Commercial Practitioner

Job summary

As part of the NCA’s Commercial Function, you will play a pivotal role in supporting the Agency’s mission to protect the public from serious and organised crime. Working at the centre of the organisation, you will partner with operational and corporate teams to provide high‑quality commercial expertise across policy development, strategic planning, sourcing, and contract management.

These roles sit within the NCA’s multi‑year commercial transformation programme, offering a rare opportunity to shape how the Agency procures critical goods and services that enable frontline operations. You will gain significant exposure to complex commercial activity, high‑value portfolios, and senior stakeholders - experience that is difficult to match elsewhere in the Civil Service.

Please note that the role may involve occasional travel to other NCA sites and partner locations. Loan and Secondment candidates will be appointed for 24 months.

Job description

The Commercial Practitioner role is dynamic, fast‑paced and hands‑on. You will support the delivery of high‑quality commercial outcomes by managing multiple priorities and helping the team navigate a wide range of commercial challenges. Working across the full procurement lifecycle, you will contribute to delivering commercial excellence and a responsive, customer‑focused service for the NCA.

You will apply commercial and procurement frameworks to support each stage of the process - from gathering, validating and refining business requirements informed by market insight, through to supporting contract award, mobilisation, and the transition into effective contract and supplier management.

Collaboration is central to the role, and you will work closely with colleagues across the wider Commercial Function and operational teams. At the same time, you will be expected to operate with a high degree of independence, managing your workload proactively, balancing competing demands, and adapting to evolving operational priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Supplier & Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Build effective working relationships with senior stakeholders within supplier organisations, establishing appropriate governance, communication, and performance arrangements.
• Lead supplier engagement across various stages of the procurement lifecycle to enhance market understanding and ensure effective competition.
• Use strategic relationships and appropriate methods to manage risks and assure high‑quality, reliable and timely delivery of goods and services, including in single‑supplier scenarios.

Performance, Compliance & Contract Mobilisation

• Apply organisational and government‑wide KPIs to measure supplier performance and support continuous improvement.
• Work effectively with the contract management function during the contract mobilisation phase to ensure a smooth transition and robust ongoing management.
• Debrief unsuccessful suppliers, providing constructive, transparent feedback in line with procurement regulations.

Procurement Delivery & Tender Management

• Lead and manage the end‑to‑end tendering process, ensuring compliance, transparency, and timely delivery.
• Develop comprehensive bidder packs, including reviewing and clarifying specifications, drafting evaluation tools, and identifying appropriate pricing and incentivisation mechanisms for simple and low‑value procurements.
• Brief and train evaluators in the use of e‑sourcing tools, including managing supplier correspondence and supporting compliant evaluation processes.
• Participate in strategic and commercial negotiations to secure value for money and align with business objectives.

Risk, Assurance & Governance

• Identify and communicate perceived and relevant areas of risk - including cyber, personnel, and physical security risks - and gain agreement on appropriate mitigation approaches.
• Apply cost models and associated commercial and security considerations to support sound commercial decision‑making.

Project Management

• Apply strong visual project management approaches to plan, track, and report procurement activity.

Workload Management

• Manage and prioritise your workload effectively, balancing competing demands and adapting to evolving operational needs within a fast‑paced environment.

Person specification

The below expected skills and behaviours are aligned to the Government Commercial Function (GCF) People Standards for the Profession - People standards for the commercial profession - GOV.UK

Stakeholder Management

• Works effectively with internal and external stakeholders to understand business needs, align with wider cross‑government strategies, and translate these into informed category strategies.
• Communicates clearly with stakeholders at all levels, ensuring they understand progress, benefits delivered, and the strategic rationale behind commercial decisions.
• Applies relevant standards to prevent corruption, fraud, and unethical behaviour in supply chains, taking appropriate and timely action in response to any alleged breaches.

Commercial Acumen

• Demonstrates an understanding of how markets and basic economic factors influence market structure and supplier behaviour.
• Understands business requirements and translates them into clear category objectives that support organisational and operational needs.
• Recognises the importance of considering the full category management lifecycle from the outset of commercial activity.
• Identifies patterns of historic spend, locates areas of the organisation with current or future needs, and uses this insight to inform commercial planning.
• Applies tools and techniques to benchmark the current state of a category and help determine future requirements, seeking guidance where appropriate.
• Understands the varying security requirements of government departments and applies them proportionately to all contracts and commercial activity.

Leadership

• Demonstrates resilience when resolving issues, contributing to a positive team environment and supporting others through setbacks.
• Reflects on personal strengths, development needs, and career goals, taking proactive steps to build capability.
• Shares knowledge and best practice within the team to support collective development.
• Adapts communication style to suit different audiences and situations.
• Responds flexibly to changing circumstances while maintaining focus on business objectives and priorities.

Commercial Sourcing

• Identifies required goods, services, and suitable markets or suppliers, using insight to inform sourcing decisions.
• Contributes to the development of category and sourcing strategies and implements agreed sourcing plans.
• Understands the importance of baselining costs to establish expected benefits and supports the creation of robust sourcing plans.
• Recognises the benefits set out in business cases and understands how these relate to their role in delivering commercial outcomes.
• Demonstrates the value of effective negotiation skills and contributes to negotiations under guidance.
• Applies the procurement regulatory framework appropriately and understands how it supports the delivery of departmental policy objectives.