Travel Operations & Contract Delivery Manager

Job summary

The Cabinet Office sits at the heart of UK government, ensuring the effective running of executive decision-making and cross-government operations.

This key operational leadership role is responsible for the end-to-end commercial management, contract governance, and operational execution across HMG’s suite of central travel contracts.

Operating at the intersection of commercial strategy, daily logistics, and senior stakeholder engagement, you will bridge policy and 24/7 operational delivery. You will ensure that all travel capabilities maintain continuous operational readiness, strict public accountability, and maximum Value for Money (VFM) for the taxpayer.

As part of a widening portfolio, you will work closely with the Head of Travel to oversee current contracts, prepare future procurement pipelines, and support the broader evolution of government-wide travel services.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Contract & Commercial Oversight

• Oversee day-to-day contract delivery and commercial governance across our core travel supplier contracts.
• Hold suppliers and service providers accountable for delivering high quality, reliability, and value for money against agreed service standards.
• Lead on financial checks, invoice reconciliations, and contract queries to ensure effective management of public funds.

Operational Delivery & Incident Escalation

• Manage operational travel delivery for senior government stakeholders across all modes of travel.
• Serve as the main escalation point for complex itineraries, short-notice schedule changes, and unexpected service disruptions.
• Maintain strong operational governance, ensuring all travel logistics adhere to official privacy, security, and data handling guidelines.

Future Procurement & Commercial Strategy

• Support the planning and preparation of upcoming travel procurements across the commercial pipeline.
• Help draft clear, outcome-focused requirement specifications and engage with the market to explore modern delivery models.
• Work with commercial colleagues to evaluate options that balance service flexibility with value for money.

Public Accountability & Governance

• Ensure all travel activity complies with Civil Service guidelines, financial controls, and transparency standards.
• Support the preparation of official briefings, ministerial submissions, and responses to parliamentary and public enquiries regarding travel capabilities.

Stakeholder Relationships & Service Improvement

• Build strong, collaborative working relationships with Private Offices, government departments, and commercial partners.
• Drive continuous improvement across travel operations by identifying opportunities to streamline processes, adopt modern technology, and enhance service efficiency.

Person specification

Person Specification
Essential Criteria

1. Commercial & Contract Oversight: Proven track record in contract management and supplier oversight, with experience holding commercial partners accountable to service standards and driving value for money.
2. Operational Resilience: Demonstrable experience managing or delivering high-stakes travel, logistics, or operational services under tight deadlines and changing circumstances.
3. Problem Solving & Escalation Management: Strong decision-making skills in fast-paced environments, with the ability to react calmly to service disruptions and evaluate practical contingency options.
4. Stakeholder Influence: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of building collaborative working relationships across senior stakeholders, Private Offices, and external suppliers.
5. Financial & Governance Literacy: Sound financial acumen, with experience managing billing reconciliations, contract queries, and adhering to compliance standards.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience across multi-modal travel sectors (e.g., travel management companies, rail, ground transport, or charter aviation).
• Understanding of public sector procurement principles or government commercial frameworks.
• Holds, or is willing to commit to working towards, the Government Commercial Function (GCF) Expert Contract Management accreditation within post (or holds equivalent recognised project/contract management experience).

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £65,193, Cabinet Office contributes £18,886 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 750 word personal detailing how your experience, skills, and background meet the Essential Criteria set out in the Person Specification statement, and 250 word Behaviour Statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large volume of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour: Managing a Quality Service. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection Process

If successful at the sift stage, candidates will be invited to a structured interview (conducted virtually via Google Meet).

During the interview, you will be assessed against:

• Behaviours: Managing a Quality Service, Delivering at Pace, Seeing the Big Picture, and Communicating and Influencing.
• Experience & Strengths: Based on your application and relevant capability for the role.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

• Expected sift date: 09 November 2026
• Expected interview date/s: week commencing 16 November 2026
• Interview location: Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Further Information

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

Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via Cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (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.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 : Natasha Pink
• Email : natasha.pink@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)