AMS PSR

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Senior Commercial Manager - Inside IR35 for a 6 month contract (possible extension) working on a Hybrid basis (1/2 days per week in Manchester or Blackpool office and remaining WFH) 

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:

• Help people to move into work and support those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• Help people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• Provide effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• Improve experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer.

Role purpose:

The Senior Commercial Manager will provide strategic commercial leadership to support the Digital team in delivering transformation activity across the Service Modernisation Programme (SMP) and in the development of the Financial Support Service (FSS).

The role holder will act as a key business partner, shaping commercial strategies, delivering procurements, and overseeing contract performance to ensure value for money and compliance with government standards.

The main duties and responsibilities of the Senior Commercial Manager would be to: 

• Lead commercial planning and procurement activity across the FSS product and SMP, ensuring aligned, effective and compliant sourcing approaches.
• Maintain an accurate commercial pipeline and provide clear, expert commercial advice to Digital and Finance stakeholders.
• Deliver timely procurements and ensure appropriate routes to market, including use of frameworks.
• Oversee contract and supplier management activities, ensuring strong performance, value delivery and effective issue resolution.
• Support capability development within the team and uphold professional commercial standards across the portfolio.
• Work closely with Finance Business Partners to support forecasting, spend tracking and identification of savings opportunities.

Essential Skills: 

• Experience leading complex public sector procurements, ideally in Digital/Technology environments.
• Strong understanding of public procurement regulations and commercial governance.
• Ability to build commercial strategies, assess risk and engage the market effectively.
• Proven stakeholder management and communication skills, including working with senior leaders.
• Experience managing and improving supplier and contract performance.
• Professional commercial accreditation (e.g., MCIPS or CCS Contract Management Accreditation).
• Experience working in central government or large digital transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of agile or iterative delivery environments.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with Atamis or similar commercial pipeline/contract management tools.
• Previous DOS experience

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".