Commercial Practitioner

Job summary

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime and migration.

Commercial Services sits in the Finance, Commercial, Audit and Systems (FCAS) Directorate. On behalf of ONS, Commercial Services deliver all procurement and contract management activity within the organisation and are looking to appoint six Commercial Practitioners.

The Government Commercial Function defines how all government departments should operate commercially to guarantee consistency of commercial behaviours and purchasing across government. Commercial Services uses their standards, benchmarks and training materials for staff involved in procurement and contract management to make sure best practice is followed. The strategic aim is securing optimum value for ONS through delivery of Commercial excellence.

Job description

In this role you will have an opportunity to support the Commercial Director in delivering the Commercial vision of being a key partner in strategic business decision making, adding value through innovation, collaboration and a shared sense of purpose. You will have responsibility for providing commercial support to ONS stakeholders that enables business goals through market knowledge, effective communication and teamwork. You will contribute to the aim of delivering value for money through innovation, cost reduction and efficiencies, with fairness, transparency, sustainability and diversity woven into everything we do.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues from within Commercial Services and stakeholders from across the business to ascertain demand and manage and deliver effective commercial activity in line with the new step-change approach to Commercial activity delivery within ONS.

You will ensure delivery compliance whilst driving successful application of quality and Value for Money (VfM). You will be accountable for ensuring complete end to end Commercial activity from pre-sourcing to contract management and the successful development and ongoing management of a comprehensive Commercial pipeline of work for your area of responsibility.

Your role will strengthen commercial oversight across our portfolio of strategically important supplier service provision, providing increased resilience and continuity within the commercial intelligent client function. We expect the postholders will deliver a range of commercial activity, providing development opportunities across the commercial cycle, including market engagement, procurement, contract management, supplier performance monitoring, risk and issue management, contract governance and change control, financial oversight, and governance reporting.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the management of all commercial activities, including Census 2031 contracts, throughout their lifecycle.
• Contract management, including development and maintenance of effective contract management plans, performance monitoring and reporting, supplier relationship management.
• Maintain contract records, governance documentation and commercial reporting.
• Support contract change, extension and renewal activities.
• Prepare papers, briefings and recommendations for governance forums.
• Procurement projects, commercial pipeline and commercial lifecycle.
• Regulatory compliance such as publishing notices.
• Supplier performance monitoring including management information reporting, contract review activity and process mapping and management.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience of successful service delivery, coordinating and completing activities to agreed timescales that deliver outcomes.
• Experience of problem solving and dispute resolution.
• Experience of applying business acumen and judgement to develop strategies that demonstrate an understanding of actions required to support delivery of Value for Money (VfM) and efficiency.
• Experience of relationship management and working with stakeholders (at all levels) demonstrating strong communication skills (verbal and written).
• Sound commercial judgement and an ability to analyse information and data to support evidence-based decision making, identify risks and opportunities, and contribute to service improvements.
• Strong interpersonal, influencing and communication skills, with experience of building effective relationships with stakeholders and suppliers and supporting negotiations to achieve successful commercial outcomes.

Qualifications

• Relevant contract management, procurement, or commercial related experience, including qualifications such as CIPS, MCIPS, World CC (formerly IACCM) or Contract Management Capability Programme accreditation; or willingness to work towards.
• A non-pensionable allowance maybe available, depending on your qualification level: MCIPS (£3,000) or CIPS (£1,750).

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,587, Office for National Statistics contributes £10,019 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our valued colleagues across the organisation.

Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that our careers site will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues, and our fantastic working culture.

Inclusion & Accessibility

At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.

If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.

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 and Experience.

Security Clearance

For ONS the requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 consecutive years immediately prior to applying and the department will consider eligibility by exception on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to provide information regarding your UK residency during your application, and failure to provide this will result in your application being rejected.

At the point of SC application, you will need to provide or give access to the following evidence:

• Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
• UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
• Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
• Security Services records

ONS is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK when employment commences. If you are currently in the UK on a time-limited visa, it must have at least 18 months remaining at the point of application.

To work at ONS, applicants must meet the Civil Service nationality requirements, satisfy UK right to work requirements and, where applicable, meet the relevant security clearance requirements.

If you are unsure whether you meet the appropriate right to work or security clearance eligibility criteria, please refer to the guidance on Gov.uk or contact the recruitment email provided in the advert before applying. Failure to meet these requirements will result in your application being rejected and employment offers being withdrawn.

Application Process

Number of Stages: 2 stage process

Stage 1: Application

Stage 2: Interview

Stage 1 – Application

The assessment process at the application stage will be based on your work history, CV, skills, experience, and personal statement. It is important that your application is tailored to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the role.

A personal statement is required at application stage, the maximum wordcount allowed is 1250 words, which should not be exceeded. You should provide evidence for each essential skill criterion listed in the person specification. As these criteria are scored, it is advisable to give clear examples for each one, including the impact of your actions, ideally utilising the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Please note that Success Profiles Behaviour examples are not required at this stage of the application process.

When a high volume of applications are received, the sift pass mark may be adjusted. Candidates will be invited to interview based on their merit order, with those achieving the highest scores being prioritised. Applicants who score below the adjusted pass mark but still pass will be placed on hold and may be invited to interview at a later date.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours, and essential skills.

Stage 2 – Interview

If invited to interview, you will be assessed using techniques aligned with the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, covering all behaviours listed in the job advert.

Interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made.

The Sift will be conducted from 15th October 2026.

Interviews will be conducted w/c 9th November 2026.

Dates are subject to change.

For the full terms and conditions of the post, please see attachment. Please note that all campaigns may be subject to withdrawal at any stage if the internal resource position changes.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security 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.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.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 : SCS Recruitment
• Email : scs.recruitment@ons.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scs.recruitment@ons.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, in the first instance, you should contact recruitment.complaints@ons.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission

Attachments

2721 Advert 1A Permanent - ONS Opens in new window (pdf, 83kB)Role1_Standard_Requirements Opens in new window (pdf, 76kB)