Commercial Operations Lead

Job description

Job Title: Commercial Operations Lead

Band: 5

Salary: £59,877 - £66,869

Location: Liverpool/Norwich/Newport/Birmingham

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time/Compressed Hours/Part Time

Closing Date: 12/07/26

Interview Date(s): WC 27th July (subject to change)

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Are you an experienced Operations Delivery Lead who is highly technical with operational processes and procedures and who thrives in complex work environments and with enterprise leadership?

Are you looking for a role that bridges the gap between high-level business strategy and day-to-day execution, to ensure services, projects, and continuous improvement plans are delivered efficiently, responsibly, and within budget?

Job Summary

As a trusted Business Operations Professional within the Government Commercial Function, you will lead operational excellence and transformation across more than 400 commercial and procurement professionals. 

Reporting to the Head of Commercial Operations, you will support major change programmes to support the agency's ambition to manage £60 billion in annual spend by FY 27/28.

Utilising deep expertise in strategy, finance, capacity, and compliance, you will manage competing priorities and build consensus. You will spearhead continuous improvement and best practices across the entire commercial lifecycle, ensuring the agency adapts swiftly to changing priorities.

Key Accountabilities:

•  Support the development and maintenance of strong operational practices across GCA Commercial and the wider business, ensuring end-to-end process efficiency. 

• Support the Medium Term Financial Planning process. 

• Working flexibly to lead and/or support the delivery of business as usual activity within commercial operations focus areas, which may include but are not limited to:

  • Capacity planning and resource

  • Financial forecasting and planning.  

  • Internal Audit 

  • Data and digital development

  • Market strategy compliance

  • Business Planning

  • Operating model and associated strategy, including the newly formed organisation blueprint process

  • Process improvement and projects

• Responsible for the successful delivery of key continuous improvement and change projects and supporting delivery across the portfolio of projects at any one time and utilising deep operational expertise to provide strong visible leadership in portfolio areas and developing strategies and approaches to deliver successful change initiatives.

• The post holder will build and maintain strong working relationships across GCA and with important internal stakeholders. Developing and owning relationships, building detailed knowledge of stakeholder needs to deliver value through operational excellence.  

• Supporting the Operational Delivery leadership team to successfully manage change within the Commercial Directorate (as a result of other Directorate changes) and/or supporting change/impact to other Directorates across GCA as appropriate.  

• Leading on some elements of delivery of key strategic GCA and Civil Service priorities, e.g. Government Commercial Function alignment, Commercial capability advancement,  UK Economic Growth

• Responsible for the formation, management, maintenance and leadership of working groups and/or cross functional teams to drive delivery on project areas under your control  

Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application stage):

• Experience of developing and maintenance of strong operational practices across a business, ensuring end-to-end process efficiency. 

• Evidence of supporting annual financial planning processes and financial modelling. 

• Evidence of working flexibly to lead and/or support the delivery of business as usual activity within an operational delivery focused area

• Demonstrable ability for the successful delivery of key continuous improvement and change projects , utilising operational delivery expertise to make informed decisions and actions. 

• Expert capability of building and maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders.

Success Profiles (to be assessed at interview):

Behaviours:

• Leadership

• Changing & Improving

• Communicating & Influencing

• Developing self and others

• Delivering at pace

Technical:

• Driving continuous improvement programmes (assessed via 10 minute presentation)

• Data analytics and reporting

(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)

• 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.

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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.