G7 Commercial Lead

Job summary

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) was founded February 2023, and focuses on improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science and technology. We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK and drive forward a modern digital government for the benefit of its citizens.

This is delivered through mutually reinforcing missions:

The Secretary of State has set these four priorities to capture the impact of our work across the department. They’re designed to show what we’re trying to achieve, not just what we do.

Together with our DSIT Values – Expert Together, Inventive and Impact Driven – our mission and priorities set out who we are and how we work.

About DSIT Commercial

Formed 2023 and recognised as the ‘best commercial team’ in government in the 2024 Government Commercial Function awards, with consecutive years of strong staff survey results, our ambition is to be the most agile and innovative Commercial Department in government.

DSIT Commercial operates across its broadest sense - contracts, grants and more complex commercial models. We work alongside Directorates to design and deliver contracts, grants and innovative commercial models that secure value for money, manage risk, unlock economic growth and shape markets. No two days are the same, working collegiately and flexibly across some of the most interesting categories of spend in government and with some of the most interesting companies operating in digital, emerging technologies (including AI and quantum), security (online and cyber), life sciences, space and digital infrastructure.

Our culture reflects our department - innovation and breaking the mould is in our DNA. Our lens is strategic - driving economic growth with ‘commercial as a growth lever’ at the heart of what we do, scaling effective approaches, shaping markets and strengthening commercial capability across government.

Our portfolio includes significant contract and grant activity, with a pipeline and workload across all teams of circa. £12bn. Our scope doesn’t stop there, as our impact is pan-government. We lead on and influence -pan government commercial policy and practice. We drive this through thought leadership and innovative ways of delivery across our industrial strategy sector of digital and technologies and through the leadership of the Commercial Innovation Hub and the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence.

Job description

Are you seeking a new and exciting challenge, with the opportunity to make a meaningful impact? In this role, you will gain a unique perspective across entire portfolios and lead the delivery of commercial support across multiple programmes.

The DSIT Commercial and Grants team offers a diverse and supportive working environment, bringing together specialists in project delivery, commercial, finance, legal, analysis, technology, and policy. The team works closely with ministers and senior stakeholders across government, as well as engaging with key market suppliers in the Technology / Cyber sectors.

As Commercial Lead, you will be responsible for the end-to-end commercial lifecycle for the Cyber category. Reporting to a Group Head of Commercial within the DSIT Commercial Directorate, you will work in close collaboration with Policy Leads and will have line management responsibilities.

The role involves providing expert commercial advice to policy and programme teams in the Cyber Security directorate, supporting the design and delivery of commercial interventions, and overseeing the management of key supplier relationships. You will also play a central role in shaping the programme’s commercial strategy, including contract design, sourcing approaches, procurement delivery, and contract management. This will include supporting programme evaluation, ensuring adherence to standards, and maintaining strong financial assurance across the portfolio.

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

Responsibilities:

• Lead the end to end delivery of commercial requirements within the defined category, covering both grants and contract relationships, both in approach to market and the management of existing commercial relationships.
• You will provide the link between the Programme and the DSIT Commercial Directorate. Providing support to policy colleagues in your assigned category defining their approach to market and working to ensure timely execution of procurement activities in line with DSIT and Cabinet Office policies, processes, regulations and legislation.
• You will promote DSIT Values, plan and oversee the professional development and training of any staff you may be responsible for. Set high performance expectations, developing the capability of all those you activity manage, valuing difference to deliver results, inspiring people and creating a shared sense of purpose across the Department.
• As part of the Commercial Directorate, you will ensure you are responsive to business needs whilst effectively managing business & commercial risks, and ensure the Programme is responsive to deliver these requirements.
• Assist with the implementation and embedding of supplier relationship management and Contract Management processes in the department.
• Support the wider policy teams in the development of business cases with specific consideration to the commercial approach to delivering a Programme of innovation interventions to deliver the government’s digital, telecoms and technology policy programmes.

Skills and Experience Needed:

• Sound knowledge of Public Sector Commercial and Procurement policies and procedures, PCR 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023;
• Significant experience in utilising CCS Frameworks & leading open procurement procedures to enable policy outcomes
• A demonstrable track record of delivering value for money across both works and technology categories;
• Proficient procurement professional with relevant applied and/or theoretical knowledge, in management process development and implementation, category management, strategic sourcing, supplier relationship development and performance management, specification, report and recommendation writing.
• Practical experience of managing varied procurement operations working in a corporate procurement environment ideally subject to public procurement law.
• Experience of managing goods and services procurements and leading contract negotiations.
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills plus a track record of leadership, setting strategic goals, and driving commercial and procurement activities.
• Demonstrable experience of operating in a senior environment and delivering results, notably securing value for money, including experience of procurement planning, management and business processes.
• Evidence of your commitment to personal development.
• Ability to operate with autonomy, working flexibly and innovatively with policy colleagues across all of our work areas.
• Experience of building professional, dynamic relationships across the organisations and with stakeholders.

Technical skills

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

• Experience of understanding and managing delivery risk, including stakeholder engagement, mitigation planning, and clear communication to diverse audiences.
• Experience of managing multiple complex projects in parallel, maintaining delivery momentum and effectively briefing senior stakeholders on commercial matters.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships, using clear communication, collaborative working, and consistent delivery of commitments.
• Experience of delivering procurement activity within complex, technology‑driven environments, supported by a sound understanding of technology and/or cyber requirements.

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 note: Only candidates that achieve an A grade at ADC will be invited to interview for this role.

Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on Tuesday 4th August 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 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

467355 CL2599 - G7 Commercial Lead - Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 2376kB)Guaranteed Interview Schemes Opens in new window (pdf, 70kB)