Deputy Director Procurement ESMCP – Commercial Specialist

Job summary

The Home Office plays a critical role in keeping our citizens safe and our country secure, contributing to a safer, fairer and more prosperous United Kingdom. Our work spans tackling crime and serious harm, strengthening border security and managing migration, countering terrorism, and supporting policing to protect communities. We are committed to protecting vulnerable people and delivering high-quality public services that maintain public confidence.

Commercial is central to delivering these priorities. We manage a multi-billion-pound portfolio of third-party spend, working with suppliers across a diverse and complex range of goods and services. These include high-profile and operationally critical programmes in government, spanning Asylum, Borders and Migration, Public Safety, Homeland Security, Digital, and the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP).

Our Commercial Directorate brings together over 300 procurement and contract management professionals. We operate as a strategic partner to the business, delivering value for money, strengthening supplier performance, and ensuring the effective delivery of critical outcomes.

This is an exciting time to join us. We are partway through a programme of transformation, strengthening capability and positioning Commercial as a trusted and influential partner at the heart of the Department.

The Public Safety Group plays a key role in keeping the public safe, by cutting crime, disrupting high-harm criminals, protecting the vulnerable, and ensuring that police, fire and rescue services are efficient and effective in delivering front-line services. We work closely with partners across government, local authorities, and the voluntary sector to develop policy, provide funding, and deliver legislation.

The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) is a pan-government, cross-departmental programme based within the Home Office. It brings together operational and departmental representation from the emergency services, alongside close collaboration with suppliers delivering the Emergency Services Network (ESN). This is a high-profile and complex programme, delivering cutting-edge technology that will directly impact people’s lives.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to join a fast-moving and complex build programme to deliver the next generation of emergency services mobile communications. As Head of Procurement, you will lead delivery of procurement activity for an in-flight programme, alongside supporting contract management of a suite of enabling contracts critical to the network and application builds.

Following a recent programme reset, ESMCP is entering a significant build phase, which will transition into the delivery of live service communications for the future.

Job description

The Deputy Director Commercial role is a senior leadership position within the Home Office Commercial function. You will play a key role in shaping and delivering commercial outcomes that support critical public services and national priorities.

You will lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary team—providing clear direction, developing capability, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, efficient and compliant commercial services. The role requires visible leadership, sound judgement, and the ability to operate effectively in a complex and fast-paced environment.

Working closely with senior leaders across the Home Office, you will build strong relationships with policy, operational and finance colleagues, as well as key suppliers and partners. You will also engage across government to ensure alignment with wider commercial standards and share best practice.

This role has overall responsibility for the management and oversight of procurement activity across the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP). As a key member of the ESMCP Commercial Leadership Team, you will lead a team of circa 12 staff and oversee the delivery of procurement across an in-flight and evolving programme.

In addition to procurement delivery, the role includes responsibility for the contract management of the Enabling Projects portfolio—a suite of contracts that support and complement the main User and Mobile Service Contracts.

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

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and delivering the commercial contracting strategy
• Maintaining accurate pipeline forecasts and reporting programme status
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant public procurement legislation, including the Procurement Act 2023
• Leading collaboration across integrated, cross-functional teams to support delivery of programme outcomes
• Maintaining a strong understanding of supply markets in support of ESN as a live service
• Working closely with end-user groups to support a seamless transition into live service
• Overseeing the contract management of enabling contracts, working alongside the Head of ESMCP Contract Management during peak delivery periods
• Ensuring robust PMO reporting and governance requirements are met
• Maintaining the corporate standing of the commercial function as a key enabler of the Home Office mission

You will also be responsible for proactively managing the performance, development and wellbeing of the procurement and wider commercial team.

Further Key Responsibilities / Accountabilities

• Lead the development and delivery of commercial strategies that support programme objectives and deliver value for money.
• Provide visible and effective leadership to a multidisciplinary commercial team, setting clear direction and fostering a high-performance culture.
• Oversee end-to-end procurement activity, ensuring it is delivered to time, cost and quality expectations
• Ensure full compliance with public procurement legislation, departmental policies and governance standards.
• Develop and maintain accurate commercial pipelines, forecasts and reporting to support effective planning and decision-making.
• Build and maintain strong, effective relationships with senior stakeholders across policy, operations, finance and delivery teams.
• Engage with suppliers and partners to drive performance, manage risk and support delivery of programme outcomes.
• Lead collaboration across integrated, cross-functional teams to deliver complex programme requirements.
• Maintain a strong understanding of relevant supply markets to inform commercial strategy and delivery.
• Oversee contract management activity for a portfolio of enabling contracts, ensuring effective performance and risk management.
• Support the transition from programme delivery into live service, working closely with end-user groups and operational stakeholders.
• Ensure robust programme management reporting and governance arrangements are in place and adhered to.
• Act as a senior leader within the commercial funct