22381 - Commissioning Manager Legal Aid Agency in London

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

• Salary: The national salary range is £42,914 - £46,182, London salary range is £49,325 - £53,081. Your salary will be dependent on your base location.
• Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working.
• Location: Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Jarrow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester.
• Closing Date: 01-Oct-2026.
• Post Type: Permanent.
• Civil Service Grade: SEO.
• Number of jobs available: 1.
• Reserve List: 12 Months.

Job Summary

As an SEO Commissioning Manager, you will play a key role in delivering commissioning and procurement activity that supports a sustainable and resilient legal aid market. You will help plan and run tenders across the commissioning cycle, applying project management tools and techniques to support successful outcomes for customers, providers and the wider justice system. You will work within a supportive and experienced commissioning team, contributing to activity that builds on strong foundations of collaboration with internal colleagues and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support commissioning activity that strengthens the sustainability and resilience of the legal aid market, contributing to approaches that maintain access to services over the short and longer term.
• Play an active role in market engagement, working with providers and representative bodies to build understanding of capacity, risks and opportunities, and feeding insight into commissioning and procurement activity.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, collaborating to align policy, operational and commercial objectives.
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of commissioning and procurement activity, supporting elements of tender exercises and ensuring activity aligns with agreed priorities, timetables and governance.
• Develop and apply knowledge of procurement and commissioning policy, practice and legislation, using this to support robust, proportionate and well-managed activity.
• Support effective planning, scheduling and tracking of commissioning work, ensuring systems and information enable good decision-making.
• Contribute insight and information to support workforce and resource planning within the team.
• Undertake line management or supervisory responsibilities where required, supporting delivery, learning and development.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills:

• Proven ability to analyse complex market and operational issues, drawing on evidence and stakeholder insight to develop practical, workable solutions that support access and sustainability.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with excellent attention to detail, enabling you to interpret market, performance or delivery information accurately and use it to inform commissioning activity.
• Clear and confident written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain issues, share insight and present options effectively to internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Effective influencing and engagement skills, with experience of working collaboratively across teams and with external partners to build shared understanding and support collective outcomes.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs at pace in a stakeholder-rich and changing environment.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills:

• An up-to-date understanding of the Legal Aid Agency’s duties under procurement regulations, and how these are applied proportionately in commissioning and tender activity to support effective market outcomes.
• Experience of supporting or running tender processes and using eTendering systems, with an appreciation of how procurement tools and processes impact providers and wider stakeholder engagement.
• Project management experience, with the ability to coordinate activity across stakeholders, manage interdependencies and support delivery through the commissioning cycle.
• Wider business or commercial contract management experience, bringing insight into supplier relationships, value for money and market sustainability.
• Experience of implementing or supporting change, including working with stakeholders to communicate change, understand impacts and embed new ways of working.
• Holds, is working towards, or is willing to work towards a relevant professional accreditation with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

Person Specification:

• Demonstrates strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy, quality and confidence when working with complex information, stakeholders and commissioning activity.
• Is resilient and adaptable, able to respond constructively to multiple and sometimes competing challenges while maintaining momentum and focus.
• Keeps sight of the end goal, understanding how individual tasks and decisions contribute to wider commissioning outcomes, market sustainability and access to justice.
• Thrives in a changing environment, responding positively to evolving priorities, stakeholder needs and policy or market developments.
• Is proactive in seeking better ways of working, showing curiosity, initiative and a willingness to contribute ideas that improve collaboration, market engagement and commissioning practice.

Application Process:

To apply please submit a CV and statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more than 1000 words. Your statement should demonstrate your ability to do all the essential criteria listed, using examples can help strengthen your application.

Interview / Assessment Process:

If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre in person or via Microsoft Teams where you will be assessed against the following: Strengths relevant to the role, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a quality service.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain, and invest in talent wherever it is found. As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role.