Commercial Practitioner

Job description

Job Title: Commercial Practitioner

Band: 4

Salary: £48,027 - £54,751

Available Locations: Liverpool, Newport, Norwich or Birmingham.

The following locations listed below are restricted to contracted GCA staff already based in one of these offices:

London

External applicants are not eligible for this sites.  If you select this location as an external applicant your application will unfortunately be withdrawn.

Contract Type: 1 x Permanant and 1 x 12 month FTA (Please note, these will be awarded in merit order, with the top scoring candidate being offered the permanent contract)

Hours: Full time

Closing Date:  30-09-26

Interview Date(s): WC 12-10-27 (subject to change)

Insight into GCA - Webinar 

Watch our Webinar on the above link and gain valuable insight into GCA and our recruitment processes.

Are you ready to lead the digital transformation of the UK public sector? 

Join Government Commercial Agency (GCA) and apply your technology expertise to deliver true Value for the Nation. You will drive market-leading commercial agreements that empower our public services with world-class innovation, ensuring every pound spent builds a more resilient, cost-effective, and digitally-advanced Britain. Progress your career where commercial strategy meets national purpose.

Job Summary

Based in the Software category within Technology, you will work alongside a Commercial Lead to own high-value commercial agreements. You will drive supplier relationship management and cultivate customer partnerships to deliver value for the nation.

Joining GCA's Technology Category means helping manage over £14bn in public sector spend, directly fueling the UK's digital evolution.

You will join experts guiding public sector clients through the tech market, connecting leading suppliers with essential public services to support key government missions.

Our team is transforming to be more flexible, offering opportunities to work across other categories for business needs or staff development.

Key Accountabilities:

The post holder will be accountable for leading the delivery of key operational and commercial activities associated with:

Agreement Performance Management and Procurement: 

• Effective management of Commercial Agreement performance over its lifecycle to meet increased customer reach and commercial benefits targets, including communications campaigns and sharing insights as part of industry and customer forums.  

• Lead on procurement workstreams and / or provide significant contribution to the delivery and management of commercial agreement procurements, working to agreed timelines. Procurement workstreams may include: commercial agreements, aggregated procurements, Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs).

Customer Partnership & Advocacy: 

• Act as a category specialist, proactively advising public sector buyers, across all levels of seniority, on optimal commercial strategies to ensure the best possible commercial outcomes for their technology procurement needs.

• Manage complex enquiries, providing high quality advice and guidance to enhance GCA’s reputation as a trusted partner.

Supplier Relationship Management and Market Insights: 

• Management of commercial agreement suppliers, with the capacity to support supplier negotiations when required. Requirements include analysing complex data and financial reporting to identify market trends, spending behaviours, and value-add opportunities for the benefit of the public sector.

Value Creation & Collaboration: 

• Develop strong engagement with suppliers and public sector buyers to identify and share best practice for successful commercial outcomes and deliver Value for the Nation.

• Work in close collaboration with the Customer Experience Directorate to retain, grow customer base through added value initiatives and improvement of service quality.

Risk & Strategy Development: 

• Effectively manage risk and issues for your agreement, ensuring mitigation and escalation measures are implemented as appropriate. 

• Support the Commercial Lead in evolving category strategies, providing insights based on customers’ and suppliers’ feedback with a view to continuously improving the Technology category group product portfolio.

Team & Operational Excellence: 

• Support team development and resilience either directly or through matrix management, while identifying and implementing process improvements to optimise category management operations

Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application stage):

• Experience of procurement and/or commercial contract management, with a track record of managing contract performance, delivering excellent customer satisfaction and value for money

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyse large data sets and make informed decisions in a complex commercial environment

• Experience of supplier and/or customer relationship management - preferably within the technology sector

• Proactively and collaboratively motivate, influence, and persuade diverse internal and external stakeholders across all seniority levels, advising and driving optimal commercial outcomes. 

• Ability to problem solve and identify continuous improvement opportunities that ensures the category/organisation operates with maximum effectiveness

Success Profiles (to be assessed at interview):

Experience

Behaviours:

• Working Together

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at pace

• Managing a quality service

Technical

Contract and supplier management (Lead success profile)

(A link to the Civil Service Success Profiles Framework is provided below)

Success Profiles Framework

Valuing our people:

• Competitive salary 

• Generous pension scheme

• A discretionary non-contractual performance related bonus 

• Working remotely in addition to working in advertised office location

• Flexi time scheme (available for B1-B6) - Remove this bullet for SCS roles

• Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum service related 30 days excluding bank holidays

Want to make a difference? Find out more about the rewarding work that we do in our candidate pack.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

We want to make our recruitment process accessible to everyone, so if there is any way that we can support you, please contact [email protected]

Working flexibly, delivering outcomes

GCA operates a smarter working model that balances flexibility with collaboration. Successful candidates are expected to spend at least 26 days per quarter (approximately 2 days per week, pro-rata) at their contracted office, another GCA site, or off-site for meetings. For the remainder of the time, you may work from home or another suitable location that meets business needs.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. 

Selection Process

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed please contact [email protected].

Please note that as part of this recruitment process, if you are unsuccessful at the interview stage but are close to the benchmark score you may be considered for and offered a role at a lower pay band within the same job family.

#GCAIND

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. 

Complaints Procedure

 Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-principles/

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact [email protected] in the first instance.

If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at [email protected]

Internal candidates should apply using their Workday account. Please use the careers hub for your application.