Deputy Director for Commercial Operations (Strategy, Architecture, Standards and Data)

Job Title - Deputy Director for Commercial Operations (Strategy, Architecture, Standards and Data)

Salary - £101,000 - £131,000, GCO Pension, GCO Terms. Up to 20% performance-related-pay available on accreditation.

Locations - London, York, Norwich, Glasgow

As the Deputy Director for Commercial Operations (Strategy, Architecture, Standards and Data), you will be the strategic anchor for the central Commercial Strategy, Standards, and Data team. You will support the Director for the Strategy, Assurance and Standards directorate (SAS) to lead the vision for the Strategy, Assurance, and Standards directorate, acting as an ambassador for the centre during a period of significant organisational change.

You will be responsible for driving the agreed operating model, ensuring that our approach to continuous improvement is systemic rather than transactional.

By providing high-level direction (acting as the intelligent client function) and owning critical decisions, you empower your Grade 6 leads to focus on deep-level delivery within their respective portfolios. You will provide a key ‘filteration’ role, in doing so you will protect the team, provide clarity, manage pressure, and foster trust.

You will act as the vital conduit between the G6 portfolio leads and the SAS Director, ensuring that our work on Commercial Standards, Strategy and Governance, and Digital and Data innovation is cohesive, aligned with ministerial priorities, and effectively integrated with the evolving Government Commercial Agency (GCA) and Government Commercial and Grants (GC&G) Group landscape.

A core requirement of the role is to act as the senior owner of commercial standards (GovS 008) and the Commercial Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework (CCIAF), driving their adoption across Central Government and Arms Length Bodies.

Person specification

• 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 GCF SAS and across government.

Technical skills

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

• Enterprise risk management experience using the 3-lines-of-defence model, with proven knowledge of third-party supply chain and commercial risk practices aligned with the HMT Orange Book.




• Proven "Intelligent Client Function" for commercial data to advise the GCCO. Uses data insights to reduce risks, drive up standards and adoption, and deliver positive outcomes.




• Demonstrates commercial acumen with a track record delivering HMG multi-year strategies, enterprise architecture frameworks, and risk governance. Skilled in PCR2015/Procurement Act 2023 and leading GMPP/MPLA delivery.




• Drives GovS 008 and CCIAF adoption to build maturity while mentoring teams & fostering inclusive culture. Proven leader of high-tempo Private Office units and complex redesigns, maintaining delivery momentum under pressure.




• Proven ability to act as the central voice, effectively communicating team value and positioning strategic vision to senior stakeholders, including Ministers and Permanent Secretaries.




• Proven ability to shape and drive strategic direction for the Government Commercial Function Strategy (2026-29), converting business plans into measurable outcomes across core priority areas