Senior Operational Contract Manager

Job summary

Join the Digital, Data and Technology Service Performance team, leading major technology contracts that support essential services across the Agency. You will drive strong supplier performance, improve value, manage risk and guide a skilled team to ensure our digital services meet organisational needs.

Job description

The Operational Contract Management Team forms part of the Enterprise Services - Service Performance team within the Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT) Command, ensuring the effective, efficient and economic delivery of services supplied to the NCA through application of proven proactive Supplier management techniques, service delivery assurance, financial management and a philosophy of continuous service improvement.

To be successful in this role you will need to lead and manage a team supporting the business through policy development, planning, performance, service delivery and governance.
You will direct resources to ensure supplier obligations and quality standards in line with Agency policy are met.

This role aligns with the Operational Contract Manager within Government Commercial Function (GCF) more specifically the Contract Management Pioneer Programme - Competencies Framework. With elements of Senior Business Relationship Manager within Government Digital and Data Profession Capability.

Person specification

Skills, Knowledge and Experience - Description

• Strong Interpersonal skills - Able to build positive working relationships, communicate clearly and respectfully in written and verbal form, adapting style to suit different audiences. Build positive working relationships, through active listening, empathy and professional collaboration to influence, resolve issues and work effectively with others.
• Negotiation skills - Able to reach fair and effective agreements by understanding different viewpoints, presenting clear reasoning and finding solutions that meet shared objectives. Uses confidence, communication and problem‑solving to resolve issues and secure positive outcomes.
• Contract knowledge - Understands the principles of contract law, terms and conditions, and how contracts are structured and managed. Able to interpret contract requirements, identify risks or issues, and ensure obligations are met throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Risk Management - Able to identify potential risks early, assess their impact, and put effective measures in place to reduce or prevent them. Uses sound judgement, analysis and structured processes to maintain control and support reliable delivery.
• Commercial and Financial acumen - Understands how financial and commercial factors influence contracts and service delivery. Able to assess value for money, monitor costs, interpret financial information and make informed decisions that support effective and sustainable outcomes.
• Attention to detail - Able to work accurately and carefully, checking information, documents and data to ensure it is correct and complete. Identifies errors or inconsistencies early and maintains high standards in all work to avoid legal or compliance risks.
• Project Management - Plan, organise and coordinate work to meet agreed goals and timescales. Oversee multiple contracts at once, managing deadlines, resources and tasks effectively.
• Analytical thinking - Examine information carefully, identify patterns or issues and draw sound conclusions. Uses logical reasoning to assess complex contract issues, evaluate options and recommend effective, evidence‑based solutions.
• Technical skills - Able to use relevant software, systems and data analysis tools confidently, including contract management platforms and Microsoft Office. Comfortable working with data, updating information accurately and learning new technologies when required.

Essential Criteria
You must meet the essential criteria and evidence this within your application to be considered for the role.

Entry Requirements

• Ability to communicate effectively
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
  Any applications from candidates not meeting this eligibility criteria will not progress.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Analysing complex data
• Stakeholder Management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,575, National Crime Agency contributes £16,100 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Roles based in London will receive an additional London Weighting (Per Annum) of £4218

New entrants to the NCA receive 26 days annual leave, rising to 31 on completion of 5 years continuous service, plus 8 bank holidays.

If qualifying criteria is met new joiners from UK Police Forces or the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) will have service with those employers taken into account for continuous service purposes for annual leave entitlement only, this will be up to a maximum of 31 days leave (including 1 privilege day).

Other benefits include:

• Flexible working, including flexi-time, compressed hours and job sharing (in line with business requirements)
• Family friendly policies, notably above the statutory minimum
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Interest free loans and advances, including season tickets, childcare and rental deposits
• Housing schemes - Key Worker status
• Discounts and Savings with a wide variety of services including Cycle to Work, Smart Tech schemes, dental insurance, gym discounts and savings on everyday spending, available through the Reward Gateway , Edenred and Blue Light Card schemes.
• Staff support groups/networks
• Sports and social activities, including membership to the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC)

Further information is available on the NCA Website.

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 Technical skills.

How we will assess you

Your application will be assessed against the following:Experience - This will be assessed:

CV

Please include your full career history, training, qualifications, key responsibilities, and achievements. Explain any employment gaps in the last two years. Ensure all accreditation dates are accurate.

Details of what is expected within your CV are as follows: Experience of managing a diverse/complex supply chain that covers Performance and contract lifecycle management.

Statement of Suitability

Please provide a 750 word personal statement demonstrating how you meet the criteria below:

Please describe and demonstrate experience in operational supplier and contract management, including:
• Commercial contract governance
• Negotiating with IT suppliers and senior stakeholders
• Managing demand while maintaining effective stakeholder engagement

A panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.

You will receive an acknowledgement once your application is submitted.

We aim to have sift completed and scores released within 10 working days of the closing date of the advert. For high volume campaigns this timeframe may be extended.

Scores will be provided but further feedback will not be available at this stage.

For guidance on the application process, visit:
NCA Applying and Onboarding

Assessment 1

The format of this assessment will be Interview which will be tested on the criteria listed in the Success Profiles at Assessment section.

Success Profiles at Assessment

Behaviours

• Working Together

Technical

• Analysing complex data

• Stakeholder Management

Experience

• Managing Contract Performance

• Influencing and Negotiation

Assessment OutcomeOutcomes will be communicated via the NCA recruitment portal.
If successful but no role is immediately available, you may be placed on a reserve list for 12 months.
Reserve lists can be used to fill similar role types across the Agency where the assessment criteria is considered a match by the recruitment team and the business area.

In the event of a tie at the assessment stage, available roles will be offered in merit order using the following order:

1. Lead criteria (behaviours/technical/experience)
2. If still tied, desirable criteria will be assessed (if advertised)
3. If still tied, application sift scores will be used

Feedback is provided only to those who attend an assessment.You will be subject to vetting and pre-employment checks before appointment.Once the vacancy closes, the advert will no longer be accessible. Please save a copy for your records. We encourage all candidates to visit the NCA Careers Page for more information.

Vetting requirements - SC Enhanced

Prior to commencing the role, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance and then achieve DV Enhanced clearance within the first 12 months in post. The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.The requirement for DV Enhanced clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 7 of the last 10 years.Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.If the increased clearance cannot be obtained you will be moved to a role appropriate to your clearance level achieved on entry. For further information on National Security Vetting checks please visit the following page Demystifying VettingIndividuals will be required to undertake and pass a substance misuse test as part of pre-employment checks.

Occupational Health

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake an occupational health assessment. Depending on the role an in-person medical may be required in either London or Warrington. Unfortunately, travel costs will not be reimbursed.

Things you need to know

Multi Location

Where multiple locations are advertised, appointments will be made in merit order for each location.

Please indicate up to three location preferences clearly. Only your first three preferences will be considered. You may be allocated to any of the locations you select. If you decline an offer for a location you have selected as a preference, a further offer may not be made.

If you choose to reject an offer and no alternative preferred location can be offered, you will not be able to return to the process or be placed on a reserve list.

Only the advertised locations are available; any additional notes added to the application will not be taken into account.

Near Miss

If you meet the criteria for a lower grade, you may be offered that role if not appointable at the advertised grade.

Conversely, if found appointable at a higher grade but no posts are available, you may be offered a lower-grade role.

All offers are made based on merit.

Hybrid Working

The NCA supports hybrid working. The extent of remote working will depend on the role and can be discussed at the offer stage.

Working for the NCA

The National Crime Agency is a 24/7 organisation, and working patterns must support business requirements. Some roles may require you to respond at short notice or outside of core hours.If preferable, alternative contract types may be available. Please review the green bar of this advert to view all available contract types for this role. Where Loan or Secondment options are available, these would be for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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

Security

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

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 : The Central Recruitment Team
• Email : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : central.recruitment@nca.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 relation to any stage of the recruitment and selection process please email central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk. please ensure that you refer to the campaign reference number. If you remain dissatisfied following the outcome of your complaint you have the right to contact the Civil Service Commission to pursue it further.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.