Commercial Practitioner

Commercial Practitioner

Band: 4

Salary: £48,027 – £53,310

Location: Norwich/Newport/Liverpool/Birmingham

Terms: Permanent

Hours: Full Time / Part Time / Job Share / Compressed

Closing Date: 01/12/2025

Join us on Tuesday 19th November at 18:00 to gain valuable insight into CCS and our recruitment process. Register your attendance for this session or any of our upcoming sessions.

Do you want to progress your career in the UK’s largest public sector procurement organisation? If so, you will have the chance to lead and mentor a team while creating market‑leading commercial agreements that help shape how common goods and services are bought across the public sector.

Job Summary

Reporting to a Commercial Lead, the Commercial Practitioner is a key part of the Category team and holds dual responsibility for ensuring the effective day‑to‑day management of commercial agreements and for the direct line management and development of assigned team members. This demands a significant level of customer and supplier relationship management, alongside effective team leadership and performance management, which are integral parts of the role.

Directorate Overview

Commercial is the largest directorate in CCS and is responsible for the design, development, implementation and management of our commercial agreements, which are used by our customers across the public sector.

We have delivered value to the public sector and helped our customers spend more than £34 billion through the agreements we create, enjoying more than £3.5 billion in commercial benefits annually.

Category management sits at the heart of CCS. We use our in‑depth knowledge and expertise of public sector suppliers to create market and category strategies that shape how common goods and services are bought across the public sector. Our skills are also used in commercial policy development, new product and service development and supplier relationship management.

Team Summary

Reporting to a Commercial Lead, the Commercial Practitioner has responsibility for ensuring the effective management of commercial agreements. This demands a significant level of customer and supplier relationship management.

Across our three core categories – Estates, Corporate and Technology – there is currently one available line‑management role: Government Management Consultancy (Permanent). This role is a leadership role within the team with three direct reports.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and guide team members, manage performance to ensure a high‑performing team, and support staff development through regular feedback.
• Provide direct line management to assigned reports, including coaching, mentoring and conducting regular 1‑to‑1 meetings and performance reviews.
• Direct end‑to‑end category management of our commercial agreements.
• Lead supplier relationship management, including the collection of supplier and customer information, financial reporting, updating and assessing multiple data sources to identify trends and spending behaviours.
• Work with suppliers to identify and drive customer‑focused initiatives, networks and forums that drive better buying behaviours and value for the public sector.
• Proactively counsel on customer relationship management activities that build strong relationships with key customers, including the management of customer partnerships where applicable.
• Effectively lead the risk and issue management processes for your agreement, ensuring mitigation and escalation are implemented as appropriate.
• Act as a source of knowledge and advice for our customers in the relevant category, influencing their buying behaviours and adding value to their call‑off activities.
• Assist the Category Lead in updating and developing the category strategy and heading on the presentation of this to key stakeholders as necessary.
• Lead marketing and communication activities for your commercial agreement.
• Help develop other team members, ensuring resilience in the team either directly or through a matrix‑managed style approach.
• Communicate effectively to a variety of stakeholders of differing levels of seniority, using appropriate styles and methods.
• Some travel will be required to customer and supplier premises and other CCS offices across the United Kingdom.

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience in direct line management, including leading, coaching, and motivating a team, managing performance, and supporting staff development.
• Experience of category/commercial agreement management, with a track record of directing performance, developing and maintaining robust category strategies/plans and delivering excellent customer satisfaction and value for money.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to assess data and make informed commercial decisions in a complex commercial environment.
• Proven experience leading on supplier and customer relationship management.
• Experience working proactively and collaboratively to motivate, influence and persuade internal and external stakeholders of varying seniority.

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at pace
• Managing a quality service

Technical

• Contract and supplier management

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Generous pension scheme.
• Discretionary non‑contractual performance‑related bonus.
• Remote working in addition to working in the advertised office location.
• Flexi‑time scheme (available for B1–B6).
• Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum of 30 days, excluding bank holidays.

Working flexibly

CCS is a flexible business with a smarter working model where our colleagues benefit from a mix of home and office working. Successful candidates are expected to work from one of the office locations listed. Our current office attendance approach requires a minimum of 26 days per quarter (approx. 2 days per week, subject to change) in CCS office locations or off‑site meetings with suppliers, customers, partners, networking or industry events. This is pro‑rata for part‑time staff. The approach supports responsible business, flexibility, better work‑life balance and confidence in delivering outcomes in line with CCS values.

Selection Process

Candidates who are successful at sift will be contacted as soon as possible following the closing date and advised of the interview process in more detail. The sift will commence on the week commencing 1st December November; interviews will be held on the week commencing 15th December either at one of our offices or via video call, with times and dates to be confirmed (subject to change).

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, but all examples and statements must be truthful and taken directly from your own experience.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months and may be used to fill future suitable vacancies across government for candidates considered appointable following interview. If you are placed on a reserve list and wish to be removed please contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Legal and EEO Statements

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

All applicants will be assessed in accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles, you may contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk, or, if unsatisfied, contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk.