Commercial Category Manager

Job summary

Can you lead and manage the full commercial cycle — from early supplier engagement through to tender evaluation, contract award, and ongoing contract management?

Have you worked within public sector procurement frameworks, including Public Contracting Regulations 2015, The Procurement Act 2023, CCS frameworks, or the Digital Marketplace?

Are you confident in navigating complex procurement environments to deliver value, compliance, and strong supplier relationships?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably. We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.

We’re working hard to:

• make roads safer

• improve services for our customers

• make road transport greener and healthier

• harness the potential of technology and data

• grow and level up the economy

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at DVSA.

Job description

Join DVSA as a Commercial Category Manager and help deliver best‑practice government commercial services. You’ll lead activity across the full commercial lifecycle, driving value through cost savings, improved processes, and effective category management. Working collaboratively with stakeholders and suppliers, you’ll shape category strategies, influence decision-making, and support the transition to a more efficient, holistic commercial approach. This role offers the chance to develop policy, enhance processes, and contribute to a high‑performing, strategically focused commercial function.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Support the Senior Category Manager & leadership team as they work to embed the new DVSA Commercial Strategy and the Category Management approach, delivering year on year improvements. This will include the development, planning, delivery, management, and continuous improvement of their assigned commercial sub-category.
2. Provide advice on the essentials of public procurement regulations and the impact they have on all stages of the procurement process
3. Support a strong commercial focus and a persuasive future vision based upon the new DVSA commercial strategy.
4. Provide advice on the latest developments in public sector procurement in relation to their assigned category.
5. Actively supports the standards to eliminate corruption, fraud and unethical behaviour in supply chains and the actions required in the event of any alleged breach of standards
6. Adopt a Management Information (MI) regime to drive improvement and utilise MI to help inform commercial strategy decisions.
7. Adopt a Management Information (MI) regime to drive improvement and utilise MI to help inform commercial strategy decisions.
8. Execute management responsibilities effectively and in line with DVSA policies and processes, working with, leading and acting as a role model for team members and colleagues in line with Civil Service values. Determine and plan their team requirements, including allocating resources and prioritising activities, over the short to medium term by fully understanding the business environment in which the team operates, the overall team objectives, ensuring their team fully understands and works to these requirements.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience of the commercial cycle including pre-competitive supplier engagement, supplier selection, tender evaluation, contract award and ongoing contract management.
• Experience of public sector procurement, e.g., Public Contracting Regulations 2015, The Procurement Act 2023, using Crown Commercial Service frameworks and the Digital Marketplace.

Additional Information

Membership of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (MCIPS), or equivalent, or preparedness to work towards achieving this qualification.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• •Government Commercial Function - People Standards for the Profession - Section 4- Understanding needs & sourcing options- Commercial practitioner level.
• •Government Commercial Function - People Standards for the Profession - Section 5- Procurement Process- Commercial Practitioner level.