Principal Commercial Manager

Job summary

At the CMA, the Commercial team plays a pivotal role in building the necessary capability to deliver CMA's hugely important work, whilst ensuring value for money. As a Principal Commercial Manager, you will be a part of a small but busy commercial team delivering procurement and contract management functions across the CMA. You will also primarily lead the delivery of Technology procurement, alongside management information, reporting and commercial analytics. The role combines procurement delivery, supplier and contract management, and strategy and policy work, in line with Government Commercial Functional Standards.

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

It’s a fascinating time to be at the heart of competition and consumer protection as our lives become increasingly digital and society grapples with the unique power of large technology firms.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Job description

As a Principal Commercial Manager, you will play a senior role within a high-performing team, leading complex procurement and contract management activity. Reporting to the Assistant Director Commercial, you will lead technology procurement and support wider commercial priorities to deliver value for money and high-quality outcomes.

You will be responsible for delivering end-to-end procurement in line with government standards, while embedding strong contract and supplier management across all activity. You will also use management information, reporting and commercial analytics to inform decision-making and drive performance improvements

A key focus is driving commercial transformation—identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, deliver savings and strengthen supplier performance. You will build strong relationships with stakeholders and suppliers, influencing to ensure commercial arrangements meet organisational needs.

You will also lead and develop others, promoting commercial capability across the organisation. To succeed, you will be MCIPS qualified (or working towards) with strong experience delivering procurement in a public sector or regulated environment.

For full role responsibilities, please review the attached role profile.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document

• Professional qualifications and accreditation: Professionally qualified (MCIPS) or working towards, with Government Commercial Organisation accreditation or a clear commitment to achieving it (Lead Criteria).
• Senior commercial and procurement expertise: A proven track record as a senior commercial professional, managing end‑to‑end procurement across a range of categories (including technology), alongside strong contract management experience in a public sector environment that delivers value for money (Lead Criteria).
• Delivery of commercial strategy and governance: Demonstrable ability to scope, plan and deliver commercial strategies and plans that set clear direction and align with governance and assurance requirements.
• Data, insight and commercial analytics: Experience of management information, commercial reporting and analytics, including the use of Power BI dashboards, pipelines, contract registers and data manipulation to support evidence‑based decision‑making.
• Leadership, stakeholder engagement and communication: Strong, inspirational leadership skills that recognise high performance and address underperformance, combined with excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Business acumen, resilience and change delivery: Excellent commercial and business judgement, able to analyse complex problems, prioritise effectively, lead negotiations, resolve contentious issues, and thrive under pressure.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Government Commercial Function – People Standards for the Profession (Commercial Specialist):Section A – Judgement and Leadership
• Section B – Expertise - Procurement Process and Contract & Supplier Management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,300, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £17,758 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

You’ll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.

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.

Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), and an interview.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.
• An initial sift based on the first two criteria points (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be conducted either in-person or via Teams.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the advert and attached role profile.
• The interview will be a 45 minute-one hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile.

• Technical elements we will assess at the interview:

  You will also be required to demonstrate your suitability for the role in line with the Government Commercial Function – People Standards for the Profession (Commercial Specialist): please open the role profile to review the specific details.

• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is Tuesday 2nd June 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 3rd and 9th June 2026.
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 18th June 2026 onward.

Our recruitment process is fully inclusive and we can make adjustments to provide you with the opportunity and support to bring your best self to the recruitment process. This could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments, or receiving interview questions in advance. We will be happy to discuss any person-centred adjustments you’d like us to make to the process and you can contact us by emailing our dedicated mailbox at adjustments@cma.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.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 : Becky Smith
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

Attachments

Principle Commercial Manager - Role Profile CMA3254 Opens in new window (pdf, 151kB)