Commercial Practitioner in Liverpool

Would you like to be part of our high performing Financial Services team? This is a really exciting opportunity to join a complex and high-profile category across government, working with strategic customers and suppliers across the public sector as we launch new agreements across Debt Recovery, Payment Cards and Insurance.

Reporting to a Category Lead, the Commercial Practitioner will be a key part of the team of 17. Working alongside professional and experienced commercial colleagues, you will be responsible for ensuring the effective day to day management of our commercial agreements, as well as managing strategic supplier relationships and supporting our key customers across the public sector. You will be driving value to the entire public sector with over 3000 customers using our Financial Services agreements and approximately £4bn of yearly spend. This is a diverse category area covering everything from open banking and payment cards to insurance, debt recovery and spend analysis.

Key Accountabilities

• End to end Category management of our Commercial Agreements
• Lead on supplier relationship management, including the collection of supplier and customer management
• Proactively counsel on customer relationship management activities that build strong relationships with key customers, including the management of customer partnerships
• Assisting the Category Lead in updating and developing the category strategy and leading on the presentation of this to key stakeholders as necessary
• Identifying and providing recommendations for improvement of processes and implementing solutions to the benefit of CCS and the customer
• Communicating effectively to stakeholders of differing levels of seniority, using a variety of styles and methods that match the audience
• Work across the category in a collaborative manner and on occasions direct and/or represent the commercial team on agreed corporate initiatives
• Some travel will be required to customer and supplier premises and other CCS offices across the United Kingdom

Essential Criteria (to Be Assessed At Application Stage)

• Experience of category/commercial agreement management in Financial Services within government or wider public sector organisations, ideally in revenue and recovery, insurance or payment cards.
• A track record of supporting supplier performance, developing and maintaining robust category strategies/plans and delivering excellent customer satisfaction
• Demonstrate strong commercial acumen with the ability to assess data and make informed commercial decisions
• Proven experience leading on supplier and customer management activities across the Financial Services category, working proactively and collaboratively to motivate, influence and persuade internal and external stakeholders of varying seniority, offering advice, encouragement and driving value

Success Profiles (to be assessed at interview)

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Technical
• Contract and supplier management

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 recruitment@gca.gov.uk

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, factual 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 recruitment@gca.gov.uk.

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.

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 Civil Service Commission 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.

Internal candidates should apply using their Workday account. Please use the careers hub for your application.