Commercial Specialist in Birmingham

Department: Complex Transaction Team (CTT)

Job title: Commercial Specialist

Location: London E14 4PU, Birmingham B2 4BJ

Salary: £106,000 - £131,000. GCO Pension, GCO Terms. Up to 20% performance-related-pay available on accreditation.

Please note that we will be hosting an Engagement Call to talk about the role and answer any questions on Friday 02/10/2026 at 2pm. You can reserve a spot on Eventbrite by following the link on the advert.

Complex Transactions (CTT) is a diverse team of commercial experts who - prior to joining us - have gained experience across a range of sectors, industries and procurement categories. Working in a pan-Government consulting role our objective is to support and enable Departments to deliver their most challenging and demanding objectives. All of our work is high profile, high value or integral to Government policy. In many cases it is all three. This recruitment campaign aims to increase the commercial specialist capacity in the team.

The team structure is not typical of the civil service and is a reverse pyramid of senior commercial specialist expertise. The team currently has c.45 members. You don't need to have a background in public sector procurement to join us. We're more interested in your commercial acumen, leadership, flexibility and desire to make a difference.

In this client-facing consultancy role, you will be deployed directly to client departmental sites (requiring frequent travel up to 3 days per week) to embed alongside commercial, policy and programme teams. You will take personal ownership of senior client relationships and lead high stakes commercial interventions in person.

To be successful in this role you'll have a track record of commercial success in leading programmes and driving them to completion. Additionally, you'll have demonstrable experience of managing complexity when making commercial decisions.

• Senior Client Advisory: Being a trusted advisor to commercial, policy, operational and programme leaders to help in the delivery of complex commercial programmes. Providing expert advice and support to some of the most high profile and complex commercial programmes and initiatives in Government.
• Sourcing & Strategy Delivery: Partner face to face with client teams to support departments to structure their sourcing and commercial strategies to deliver value for money on departmental programmes and projects.
• Lead Commercial Deal Making & Negotiations: Shaping and leading commercial negotiations with both new and incumbent suppliers through to great outcomes; providing strategic advice and support to complex contracts during the procurement phase, contract exit and contract reviews.
• Client Dispute Resolution: Resolving high-value commercial disputes between government departments and strategic suppliers.
• Practice Development & Thought Leadership: Identifying how Government can address best practice commercial approaches to ensure transparency, effective pricing and robust exit arrangements, in more complex contracts.
• Build CTT’s Consultancy Practice: Contribute actively to building CTT’s consultancy methodology, sharing commercial best practices across Government, and mentoring team members within our senior advisory structure
• Track Record of Commercial Delivery: Track record of success in leading commercial programmes, driving them forward to completion, this will include building, developing and leading teams. Significant commercial expertise and experience gained from a career working with or in blue-chip organisations at a senior level. Evidence of running insource/outsource conversations and transitioning.
• Strategic Negotiation & Deal Structuring: Strategic deal-maker with extensive experience leading multiple, large-scale, complex negotiations and deals. You are adept at balancing assertive commercial tactics with the relationship management skills necessary to align with senior level stakeholders. Demonstrable experience of managing complexity when making commercial decisions.
• Complex Sourcing Strategy Design: Senior leader with extensive evidence of designing, shaping and agreeing innovative sourcing and commercial strategies from a lead role in a complex organisation.
• Outstanding Consultancy & Client Management Skills: Demonstrate outstanding consultancy skills likely to be gained in a professional services environment. Proven ability to establish immediate credibility and influence strategic outcomes with diverse internal and external stakeholders, demonstrates outstanding influencing and communication skills alongside strong network development.
• Executive Gravitas & C-Suite Presence: Demonstrate high levels of credibility, gravitas and business acumen with a natural presence that is likely to result in successfully influencing outcomes, operating at senior c‑suite levels. Expertly navigates complexity to influence key outcomes. Confidently handles rigorous questioning from senior stakeholders without much oversight.

You will also:

• Be amongst the most senior members of the Government Commercial Function and play a role in the broader commercial reform programme led by the Government Chief Commercial Officer.
• Play a key leadership and change management role in developing a strong commercial function for the Cabinet Office and across Government.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Strategic deal-maker with extensive experience leading large-scale negotiations. Adept at balancing assertive commercial tactics with relationship management to align senior stakeholders.
• Significant commercial expertise and experience gained from a career working with or in blue-chip organisations at a senior level. Evidence of running insource/outsource conversations and transitioning.
• Demonstrate high levels of credibility, gravitas and business acumen with a natural presence that is likely to result in successfully influencing outcomes, operating at senior c‑suite levels.
• Demonstrate outstanding consultancy skills with a proven ability to establish credibility and influence strategic outcomes among diverse stakeholders, supported by exceptional communication and network development.
• Senior leader with extensive evidence of designing, shaping and agreeing innovative sourcing and commercial strategies from a lead role in a complex organisation.

Although SC is required to take up this post, a DV application is expected upon joining the team. Applications are accepted from individuals holding dual nationality, a requirement of this post is that one of the nationalities must be British.