Commercial Lead

Job summary

Are you ready to shape the future of the Assisted Service?

We are looking for a leader who doesn't just want to manage processes, but wants to build people.

• Do you have a passion for mentoring and seeing others reach their full potential?
• Are you energised by the challenge of running a high-volume, high-impact procurement service?
• Would you like to be the driving force behind a training programme that will redefine our team's capability for years to come?

If you are a problem-solver who thrives at the intersection of operational delivery and strategic talent development, we want to hear from you.

Job description

As the Commercial Lead, you will champion operational excellence by overseeing a critical high-volume, fast paced procurement team. This role uniquely combines senior leadership within the Customer Service Centre and the Assisted Service, with the strategic view to build organisational capability through the Assisted Service Development Programme, directly shaping the future of our commercial talent.

You will join a focused, high-impact team of 8 colleagues ranging from Band 2 to Band 4. This multi-disciplinary group is recognised for its operational agility, customer service, consistently delivering expert commercial support while fostering a culture of continuous learning.

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

The successful candidate will:

• Lead and guide team members, manage performance to ensure a high-performing team, and support staff development through regular feedback.
• Provide senior leadership as a member of the Customer Service Centre Senior Management Team.
• Oversee the daily operation of an Assisted Procurement Service Tower to ensure timely contract delivery for customers.
• Lead and manage the Procurement Rotation Training Programme to upskill colleagues across Procurement Operations.
• Act as the senior point of contact for complex commercial escalations and professional problem solving.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase the efficiency and quality of our procurement services.
• Monitor team delivery against key targets, ensuring all commercial agreements are utilized correctly and compliantly.
• Build strong, professional relationships with diverse customers to understand their needs and improve service delivery.
• Manage resources and workloads across the team to maintain a balanced and sustainable delivery model.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging new ideas and streamlined ways of working.

Technical skills

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

• Operational Management: Strong track record of overseeing complex services, managing competing priorities, and taking accountability for team delivery and meeting targets.
• Problem Solving and Improvement: Ability to resolve complex commercial escalations and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service quality or efficiency.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence senior colleagues and build effective relationships with a wide range of external customers.
• People Leadership: Proven ability to lead and motivate a team, with direct experience in managing performance and supporting the professional development of others.
• Commercial Delivery: Significant experience in managing procurement operations, including the practical application of commercial agreements to deliver contracts for diverse customers.

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, L&D, 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

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 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 be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on Wednesday 9th September 2026 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 [email removed] 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/

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your app