Social Value Lead

Version 1 is a global technology services company, delivering impactful change to help our customers Version 1 has celebrated 30 years in Technology Services and continues to be trusted by global brands to deliver solutions that drive customer success. Our expertise enables our customers to navigate the rapidly changing Digital-First world we live in. We foster strong partnerships with leading technology giants including Anthropic, Microsoft, AWS, Oracle, Red Hat, Out Systems, and Databricks, ensuring that our customers are provided with the highest quality solutions and services.

We’re an award-winning employer reflecting how our employees are at the very heart of Version 1 and what we do:

• UK & Ireland's premier AWS, Microsoft, Outsystems & Oracle partner
• Preferred Services Partner status in the Anthropic Partner Network
• 10+ years as a Great Place to Work in Ireland & UK
• Best Workplace for Women in the UK & Ireland by GPTW
• Best Workplace for Wellbeing in the UK by GPTW

We’re a core values driven company, we hire people who share our values, and we reward those who display and foster them, it’s deeply embedded within our DNA. Invest in us and we’ll invest in you!

About the role

Giving back to the communities we work in, and those our customers serve, is a core part of how Version 1 delivers value. Our work has won a Princess Royal Training Award, and our social value framework holds a Silver Social Value Quality Mark accreditation.

This is a senior role in our commercial function, owning social value propositions and partnerships across Version
1. Working alongside our ESG team and delivery practices, you will build the partner network and the propositions our social value commitments come from, including joint propositions with community, education, SME and hyperscaler partners.

You will shape strategy aligned to our sector and account plans, engaging customers early and designing social value programmes we can deliver  will write the social value content on our largest pursuits, and set and assure the standard on the rest, scored against the criteria each customer has published.

Regular travel to customers, partners and sector events is expected, with more during live deals. You will engage at SRO and commercial director level with customers, and with partner leadership, Version 1 account directors and our executive team.

What you'll do

Own and run a rolling gap analysis of where we stand against the criteria we are scored on, covering data, process, partner coverage and delivery evidence.

Decide how gaps get closed, and make the investment case for new partnerships, changes to practice or new capability.

Review scoring feedback and debriefs after every bid, and act on what the evaluator told us.

Build social value capability across commercial and delivery teams through guidance, templates and training.

Set the approach to Procurement Act 2023 transparency data.

Design repeatable social value solutions that bid teams can tailor rather than rebuild each time.

Line manage and develop the social value team.

Chair the monthly Social Value Steerco across Commercial, Delivery and ESG.

Represent Version 1 at customer, sector and partner events, and with accreditation bodies.

Build our Social Value partner network

Build and manage our partner network across further education colleges, universities, employability providers, local authorities, SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.

Build joint propositions with hyperscaler and ISV partners, covering partner-funded training places, certification pathways and co-branded community programmes.

Co-design opportunities with those partners, communities, cohorts or anchor institutions.

Keep partners ready to bid, so we can…