Job description
Details
Reference number
416092
Salary
£72,000 - £79,200
GCO Pension, GCO Terms. Up to 15% performance-related-pay available on accreditation.
GBP
Job grade
Grade 7
Commercial Lead
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Type of role
Commercial
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours
Number of jobs available
4
Contents
• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information
Location
London, Manchester M2 3AW, Cardiff
Travel may be required to other locations but this will be limited
About the job
Job summary
Are you excited by the idea of working in a dynamic, mission-driven department that’s shaping the future of government? Do you have a passion for digital and want to work at the forefront of public sector transformation? The Department for Science Innovation and Technology is seeking agile and dynamic commercial professionals to join its award winning team, supporting key ministerial priorities.
These critical delivery roles offer you the chance to shape how we buy, manage and support digital services that matter — from innovative procurements to pan-government delivery. DSIT Commercial is an inclusive and enjoyable place to work offering colleagues an opportunity to grow their commercial expertise and experiences.
We’re driving innovation, sparking investment, and boosting productivity, while ensuring new and existing technologies are safely deployed across the UK. Our goal is to build a modern digital government that serves citizens effectively and efficiently.
Our function has recently refreshed its service model and structure, aligning to both departmental priorities and the broader ambitions of HMG. We support digital delivery teams, help shape procurements, and make sure contracts deliver real outcomes and value.
As a commercial lead, you’ll work on interesting and often high-impact commercial activity. You’ll support delivery teams, influence stakeholders, and play a key role in delivering the commercial outcomes that underpin our digital missions. You’ll also contribute to a growing, supportive commercial profession and have access to great development opportunities.
Job description
These roles sit within DSIT’s central Commercial team and will provide vital commercial support and leadership across some of the department’s most high-impact digital programmes.
Initial remits will focus on areas within the recently expanded Government Digital Service (GDS), including services such as GOV.UK One Login, digital identity, the National Data Library, and emerging areas such as AI and digital capability. These programmes are at the forefront of public sector transformation and offer an excellent opportunity to work on digital delivery at scale.
You’ll lead commercial activity across the full lifecycle — from planning and sourcing through to contract management and supplier performance. Working closely with digital, policy, delivery and operational teams, you’ll help shape commercial approaches that support delivery outcomes and drive value.
Key responsibilities may include:
• Designing and delivering sourcing strategies and commercial solutions, including elements of contract and supplier management
• Managing supplier relationships and applying commercial levers to support delivery
• Embedding commercial insight and thinking within multidisciplinary teams
• Preparing clear commercial advice and recommendations for senior stakeholders
• Contributing to continuous improvement of DSIT’s commercial tools, processes and ways of working
As part of a centralised function, you’ll be joining a flexible and collaborative commercial team that supports a broad and evolving portfolio. These roles offer the chance to make a tangible impact on digital services with national reach.
As a key member of the DSIT Commercial team, you’ll lead commercial activity within a defined area of the GDS portfolio and wider DSIT. You’ll work closely with delivery, policy, digital and operational colleagues to shape and deliver commercial solutions that support outcomes, drive value and manage risk.
You’ll be part of a flexible and collaborative commercial function supporting DSIT’s digital transformation goals.
Locations
The successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace.
Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance.
This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.
Person specification
In this role, you will:
• Deliver commercial activity across the full commercial lifecycle
• Develop and implement commercial strategies that support delivery objectives in your area
• Shape commercial approaches in collaboration with delivery teams and subject matter experts
• Manage relationships with suppliers and stakeholders, ensuring alignment with value, risk, and policy priorities
• Provide sound commercial advice on sourcing options, risk and delivery confidence
• Support commercial input into governance and delivery forums, influencing decisions where appropriate
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of DSIT’s commercial capability, processes and tools
• Collaborate across the commercial function to share insight, drive consistency, and support professional development
You’ll bring experience of delivering commercial activity in complex or fast-paced environments, ideally with exposure to digital or technology programmes. You’ll be confident working with suppliers, applying sound judgement, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to get results.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
• Evidence of taking a proactive approach to commercial activity, confidently influencing stakeholders, challenging constructively, and remaining composed under pressure
• Evidence of delivering commercial activity across complex or shifting priorities, collaborating across policy, delivery and digital teams to achieve successful outcomes
• Experience applying commercial judgement across the lifecycle, shaping sourcing strategies that reflect delivery needs and drive value, compliance and delivery outcomes
• Able to evidence building and maintaining effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders to support collaboration and successful delivery
• Able to evidence the selection and use of appropriate procurement approaches for digital, data and technology services, ensuring alignment with relevant policies and delivery objectives
Benefits
As a valued employee of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), you will have access to all the benefits the centre has to offer; including flexible working, generous benefits, Career Coaches, Mentors, LD, a Commercial College, active talent management and, most importantly, access to commercial projects that will far exceed the scale and complexity on offer elsewhere in the UK.
For existing Civil Servants: For full details of the impact on any move across the civil service on your existing terms and conditions, please read the candidate pack. Please note that any move across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to continue to claim childcare vouchers.
Kindly refer to the following link for the GCF Rewards and benefits page.
https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/gcf-benefits/
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
Your application will be reviewed by a panel and should you be successful at sift we will invite you to attend a Virtual commercial Assessment and Development Centre (VADC). The panel will review results of the VADC and determine which candidates will go through to a subsequent final panel interview. Please note: Only candidates that achieve an A grade at ADC will be invited to interview for this role.
Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on 19th August 2025 and will require a full day's attendance.
If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team on commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates.
For full details of our process, and a likely timeline, please read the attached candidate pack.
Throughout our selection process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the Technical Skills (essential criteria) and your Job History (CV) that you will be asked to provide during the application process. Further help and advice on our application and selection process can be found at this web address https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/gcf-how-to-apply/
Please see the candidate’s guide to artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-recruitment/
IMPORTANT: If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within 2 working days please contact: commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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
Further information on nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
• Name : Hayley Parfitt
• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should direct this to the Head of Commercial Resourcing Hub at the following email commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk quoting the vacancy reference number (if applicable) and the details of your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission via the following web page: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/
Read more
