Commercial Lead – DDaT Category Lead

Job summary

The Insolvency Service (INSS) – part of the Department for Business and Trade - is critical to the proper functioning of markets and the economy in general. We are a government agency that helps to deliver economic confidence by supporting those in financial distress, tackling financial wrongdoing and maximizing returns to creditors. We maintain the standards that help make Britain one of the best places in the world to do business.

The Commercial Function is small – c.25 people – but we punch above our weight in terms of functional excellence and delivery. The team were Team of the Year finalists at the GCF Awards, and consistently exceed targets. Our CCIAF scores match or surpass those of large departments.

The Commercial team sits in the Finance, Commercial, Sustainability and Property Directorate (FCSP), reporting to the Head of Commercial and the FCSP Director.

Here are some more reasons to join us:

Our Commercial Lead roles offer a real breadth of scope, influence and ownership, accountability and visibility which can only be found at CL / Grade 7 in a smaller Agency. You will be working with our Directors and Executive Leadership Team on a daily basis with autonomy to make decisions and lead your category.

Our Category structure means you are responsible for the full commercial lifecycle and can develop depth of subject matter expertise and strong stakeholder relationships.

You will be involved in wider initiatives across the function, Directorate and Agency. We also have strong links into our parent Department and the GCF allowing you to grow your network and knowledge.

We have a great track record in developing commercial professionals – virtually all our leavers do so on promotion. This vacancy is due to retirement.

Our People Survey scores are excellent, we have a strong team spirit despite being a dispersed team and support each other across teams.

The Agency is committed to inclusivity and diversity, and the commercial function reflects this. INSS is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work.

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Commercial leader and practitioner who is comfortable working across the full commercial lifecycle: concept, options analysis and requirements development, market engagement and intelligence, sourcing, procurement, contract management and change, and exit and transition.

You should have experience in DDaT commercial delivery and governance, and working with a variety of IT requirements, suppliers and stakeholders. We expect applicants to be fully conversant with both PCR2015 and PA23 regulations, and to be willing to work towards Expert accreditation on the Contract Management Capability Programme if not already held.

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

• Lead and manage a team of Commercial Business Partners to deliver the Category pipeline and targets, ensuring staff development and wellbeing
• Regular Director-level stakeholder engagement to discuss pipeline, live contract management and any risks / issues
• Work allocation and prioritisation for the Category, including demand and capacity planning
• Own and develop the Category Strategy to align with and enable the Agency’s IT Strategy, and support Functional Strategy development
• Ensure compliance with PCR2015 and PA23 regulations, Cabinet Office and Agency policies and processes, including as a member of the INSS Commercial Approvals Board and leading on DBT Commercial Assurance and Approvals Group (CAAG) submissions
• ‘Hands on’ commercial delivery for key projects and procurements where needed
• Drafting papers for the Executive Committee and Board, and presenting as required
• Lead or support broader Functional and Agency initiatives
• Demonstrate commitment to your own development through CPD and maintaining up to date awareness of DDaT market trends, Frameworks and functional developments, for example through Masterclasses or attending GCF / CCS forums

Technical skills

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

• Experience leading complex commercial activities, with demonstrable experience across the whole commercial lifecycle, The ability to challenge senior stakeholder decisions, and deliver multiple projects within agreed timescales
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders and suppliers whilst building and maintaining productive working relationships
• Possess strong people skills and demonstrate commitment to development of your team and wider stakeholders through coaching and sharing best practice
• Experience developing DdaT procurement strategies and playing a leading role in the implementation and end to end delivery. Effective management of contracts through-life, with keen awareness of cost and performance risk.

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 1st April 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 commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 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.

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-recruitment/
IMPORTANT: If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within 2 working days please contact: commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Hayley Parfitt
• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should direct this to the Head of Commercial Resourcing Hub at the following email commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk quoting the vacancy reference number (if applicable) and the details of your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission via the following web page: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

Attachments

Guaranteed Interview Schemes (GIS) Opens in new window (pdf, 64kB)450638 - Candidate Pack - Insolvency Service - Commercial Lead – DDaT Category Lead v2.docx Opens in new window (pdf, 456kB)