Commercial Lead - Estates

Job summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) touches the lives of everyone in the UK in some shape or form, delivering services and support to help people find work, assist with a disability or provide support through their retirement. As a key part of DWP, the Commercial Directorate (CD) shapes how services are delivered across 100’s of 3rd party contractual arrangements; with an annual procurement spend in the region of £3bn with some of the largest industry suppliers. CD has been undergoing a transformation exercise to develop into a world class Commercial function and is focused on continuously developing our achievement against Government Commercial Operating Standards.

The Estates Commercial Directorate procures services to help maintain the DWP Estates infrastructure. It delivers and manages contracts in a range of areas including Facilities Management (FM), Security, Furniture, Integrator services, Landlord and Lease Management (LLM), Property Legal Services, Projects and Professional Services. It is a lively team due to the large DWP Estate of circa 800 properties which include Job Centres and Health Assessment Centres and as a result, the contracts we let are specialised to accommodate the needs of every customer that visits one of our sites and all our staff while achieving value for money for the department. We also pride ourselves on developing the skills of everyone in the team, along with supporting other colleagues, to build a professional commercial community that progresses and supports everyone we work with.

The combination of exciting programmes and varied category work enables the team to work across the entire commercial life cycle from strategic development, procurement and contract management and gives the opportunity to explore a range of contracts in detail and build relationships with suppliers and stakeholders alike. This makes this a dynamic, fast paced, rewarding and successful Commercial Team.

Job description

We require a driven, dynamic leader who can deliver commercial solutions at pace. You will be a self-starter who is able to deliver discrete work packages with minimal supervision while working alongside other Commercial Leads. You will demonstrate strong commercial knowledge and understanding of the procurement process and the Cabinet Office Sourcing Playbook. You will be motivated to achieve best value for money by implementing best practice Category Management techniques and working closely with colleagues across the Estates Delivery Team and the wider Commercial Directorate.

You will be passionate about creating change by contributing to an evolving Category Team and you will have the resilience and skills to both challenge and inspire your team, staff and stakeholders. You will form robust and trusted relationships with stakeholders at all levels across your sub-category area, working collaboratively to solve complex problems and achieve the best outcomes. You will play a critical role in this complex category that will involve leading dialogue with major suppliers.

You will play a key role in a strategic project focused on the renewal and future delivery of one of the Category’s most critical contracts. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will be expected to collaborate closely with colleagues and Estate’s stakeholders to assess current service delivery arrangements and identify the most effective model for the future.

A key aspect of the role will be contributing to the development of a comprehensive Delivery Model Assessment (DMA), ensuring that all viable options are thoroughly evaluated. This will include analysing and comparing delivery approaches such as insourcing, outsourcing, hybrid models, and other innovative solutions, taking into account cost, risk, performance, service quality, and strategic objectives.

Person specification

The successful candidate will:

• Motivate and manage a professional commercial team to deliver corporate outcomes and to ensure continuous improvement. Line Manage, mentor and coach team members on policies, procedures, practices, and techniques equipping them with the knowledge and skills to deliver their work in an effective and efficient manner.
• Contribute to developing Estate’s strategies to identify optimal delivery solutions, identification and delivery of savings initiatives and innovation opportunities. Be accountable for the selection and implementation of appropriate commercial models to achieve Departmental strategy and goals and encourage supportive supplier behaviour.
• Act as a source of expert market knowledge, insight and advice to policy and operational teams in the Estates category area. Work with them to understand requirements and develop commercial strategies aligned to policy objectives, suppliers and supply markets.
• Contribute to project scrutiny, commercial governance and approval boards as required.
• Lead on procurements that conform to Departmental procurement procedures, and which comply fully with PCR 2015 and PA23, Departmental commercial policy, and assurance processes.
• Lead on to implement robust contract and supplier management processes and strategies, including the strategy for smooth transition from the existing to future contractual arrangements.
• Provide expert advice on commercial risk management and deliver mitigation plans / strategies to manage identified risks at corporate level.
• Represent the Commercial team at senior meetings across DWP, across wider Government department meetings including Crown Commercial Service, and externally at industry events to remain current with industry Best Practice and Public Procurement Policy.

Technical skills

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

• *Lead Criteria - Delivered end-to-end public procurements in either/or PCR 2015/PA 2023 within complex organisations, developing commercial strategies, plans and processes, managing risk, and securing VfM across complex commercial environments
• Develop & interpret innovative pricing models which ensure equity of outcomes for both the customer & supplier. Makes use of experience & data evidence to develop commercial models that are fit for purpose & robust
• Builds strong internal and external relationships to deliver shared outcomes, understanding stakeholder and organisational goals. Uses structured relationship management and adapts communication styles to engage diverse audiences effectively
• Proven experience of; ability to support others & build commercial capability within a team, and provide expert advice to others & develop teams’ relationships with external stakeholders
• Worked with stakeholders to define sourcing requirements, forecast demand, evaluate sourcing options, develop strategies and business cases, engage suppliers, and align market solutions with business needs and outcomes

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.

*An initial sift may be conducted on the lead criteria if a large volume of applications is received. For those who meet the required standard, the remaining criteria will then be assessed.

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 Tuesday 27th October 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-re…

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 basic (or equivalent) 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 : Pat Krauss
• 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

20260903 479639 CL2650 - Commercial Lead - Estates - Candidate Pack.docx Opens in new window (pdf, 1390kB)Guaranteed Interview Schemes Opens in new window (pdf, 70kB)