Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Commercial Contract Manager
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Bristol, Cardiff, Salford
Job Summary
At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
Please note
Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.
Job Description
DSIT Commercial is a small, agile and high-performing commercial and grants function supporting one of the most complex and fast-moving portfolios in government. The team helps shape and deliver DSIT’s policy objectives through effective procurement, contracting, grants, commercial strategy, market engagement, supplier management and commercial assurance.
The function operates across a broad and growing remit, including digital and data, artificial intelligence, quantum, telecoms, space, research and innovation, digital public services and major infrastructure. DSIT Commercial also plays a wider pan-government role through initiatives such as the Commercial Innovation Hub and the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence, supporting innovation, market shaping and the use of procurement as a lever for economic growth.
The Commercial SEO will lead and support end-to-end commercial activity across a defined portfolio, working closely with policy, delivery, finance, legal, analytical and technical colleagues. The post-holder will provide practical commercial advice, lead procurements and contract activity, manage commercial risks and help ensure that DSIT secures value for money, complies with procurement rules and delivers effective outcomes for the public.
This is a delivery-focused role requiring sound commercial judgement, strong stakeholder management and the ability to operate confidently in a complex, regulated and fast-paced environment. The post-holder may lead lower-risk procurements independently, support more complex and novel commercial activity, and contribute to the development of commercial strategies, market engagement, supplier management and continuous improvement across the team.
Person specification
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial strategy and advice: Provide clear, proportionate and evidence-based commercial advice to policy and delivery teams; support commercial strategies, procurement routes and market engagement approaches; translate complex commercial issues into practical options for senior stakeholders; and contribute to business cases, approval papers, commercial assurance products and governance submissions.
- Procurement and sourcing delivery: Lead or support procurement activity including market engagement, specification development, sourcing strategy, tender documentation, evaluation criteria, clarification management, moderation, award recommendations and contract mobilisation; use appropriate procurement routes in line with the Procurement Act 2023, relevant regulations, DSIT governance and Government Commercial Function standards; and ensure activity is fair, transparent, proportionate, well-documented and audit-ready.
- Contract and supplier management: Support effective contract management by helping define contract terms, performance measures, KPIs, service levels, reporting requirements and escalation routes; manage or support variations, extensions, disputes, supplier performance issues and exit or transition planning; and contribute to supplier relationship management, market insight and lessons learned activity.
- Governance, compliance and risk management: Ensure commercial activity complies with applicable procurement legislation, DSIT commercial policies, departmental approvals processes, the Civil Service Code and wider government commercial standards; maintain accurate records of decisions, approvals, risks, assumptions and evidence; and identify and manage commercial, delivery, financial, legal, reputational and supplier risks.
- Stakeholder engagement and leadership: Build trusted relationships with policy, delivery, finance, legal, digital, analytical and commercial colleagues; communicate clearly with different audiences; coach, support or task-manage junior colleagues where required; and contribute to continuous improvement, knowledge sharing and the development of better tools, templates and ways of working.
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Essential Criteria
- Delivering procurement, sourcing, contract management or commercial activity in a public sector, regulated or similarly complex environment.
- Providing practical commercial advice to stakeholders and helping shape requirements, sourcing routes or commercial options.
- Managing competing priorities and delivering commercial outputs to agreed timescales.
- Identifying and managing commercial risks, including supplier, delivery, financial, legal or compliance risks.
- Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, such as policy, finance, legal, digital, project delivery or technical specialists.
- Preparing clear written material, such as procurement documents, approval papers, evaluation records, commercial advice, contract documents or briefing notes.
- Good understanding of public procurement principles, commercial lifecycle management and value for money.
- Awareness of the Procurement Act 2023, the National Procurement Policy Statement and wider government commercial policy, or the ability to develop this knowledge quickly.
- Strong commercial judgement, including the ability to identify options, assess risks and make proportionate recommendations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex commercial issues clearly to non-commercial audiences.
- Good stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the confidence to challenge constructively and support effective decision-making.
- Good organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records and audit trails.
- Commitment to continuous improvement, inclusion, professional development and the Civil Service values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
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Desirable criteria
- Experience of commercial activity in digital, data, technology, artificial intelligence, telecoms, research, innovation, space, grants or professional services categories.
- Experience using public sector frameworks, dynamic markets, e-sourcing systems or commercial pipeline tools.
- Experience supporting business cases, commercial assurance, spend approvals or investment governance.
- Experience managing suppliers, contract performance, KPIs, service credits, variations, extensions or exit planning.
- Experience coaching, mentoring, task-managing or line-managing junior colleagues.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
Alongside your salary of £44,620, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £12,926 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
- A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
- Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
- An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
- A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home-based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and a number of behavioural statements.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Requirements
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to explain how your skills, experience and behaviours meet the requirements of the Commercial Senior Executive Officer role, with particular reference to:
- Your experience of delivering procurement, sourcing, contract management or wider commercial activity;
- How you provide clear, practical and evidence-based advice to stakeholders;
- How you manage risks, competing priorities and governance requirements;
- Your ability to work collaboratively with policy, finance, legal, delivery and technical colleagues; and
- How you demonstrate sound judgement, value for money, inclusion and continuous improvement in your work.
Candidates should use specific examples and clearly
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