Senior Commercial Business Partner

Job summary

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is a new arm’s-length body which was set up as a direct result of the report into the Infected Blood scandal, IBCA is developing at an unprecedented pace, to administer compensation to people whose lives have been impacted and affected by the infected blood scandal.

IBCA ensures payment is made in recognition of the wrongs experienced by those who have been infected by HIV, Hepatitis B or C, as well as those who love and care for them. They have been frustrated and distressed by the delays in achieving proper recognition, and we must help put this right.

We are committed to putting the infected and affected blood community at the centre of every decision we make and every step we take to build our organisation to deliver compensation payments.

Based currently in Benton Park View Newcastle, with a second site in Glasgow, IBCA is now in its second year and has recently surpassed an amazing milestone of £2bn of payment offers made. Join us in a dynamic environment where the entire team has a common goal and focus to ensure that each and every claimant is paid as fairly and as fast as possible.

In May 2026, IBCA will be moving to its purpose built HQ in Newcastle city centre. This location will offer the very latest in working environments alongside excellent commuting links and surrounding facilities.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Senior Commercial Business Partner to join our Commercial & Estates team. This is a crucial leadership role that will be responsible for providing expert procurement commercial advice, developing and implementing commercial strategies, and leading complex procurement activities that support the IBCA’s mission.

This role will work alongside commercial contract management colleagues to ensure that IBCA has access to the best possible commercial support internally. As an ALB IBCA operates autonomously but must still adhere to the Procurement Act and overarching GCO guidance. IBCA has access to all CCS Frameworks, alongside additional routes to market to ensure delivery at pace and the highest levels of service are maintained.

This role will manage a team of procurement professionals delivering an enhanced level of support service to the business units within IBCA. The commercial procurement team are embedded in IBCA and are critical to ensure IBCA can continue delivering at pace in an incredibly dynamic environment. The team are responsible for delivering an end to end service to IBCA and run all procurement activities internally. IBCA leverage existing frameworks where suitable but also have the ability to choose alternative routes to market to ensure that deliverables and outcomes can be met.

This role will suit candidates with experience in both the public and private sector. Having an entrepreneurial nature and an ability to think outside the box, will be key attributes for this role. Experience and / or understanding of operational delivery, finance and corporate services will also bring value and benefit to this role.

The post holder will act as the principal commercial advisor to the Deputy Director of Commercial and Estates and other senior leaders, ensuring all commercial activities are conducted in a compliant, efficient, and ethical

manner while delivering maximum value for the taxpayer. They will be responsible for managing team resourcing, work load and also as a first point of escalation for procurement activities.

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

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Commercial Leadership: Develop and implement the commercial strategy and service offer for IBCA, working closely with senior stakeholders to identify commercial needs and deliver innovative solutions.
• Procurement & Sourcing: Lead end-to-end procurement processes, from market engagement and specification development to tender evaluation, negotiation, and contract award, ensuring compliance with Public Contract Regulations. – both essential criteria options not populated.
• Contract & Supplier Management: Manage a portfolio of high-value and complex contracts, ensuring performance, mitigating risks, and fostering positive relationships with key suppliers.
• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders across the IBCA and with external partners, including suppliers and other government departments. Act as the primary point of contact for commercial matters.
• Financial & Risk Management: Provide robust commercial analysis and financial appraisal to inform business cases and decision-making. Proactively identify and manage commercial risks.
• Team Leadership: Support the development of a strong commercial capability within the IBCA, providing leadership, mentoring, and line management to team members.
• Commercial Advice: Provide expert, timely, and practical commercial advice on a range of procurement activities including digital / technology, financial services, legal services and professional services.
• Membership of a professional body such as the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) or equivalent or willingness to work towards.

Person Specification

• Proven experience in a senior commercial or procurement role, with a strong understanding of public sector procurement regulations including both 2015 and 2023 Procurement Acts
• Demonstrable use and understanding of public sector frameworks and routes to market
• Evidence of being a pragmatic leader that is focussed on enabling and creating solutions
• Demonstrable track record of leading and successfully delivering complex procurements, end to end and managing high-value contracts in dynamic environments
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal. The ability to simplify and present proposals and solutions to stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management skills managing competing priorities and offering solutions
• Strong leadership capabilities, with experience in managing and developing commercial professionals.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to provide clear, evidence-based commercial advice.
• Knowledge and experience of commercial and financial risk management.

Technical skills

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

• Ability to assess commercial risk and quantify potential errors to generate strategic recommendations for customers and stakeholders. Ability to increase commercial risk appetite and offer solutions.
• Proven track record of leading complex commercial activities, with comprehensive experience spanning the entire commercial lifecycle.
• Ability to challenge senior decisions, work under pressure, and deliver multiple projects within established timelines.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively with senior leaders and external partners.
• Experience in the end to end commercial process. Ability to identify sourcing needs and requirements. Write tender documentation, facilitate evaluations, write procurement strategies and award documentation, contracts drafting and publication.

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.

Please note that any move across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

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 4 March 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 : Lynsey Munro
• 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

445500 - Candidate Pack - Senior Commercial Business Partner Opens in new window (pdf, 1194kB)Guaranteed Interview Schemes (GIS) Opens in new window (pdf, 70kB)