Associate Director of Commercial

Shape the commercial future of a nationally important organisation. Influence strategy, investment and performance at board level.

About Our Client

DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 on 1 December 2012, working from two sites, which are Liverpool and Darlington. We operate on behalf of government delivering Disclosure functions in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and Barring functions for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. We function within a framework of legal and regulatory requirements and that includes work with a range of external organisations including other government departments, regulators, and trade bodies. We provide a service that enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make better informed, safer recruitment and other decisions. We do this by providing information to enable them to determine whether individuals are unsuitable or unable to undertake certain work, particularly with occupations involving regular contact with vulnerable groups, including children.

Our Strategy: Our current Strategy sets out our purpose, vision, and the impacts we want to achieve. Our strategy was co-created with our staff and has been supported by insight from our various partners, and throughout, you will find our ambitions to be achieved. Everything that we do within DBS, from developing our strategic intent, to the day-to-day operational delivery of our services, is underpinned by constant considerations of safeguarding, quality, sustainability, value for money, and diversity and inclusion. Our strategic objectives aim to enhance our effectiveness, influence, and customer satisfaction while fostering a supportive environment for everyone.

Job Description

The post of Associate Director - Commercial (Technology and Innovation) is primarily responsible for leading the T&I Contracts side of the Commercial team and for partnering with stakeholders across the organisation to understand the business needs. As a key member of the Finance and Commercial Leadership team, the post holder will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure customer and stakeholder needs are met, and that all commercial activity is delivered compliantly with public accountability expectations, the procurement regulations (including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and regulations that pertain to the Procurement Act 2023 as appropriate), government policy and professional standards. As the DBS is a member of the Home Office family, you will work closely with other members of the Home Office Finance community. Building relationships with people in Home Office will be key to ensuring DBS and Home Office expectations, systems and processes are aligned.

You will play a pivotal role in the development of the DBS Commercial Roadmap and associated Category plans, to support delivery of the DBS 2028 Strategy and will lead and support a team of 7 in implementing a T&I Commercial Business Partnering Model to ensure effective resource capacity and capability is in place to support the delivery of these strategies.

Corporate Duties:

• Build and maintain influential relationships with senior stakeholders across DBS, the Home Office, Cabinet Office and wider government commercial community.
• Develop and deliver the DBS Commercial Roadmap, category strategies and multi-year procurement plans aligned to organisational objectives.
• Provide leadership, coaching and direction to a team of commercial professionals, developing capability and commercial expertise.
• Drive market intelligence, category knowledge and innovative commercial approaches to deliver improved business outcomes.
• Lead complex procurements across multiple categories, ensuring compliance with procurement legislation, governance and assurance requirements.
• Develop procurement strategies, negotiate contract terms and lead market engagement activities to deliver category objectives.
• Identify, manage and mitigate commercial, supplier and contractual risks, escalating issues appropriately to senior stakeholders.
• Oversee the full commercial lifecycle, including planning, tendering, evaluation, governance, award and contract mobilisation.
• Ensure robust commercial pipelines, savings delivery, supplier relationship management and resolution of escalated contractual issues.
• Champion compliance with the Procurement Act 2023, government commercial standards and pan-government commercial objectives and best practice.

The Successful Applicant

The successful applicant will need to be able to demonstrate the below ability and experience:

• Ability to design strategic MI required from a variety of sources for the purposes of DBS/Supplier meetings/negotiations and DBS, HO and CO governance. Skilled in understanding senior stakeholders MI needs.
• Skilled at balancing conflicting demands; to prioritise strategically to ensure DBS strategic objectives and corporate priorities are met and/or influence corporate re-prioritisation for the team.
• Effectively communicates with all levels of stakeholders both within DBS; with suppliers and with broader government; able to influence Senior Stakeholders.
• Able to flex leadership and communication style in line with strategic situational leadership thinking; leads team members, peers and senior stakeholders by example in Subject Matter Expert specific areas.
• Resilient under pressure able to work alone on strategic priorities/outcomes and/or lead the team to deliver successful outcomes at pace, against a backdrop of changing priorities both within the function and across the business.
• Strategically led complex portfolios/programmes involving novel and non-standard commercial and contractual mechanisms, with the ability to identify improvements that deliver greater commercial outcomes.
• Experience in leading the most strategic and key procurements and contracts for an organisation, delivering with and through others; reducing/mitigating potential reputational risk, ensuring security of supply and a focus in managing costs and driving best value.
• Experience in building optimal relationships with all levels of stakeholders and the most senior managers across the organisation and across government in a complex and strategic commercial environment, through highly effective communication skills, gravitas and personal impact.
• Experienced in developing and leading multiple teams to support organisational delivery, managing complex intra-team relationships.
• CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) membership, qualified to Level 6 Diploma.

What's on Offer

• Salary - £74,061 - £79,037
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Excellent maternity, paternity and adoption schemes (after a qualifying period)
• Commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Flexible working opportunities
• Eyecare voucher scheme
• Occupational Health Service including referrals for counselling and physiotherapy
• 24/7 Counselling and Wellbeing Service
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

This role is available on a remote, hybrid, or office basis. Initially, all DBS employees' contracts are office-based at one of their two sites (Liverpool and Darlington). Employees can apply for remote or hybrid work from day one. If approved, the arrangement will start after six months for transfers from Home Office or after completing probation for new joiners. Requests will be considered based on business needs and role requirements. Informal hybrid working arrangements are also available from day one, subject to business needs and role requirements and will be discussed further following any job offer.

Recruitment Timeline

The following timetable outlines indicative dates. Please note, these dates may be subject to change without prior notice: Closing date: 08/11/2026 at 23:59. The initial candidate sift is due to take place week commencing 09/11/2026. First interviews will take place on the 18th and 20th of November. Second interviews will take place on the 23rd November.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at DBS

DBS is committed to fostering an environment that values individual differences and ensures fair treatment to unlock the full potential of staff and better support customers. Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are core to driving organisational success and they have developed specific equality objectives for DBS. Every decision and activity will be considered through an EDI lens, aiming to build an inclusive culture, improve policies and practices, gain external assurances, and become a leading voice of good practice in EDI.