Associate Commercial Practitioner

Job summary

Insight into CCS - Webinar

Watch our Webinar on the above link and gain valuable insight into CCS and our recruitment processes!

Advance your career at the UK’s largest public procurement organization, where you’ll create market-leading commercial agreements that shape how the public sector buys goods and services. ​

Job Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Category teams in a pivotal support role. You will be instrumental in the end-to-end delivery of Commercial Agreements and the management of vital customer and supplier relationships.

Current Vacancies:

• Digital and Technology Services (2 posts)

The Digital and Technology Services team is responsible for the delivery of highly effective routes to market in the areas of Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) resourcing, Bespoke Application development, Transport Technology, Cyber Security and Information Security and Technology Managed Services. The category delivers market defining commercial agreements and contributes to a significant amount of commercial benefits and spend to CCS.

• Learning & Development and Apprenticeships (1 post)

The Learning & Development (L&D) and Apprenticeships team supports Government departments and wider public sector organisation customers to fulfil their L&D and apprenticeship training needs supporting use of the agreements to procure call-off contracts. This presents an exciting and diverse role which necessitates agility in supplier and customer relationship management. The market and landscape changes quickly with the Category Team working closely with the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions to support delivery of key Government Missions supporting workforce training, development, upskilling and early talent.

Note: These are the roles currently available; however, a reserve list will be maintained to fill any upcoming vacancies across our different categories as they arise.

Job description

Directorate Overview

Commercial is the largest directorate in CCS and is responsible for the design, development, implementation and management of our commercial agreements, which are used by our customers across the public sector. We have delivered value to the public sector and helped our customers spend more than £34 billion through the agreements we create and enjoy more than £3.5 billion in commercial benefits annually through our agreements.

Category management sits at the heart of CCS. We use our in-depth knowledge and expertise of public sector suppliers, to create market and category strategies. These strategies are used within CCS to create market leading commercial agreements that help shape how common goods and services are bought across the public sector. Our skills are also used in carrying out commercial policy, development of new products and services and supplier relationship management.

Team Summary

Join our elite team of procurement professionals managing over £34bn in public sector spend. Across fifteen specialist teams and three core categories, we provide expert guidance and a supportive environment dedicated to delivering value for the nation.

Our Categories:

• Corporate Solutions: Empowering the public sector through expert consultancy, legal advice, and comprehensive workforce solutions—from recruitment to professional development.

• Estates: Driving a greener, more sustainable future. Our experts ensure estates requirements are met cost-effectively and compliantly, aligning with critical net-zero and social value targets.

• Technology: Accelerating digital transformation. We bridge the gap between market innovation and customer needs, ensuring the public sector accesses cutting-edge technology efficiently.

We support government projects and programmes of national UK significance - helping the public sector to build back better.

Our Commercial Team is transforming to become even more flexible. Candidates should be aware that there will be opportunities to flex into other category areas as required, either to meet business needs and/or for staff development.

Key Accountabilities:

• Agreement Support – including support for contract variations, novations, extensions and agreement maintenance (including expiry activity), overdue management information and aged debt chasers, plus support for various digital platforms and system tool demonstrations

• Stakeholder Management – including triage/resolution of customer/supplier queries; monitoring and management of team mail inboxes and triage of complaints

• Supplier Relationship Management – including supplier onboarding at framework launch (and as part of ongoing delivery of Dynamic Purchasing Systems); support for key subcontractor changes

• Compliance Activities - take ownership of supplier assurance liaising with teams across CCS including Finance, Commercial Finance, Supplier Management Unit, and Customer Service Centre to support Commercial Practitioners with agreement management to ensure supplier financial and framework specific due diligence is maintained

• Supporting the development of new/renewed commercial agreements – including supporting development of the necessary documentation to required quality and on time.

• Supporting delivery of growth, attracting new customers, driving customer retention and providing enhanced value for money by working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders

• Marketing and Communications – including support for marketing activity (e.g. webinars, planning customer knowledge share forums, developing case studies) and support for maintaining Website documents and improving content to support the customer and supplier journey

• Routine travel to Crown Commercial Service offices

Person specification

Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application stage):

• Be able to demonstrate a good understanding of procurement and/or contract management with the ability to analyse and communicate data to assist commercial decisions

• Proactive approach to developing solutions in order to deliver operational and commercial efficiencies and more effective ways of working.

• Proven ability to prioritise workload and work at a pace to meet deadlines. Well organised, able to work independently as well as part of a team.

• Experience in the collation, management, analysis and presentation of information/data.

• An ability to build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships within a commercial environment.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• Contract and supplier management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,845, Crown Commercial Service contributes £10,963 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

What we will offer you, here are some of the benefits you can expect:

• Competitive salary

• Generous pension scheme

• A discretionary non-contractual performance related bonus

• Working remotely in addition to working in advertised office location

• Flexi time scheme (available for B1-B6)

• Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum service related 30 days excluding bank holidays

Explore fully how we will rewardyour work.

Want to make a difference? Find out more about the rewarding work that we do in our candidate pack.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil ServiceD&I Strategy.

We want to make our recruitment process accessible to everyone, so if there is any way that we can support you, please contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Working flexibly, delivering outcomes

CCS is a flexible business with a smarter working model where our colleagues benefit from a mix of home and office working. Successful candidates are expected to work from one of the office locations listed. Our current office attendance approach requires a minimum of 26 days per quarter (approx 2 days per week, which may be subject to change) in CCS office locations or off site meetings with suppliers, customers, partners, networking / industry events. This is pro rata for those who work part time. Our smarter working principles mean that our people have the advantage of both office and offsite based collaboration and learning, as well as working from home. This way of working allows us to honour our commitment to being a responsible business, offer flexibility and better work life balance as well as ensuring we deliver our business with confidence and in accordance with our CCS values.

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 Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Selection Process

Candidates who are successful at sift will be contacted as soon as possible following the closing date and advised of the interview process in more detail. The sift will commence on WC 2nd February and interviews will be held 20th, 23rd & 24th February either at one of our offices or via video with interview times and dates to be confirmed. (Subject to change)

To find out more about our recruitment process please click here

Please note: 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed please contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk

https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/careers-with-ccs

Attachments

Crown Commercial Service candidate pack (Accessible version) (1) Opens in new window (docx, 33kB)Crown Commercial Service Benefits Brochure Accessible version (1) Opens in new window (docx, 29kB)