and establish the candidate experience.  If you require help recruiting your next bid manager, contact our resourcing team who can assist in hiring your next manager.

Bid Management Interview Questions & Answers

1. As a bid manager, what is your management style?

Tip – Try and avoid labels, an understanding of what the employer is looking for is critical.  Say what makes you different, have you put a team together in difficult circumstances with positive results?

Answer Sample:
In my experience allocating responsibility is key.  Any team needs the ability to develop and grow as both individuals and a whole.
When building a team each member should be clear on their role, knowing where they fit in and knowing that they can depend on other team members, teamwork is imperative.  Being open and approachable will encourage ownership and accountability this will also help motivate the team.  Real-time feedback is important as if a member of the team does something wrong, they need feedback on how to improve or better understand what they have done incorrectly.

2. What experience do you have with respects to this BID MANAGER position?

Tip – Speak about the specific aspects of the role you are applying for and what experience you should demonstrate the key attributes of the role.  If this role is the next step towards progressing your career you should plan for this question ahead of time to ensure you can suitably answer this question.

Use specific examples to demonstrate your achievements and bring your answer to life.

Answer Sample:
I have been working as a Bid Manager for several years, developing my skills as a not only a team leader but an effective communicator.  In my last role I delivered a large complex bid which involved co-ordinating and managing a number of stakeholders from across the organisation to ensure we produced high quality responses that represented our ability to deliver the contract.

3. Our field is always changing.  As such, what have you done with regards to personal development when it comes to our posted BID MANAGER POSITION in the last 12 months?

Tip – This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your diversity of skills and what you accomplished in your professional and personal life.  Plan for this question and have a set of examples ready. Employers are looking for individual who’s self-motivated and goal oriented.

Answer Sample:
I have a keen interest in volunteer work and my current organisation actively supports several charities where I have been lucky enough to be involved in different campaigns.  These experiences have taught me the importance of coming together and delivering something back to my local community and understand the impact this can have on individual’s life.
This also brings additional perspective when developing bids as I have hands on experience of on what could be considered within Social Value responses (at a tactical level).
In a previous role, the organisation I worked for actively targeted bids in the Public Sector, therefore I have undertaken some Public Contract Regulations training to increase my understanding of the regulations to ensure I am equipped to develop the type of responses required within this sector.

4. Tell me about yourself?

Tip – Through researching different organisations this is one of the most frequently asked questions, this is most likely to be at the start of the interview to make you feel more at ease.  You should bare this in mind before the interview and ensure you are prepared; however, you want to come across so try to memorise a few points that you can build upon naturally in the conversation.
Focus on work experience, your educations and any relevant hobbies or interests.

Answer Sample:
As I mentioned earlier, I have worked for a number of charities, most recently I worked with (for example) BridgetoAid which gives essential dental care to people in developing countries.  This made me appreciate not only how lucky I was, but how important it is to help others have access to this type of service which is often taken for granted.

5. Why should we hire you?

Tip – This is a relatively easy question to answer, however you must not try to undermine the other candidates or assume their skillset.  Don’t try and discredit the other candidate’s attributes and focus on your own talents and skills that you can offer.  Back up your skills with examples where you can!
Don’t talk about why the role will help you, talk about how you will benefit the organisations.

Answer Sample:
I like the sound of the company ethos; it resonates which me as an individual therefore I think I would be a good fit for the organisation.
I also believe I have the skill set required to do the job, but I also welcome any learning opportunities and I am open to change and develop to ensure the needs of the organisation are met.  I appreciate there will be a period of getting up to speed and I always welcome the challenge but this is a good time to review current practice and see where I can add value and make suggestions based on my own experiences to enhance the current bid management offering.

6. Why are you leaving your last role?

Tip – This question is innocent enough however is answered incorrectly can have serious consequences on the outcome of the interview.
You should avoid salary for being a reason as it doesn’t show loyalty, the interviewer won’t want to risk hiring someone that will leave for better pay in a few months’ time.

If you are currently employed or leaving a role at your own accord, craft a response that describes your career and demonstrate where you have excelled, whilst explaining how you are excited for new challenges.

If your employer is downsizing be honest and positive.  If you have been fired give an honest brief of why that happened and don’t drag the employer into any simmering drama.
Prepare to give more answers to this as there maybe follow up questions.

Answer Sample:
I was in my last role for several years; I really enjoyed the environment and the people, however, I feel as if I have outgrown the role and there are not enough opportunities to further develop the skills I have learnt.  I have gained lots of experience in my current position and this new role would allow me to continue to develop in this field by broadening my capability as it focuses on a new sector.

7. What are your strengths?

Tip – Of course, this is the best question to really give a detailed description of why you’re not only suited for the role but a good employee overall.  You want to demonstrate how you will benefit the employer.

  • Problem solver
  • Motivator
  • Leader
  • Loyal
  • Communication

These are all key attributes that employers are looking for.

Answer Sample:
I have always worked well in a team, I try and always take everyone’s abilities into account, it’s easier to know someone’s potential if you know what they are capable of.  I always try to keep positive an encourage the team even when things are going wrong.  I believe that with the right motivation any team can do great things this has a lot to do with communication which I pride myself on.  I have also been loyal to my last company for 5 years and have always done everything I can to make improvements wherever possible.

8. What challenges have you faced?
The function of this question is to determine not only how you view and evaluate yourself but how you respond to challenges and find solutions

Tip – Think of this in advance, what have you found difficult in the last twelve months and what action did you take to solve this.  Looking back on the challenge, would you do anything differently.

Answer Sample:
After a few years working on low value, fairly transaction bids I was given the opportunity to lead a more complex response to a national framework.  This mean I went from working with one or two people to managing a large, cross functional team.  At first, I was a little overwhelmed, however I went back to basics and developed a detailed plan which incorporate the communications plan with clear roles, responsibilities and deadlines.  Quite simply, I was then able to manage to plan (taking into the account the variations that happen when bidding) to ensure I was able to response on time.

In addition to managing the number of stakeholders, I found the way I communicated needed to be different dependent on who I was engaging with.  This is now something I consider at the outset to ensure I build relationships quickly and effectively to get the best possible results.

9. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years?

Tip – This question is all about commitment, this can establish to the interviewer if you job hopping or committed.  The interviewer is looking for candidates that has vision, goals, loyalty and demonstrates commitment.
No interviewer is expecting you to stay at the organisation forever.  Answer this question in a way that show the progression of your careers.

Answer Sample:
I would hope that my career has progressed to the point where I oversee large organisational bids. I would like to develop my leadership skills and look to consider a more senior position within the organisation.

10. What are your salary expectations?

Tip – The way to ensure the best response to this question is to do you research into your industry and determine base rates of pay.
 A safer way is to simply ask the interview about the salary range. Or to avoid the question say, ‘money isn’t a key factor’ and your primary goal is career advancement.

Answer Sample:
Could you confirm the salary bracket you are working within and where you see me within that bracket? I also appreciate the role gives me opportunity to learn and grow as an individual therefore I would be happy to discuss this in more detail if offered the position.

11. Any questions?

Tip – This question is guaranteed to be asked.  By asking questions you demonstrate initiative, that you’ve been listening during the interview and that you care about the job enough to have some questions ready.  Focus on areas that show you skills.
Ask about the next step of the hiring process and when you will hear about the results.

Answer Sample:

  • If successful what is your introduction programme?
  • Do you support career development?
  • What do you (interviewer) see as the most important aspect of the role?

Additional Tips

There are many different characteristics that an interview will look for here are a few examples and how you should approach them to demonstrate your skills.

Adaptability
Have an example ready of when you changed your actions in order to adjust into a situation.

Client focus
Think of a specific situation where you have made and extra effort for a client.  Give reasons as to why this was needed and how you provided exceptional service.

Communication
Give an example of when you have had to pay close attention to a certain task, what did you do to further develop an understanding of the message.

Organisational Awareness
What was your organisations values and principles? Describe how you utilised your organisations principles to achieve your goals whilst advancing the organisation.

Planning and Prioritising
When have you made a significant impact on the direction of the organisation?

Problem Solving and Judgment
Have an example of when you’ve had to make a crucial decision or solved a problem that required care thought and deliberation.

Results Orientation
What times have you enriched results by changing your daily activities or standard procedures

Teamwork
Have you ever helped create a team and got people to effectively work together?

Developing Others
Give an example that you have provided constructive feedback to someone about their performance.

Impact and Influence
Have you ever assisted an individual or group to do something beneficial?

Innovation
Describe a time that you recognised a new, unusual or different approach for addressing tasks or projects

Leadership
Give an example of when you have successfully led a team.

Relationship Building
How do you build and maintain rapport with colleagues and clients?

Resource Management
Demonstrate when you’ve dealt with resource management issues regarding people, materials or assets.

Self-Management
How have you dealt with the changes and stresses within your role and how did you manage it.

Strategic Thinking / Strategy
When have you used strategy and your business knowledge to understand business objectives?

For further information, contact Stuart Donald

T: 07741 411 110
E: Stuart.Donald@value-match.co.uk

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News Resourcing

Resourcing Support Provided By Value Match

Procurement Resourcing
Procurement Resourcing
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Discover success stories

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Is failure to recruit the right candidates for your team costing your business time and money Value Match can help you to solve your resourcing problems effectively, affordably and quickly.  Since 2014 we have specialised in niche candidate placements, in both the private and public sector, and have an extensive resource base with expertise covering; Procurement, Supply Chain, Category, Contract, Commercial, Project, Programme and Bid Management.

Our resourcing team will provide your organisation with the best in class talent for any interim and permanent roles, from graduate / entry level to Director or CPO, which also includes Security Cleared professionals covered to CTC, NPPV, SC and DV levels of which can be available for an immediate start.

Our success is based on:

  • Affordable & Transparent Pricing Structure: regularly 30-50% below specialist agencies with no compromise on service.
  • Agile Working: we aim to fill interim roles within 72 hours and permanent roles within 7 days.
  • Individually Tailored Solutions: from one-off placements to fully managed service solutions including ‘Associate Pool’ development for organisations needing project based resource.
  • End-to-End Recruitment Management: extensive pre-sifting and pre-screen interviews ensuring high quality professionals who are a good fit for your organisation.
  • Market Intelligence: comprehensive feedback gathering from candidates and clients to continually improve service.
  • Continued Growth: we constantly build our network and conduct on-going screening of high-quality resources in all sectors.
For further information, contact Stuart Donald

T: 07741 411 110
E: Stuart.Donald@value-match.co.uk

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Bid Management News

What are Public Sector Bids/Tenders?

Bid Management & Tendering
Bid Management & Tendering
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Value Match
Bid Management

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With UK Government spend accounting for a significant amount of the UK’s overall GDP, any business looking to trade In the UK should seriously consider the public sector as a potential customer.

Not only can the contracts be lucrative (as seen with the London Olympics in 2012), but they can act as a springboard onto other larger projects because the reputation gained from successfully completing one of these projects is highly regarded by potential private sector clients.  Coupled with this, many public sector organisations keep lists of potential suppliers for future works.

What are Public Sector bids/tenders?

These are opportunities open to private sector organisations, ran by the public sector which can be located on either the ‘Digital Marketplace’ or ‘Find a Tender’ portals (please keep in mind that Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own dedicated portals).  There are other means to search for opportunities such as; contacting the Small Business Research Initiative or the Local Enterprise Europe network, or for larger contracts – Tenders Electronic Daily, but this all depends on your requirement.

Public sector bids/tenders, whilst first appearing to offer a lucrative opportunity to your business, can often be surrounded with a large amount of bureaucracy, red tape and regulations.  Unless your organisation has the time, resource and required knowledge of the process to bid, it is something which many UK SMEs are unable to obtain.

Did you know that you may have to go through one of the 4 different official procurement procedures if you bid for a public-sector contract?

How do Public Bids/Tenders Work?

When looking at a potential opportunity you’ll first need to establish whether the procedure is; Open, Restricted, Negotiated or a Competitive Dialogue.  This will determine the next steps in being able to bid for an opportunity.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen several SMEs who are suitably qualified to bid for the opportunity, but fail simply because they don’t understand the procedure, the steps involved and what to look out for when submitting a response.

The Value Match team was founded in 2013 by David Shields, the former Managing Director of Government Procurement Services (now known as the Crown Commercial Service) and a hand selected team of expert public sector central, local government and the NHS procurement practitioners.

Value Match offer our customers something which many others can’t – an insider’s perspective. Our unique insight and experience of leading procurement exercises within the public sector for organisations such as CCS, enables us to know exactly what is and isn’t a winning submission.  Our experience of working and delivering within the Public Sector, in Central, Local Government and the NHS, gives Value Match a detailed and unique knowledge of how the process of Government Procurement works in practice.

Have Your Identified a Bid/Tender Opportunity?

Have you identified a relevant bid/tender opportunity and want the best possible chance of securing the contract? Are you unsure as to whether your submission is likely to gain the highest score possible? Are you looking to secure that business-critical contract?

If you answered yes or even hesitated to answer any of the above, contact Value Match today for a free consultation.  Give us a call on 0800 917 7884 or contact us today.

For further information, contact Lindsay Rosul

T: 07702 823 648
E: Lindsay.Rosul@value-match.co.uk

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News

Caurie’s Story

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Caurie is a non-profit microfinance cooperative located in Thiès, Senegal.  Since 2008, Caurie has worked with Kiva lenders to provide loans to over 85,000 borrowers with more than $21,000,000 lent through Kiva.org.  Caurie provides financial assistance to primarily women living in rural communities, and specializes in group solidarity lending through “Village benches” (“Bancs Villageois” in French), which are organized, structured and communally-governed groups of up to 50 women.

While historically a stable and sustainable organization, the global pandemic has led to Senegal being under a partial lockdown, with internal movement restrictions and curfews, which has severely impacted Caurie’s group lending operations.  This includes a limited ability to disburse loans and receive repayments on the loans they disbursed before the crisis.

Like many businesses around the world, Caurie is unable to operate normally as a result of the crisis, leading to a need to access flexible working capital.  This loan will allow Caurie to be able to help borrowers’ businesses recover from the crisis and cover operational expenses such as staff salaries.

Value Match are proud to support Caurie as part of a programme of investing small monthly donations aimed at supporting women focused initiatives.

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News

Martin joins our Partnership Programme

Martin Connolly
Martin Connolly
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Value Match continues to go from strength to strength as we appoint Martin Connolly, as a Lead Consultant as part of the Partnership team.

Martin will be working closely with Terence, our Head of Partnerships to develop and deliver our partnership programme.

The partnership programme is built around our values and aims to create long lasting successful relationships.

Martin brings a wealth of experience in assisting organisations gain access to public and private sector tendering opportunities to develop and transform their business ensuring organisations understand the capability needed to successfully meet policy and legal obligations with bidding for contracts.

Martin is an active volunteer and one of the leaders of the Hampstead Volunteer Corps founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the elderly and most vulnerable, and supporter and volunteer for the Royal Free Charity in London.