Commercial Operations Lead in Liverpool

Job Title

Commercial Operations Lead

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 manage £60 billion in annual spend by FY 27/28. You will use deep expertise in strategy, finance, capacity and compliance to manage competing priorities, build consensus, spearhead continuous improvement and best practices across the commercial lifecycle, and adapt 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.
• Work 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 management
• 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
• Delivery of key continuous improvement and change projects and support across the portfolio of projects at any one time
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships across GCA and with internal stakeholders, developing detailed knowledge of stakeholder needs to deliver value through operational excellence.
• Supporting the Operational Delivery leadership team to manage change within the Commercial Directorate and/or other Directorates across GCA as appropriate.
• Leading elements of delivery of key strategic GCA and Civil Service priorities, such as Government Commercial Function alignment, commercial capability advancement and UK economic growth.
• Formation, management, maintenance and leadership of working groups and cross‑functional teams to drive delivery on project areas under your control.

Essential Criteria

• Experience developing and maintaining strong operational practices across a business, ensuring end‑to‑end process efficiency.
• Evidence of supporting annual financial planning processes and financial modelling.
• Experience working flexibly to lead and/or support the delivery of business‑as‑usual activity within an operational delivery focussed area.
• Demonstrable ability to deliver key continuous improvement and change projects, utilising operational delivery expertise to make informed decisions and actions.
• Expertise building and maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders.

Technical Requirements

• Driving continuous improvement programmes (assessed via 10‑minute presentation).
• Data analytics and reporting.

Valuing Our People – Benefits

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

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.

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 recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk in the first instance. If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk.