Guidance

Procurement Management - Commercial Specialist

Published 8 July 2024

Job Pillar Role Component	PROCUREMENT PROCESS Procurement Management
Commercial Professional Level	Commercial Specialist (Senior Civil Servant 1 equivalent)
Role Summary	In this role you will lead the procurement process, promote delivering commercial excellence for your department and ensure your team delivers a customer-focused service. The role is varied as you will be expected to use your commercial expertise to lead on all stages of the procurement process, from gathering requirements from across the business in line with market research, through to the handing over of  contracts to contract and supplier management for complex and high value contracts.   You will lead a team, building their confidence and commercial capability as an influential leader to shape and define a deal in a complex and uncertain context, delegating risks and issues to individuals in line with their experience and potential. The role will also require you to use your commercial expertise to take measured risks in order to deliver better approaches and services.
Key Responsibilities	Typically, the key responsibilities in this role will include (but are not limited to): ● Leading on the creation of markets to strengthen the range and quality of options available to government in its commercial arrangements ● Applying the most appropriate evaluation strategy to a sourcing requirement taking into account the type of commodity being procured, complexity, value and strategic importance ● Generating the way forward on complex deals, focused on outcomes and weighing up competing views ● Leading and managing the end to end tendering process ● Justifying commercial activity in accordance with the organisation’s commercial governance and management framework, HM Treasury requirements and Cabinet Office policy and spend controls ● Leading complex and high value negotiations, finalising major deals, escalating only where necessary to secure progress or improve outcomes ● Identifying and acting on opportunities for innovation to secure organisational improvement and the management of assets (e.g. intellectual property) ● Leading supplier engagement across a variety of stages within the procurement process with both strategic and non-strategic suppliers ● Using methods and strategic relationships to manage risks and foster high quality, reliable and on time delivery of products and services, which are only available from one supplier ● Managing cross-disciplinary teams and relationships at a senior level to deliver outcomes and applying good reporting and transparency mechanisms ● Quantifying and identifying contract management resources to help design and deliver the strategy for transition ● Applying a strong visual project management approach to procurement projects ● Developing and defining standards of success in regards to the return on investment for a particular commercial project/programme in their area of responsibility
Essential Criteria	Procurement Process: ● Has expertise in managing complex, high value and high risk procurements across a range of categories/sectors as well as in new and emerging markets Commercial Focus: ● Has a strong practical understanding of market shaping principles and contract law and has experience in working in a range of categories/sectors with a range of suppliers ● Demonstrates the ability to develop the definition of standards of success in terms of the return on investment and ‘value for money’ for each deal and can lead the debate to make the case with ministers ● Demonstrates the ability to manage the trade-offs and contradictions within complex deals and impact on other areas Risk and Assurance Management: ● Demonstrates the ability to take measured risks in order to deliver better approaches and services ● Demonstrates the ability to challenge the analysis of risks and margins of error to improve assurance on decisions Commercial Ethics: ● Demonstrates the ability to contribute to the development of standards and/or policy to eradicate corruption, fraud and unethical behaviour Team Management: ● Demonstrates the ability to coach and mentor individuals as a trusted leader and displays strong motivational capabilities to create a department culture focused on performance and priorities ● Demonstrates the ability to manage a team in shaping and defining a deal in a complex and uncertain context, delegating risks and issues to individuals in line with their experience and potential Build Relationships: ● Has strong stakeholder engagement skills in order to effectively communicate a deal over time from conception to delivery in line with the department’s commercial requirements ● Demonstrates the ability to understand the motivations and behaviours of stakeholders, suppliers and networks
Civil Service Behaviours	Ability to show examples across all of the following behaviours for level 5 of the Success Profiles Framework: Seeing the Big Picture: ● Anticipate the long-term impact on the department of economic, political, environmental, social and technological developments, at both national and international levels. Create joined up strategies that put into practice and support the Government’s vision for the future. Identify and shape how your work area fits within and supports the priorities of the organisation. Develop an in-depth insight into customers, services, communities and markets affected by your work areas and the wider public sector context. Ensure work is in the national interest whilst meeting the diverse needs of all end users Communicating and Influencing: ● Implement communication strategies which ensure effective communications are embedded and take account of people’s individual needs. Embed a culture where there is a wide ranging use of the infrastructure in place to support varied communication methods which deliver value for money. Communicate in a straightforward, honest and truthful way with consideration for the impact of the method used. Communicate with conviction and clarity in the face of tough negotiations or challenges. Respect and consider the diversity of the audience when giving messages and deliver these appropriately. Influence external partners, stakeholders and customers successfully securing mutually beneficial outcomes Managing a Quality Service: ● Clarify and articulate the diverse requirements of customers and delivery partners. Use customer insight to drive high quality and efficient service delivery which is a good investment of taxpayers money. Work collaboratively with customers and delivery partners to manage, monitor and deliver agreed outcomes. Identify areas for improvement and make appropriate changes to reach professional excellence. Break down complex aims into clear, practical and manageable plans. Identify the resource requirements to support implementation. Ensure risks are monitored and managed to prevent issues with service delivery wherever possible Leadership: ● Remain visible and approachable to all colleagues and stakeholders. Actively promote the reputation of the organisation with pride, both internally and externally. Display passion and enthusiasm for the work, helping to inspire colleagues and stakeholders to fully engage with the aims and long term vision. Embed a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity for all, where the diversity of individuals’ backgrounds and experiences are valued and respected. Work to influence the strategy, direction and culture to increase effectiveness
Department Context	To enhance the generic commercial role profile, additional information can be added by a department to outline the specific nature of the role. This may include: ● An additional short paragraph in the role summary ● Additional key responsibilities based on the department context ● Bespoke essential skills/experience required for the role