This is an exciting opportunity in enabling the DWP Commercial Strategy. Our strategy is fundamental to the achievement of departmental objectives priorities and delivery of government missions, including the National Procurement Policy Statement. The Commercial Policy and Process Lead is a key role in our structure. The post holder will be implementing government policy through procurement to secure additional value from the annual commercial spend in DWP. The policies support ministerial priorities and better outcomes from our suppliers, including sustainability with social value. Policy is also vital to creating a collaborative and innovative environment in the commercial function by embedding the new Procurement Act and reforms working with commercial teams and stakeholders to drive maximum value through adoption of new regulations. The post holder will also work with other teams and wider stakeholders across DWP and government to continuously improve processes and ways of working, creating opportunity to streamline and automate processes, facilitating the use of system-based tools in the end-to-end procurement process where appropriate. The post holder will report to the senior Commercial Policy Lead and will be supported by a small, dedicated team with access to relevant subject matter experts across the enabling functions. The post holder will also work closely with key stakeholders, including Category Teams, Finance, Legal and Cabinet Office and will act as the central support function lead for implementation of the DWP National Procurement Policy Statement policy objectives. Person specification Collaborate with central government policy teams to shape and influence general commercial policy as it develops and to understand key priorities and how they align to DWP objectives. Develop, maintain and communicate commercial policy technical guidance to commercial and non-commercial staff. Draft submissions to senior commercial staff about procurement policy and legislative changes. Present policy and process overviews and updates to CD staff via appropriate channels such as MS Teams on Commercial Policy. Create best practice forums with commercial colleagues in DWP and across government teams. Build deep expertise in social value and sustainability commercial policy and process and implement the DWP National Procurement Policy Statement policy, driving opportunities to create improved contract delivery, wider societal outcomes and value for money. Contribute to cross government forums and ensure policies and process are clearly communicated and guidance maintained to cover the Outsourcing Playbooks, Cabinet Office commercial toolkits, Model Contracts and devise ways to improve commercial policy support to category teams. Build relationships across a wide range on internal and external stakeholders including finance and legal functions and build trust through delivering high quality, expert advice. Ensure policy changes are impacted across relevant areas and implemented effectively via implementation plans. Ensure effective governance and controls are in place to support policy delivery. Assign and manage work within a small, expert team. The application process will involve uploading a CV and personal statement. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed below. Further information under Application process. Essential skills required for the role - Experience of working in a policy or advisory role at a senior (lead) level in a large, complex organisation Demonstrable experience of delivering a significant change to commercial process Excellent stakeholder management skills -ability to establish professional credibility quickly. An excellent communicator able to influence senior stakeholders and with the skill to present complex messages simply and effectively. Ability to use initiative and judgement to tailor your approach to suit different implementation requirements and stakeholder needs. Solution orientated and resilient motivated to look for new opportunities and find new ways of overcoming problems, dealing positively with setbacks and delivering successful outcomes. Desirable skills Worked in a commercial or financial/legal environment. Knowledge of Public Contract Regulations, Procurement Act and Government Commercial Function/Cabinet Office commercial policies. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Communicating and Influencing Changing and Improving Managing a Quality Service Making Effective Decisions Benefits Alongside your salary of 57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave. Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme. Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service. Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes. An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more. This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience. Please apply on the Civil Service Jobs website. You will be required to: Provide personal information. Enter your CV in the space provided, setting out your employment history. Complete a personal statement (maximum of 1250 words) which should demonstrate how you meet ALL of the essential skills as set out in the job description. Stage 1 Assessment - Sift: At sift, we will assess your application by using your CV and personal statement only. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed in the job advert above. Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour-based examples in the content of your CV or personal statement. Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually 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. Stage 2 Assessment - Interview: If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview using MS Teams, where you shall be assessed on the Behaviours listed below as well as some civil service strengths. Interview Assessment Elements (Success Profiles): We will assess the following Behaviours at interview; Communicating and Influencing Changing and Improving Managing a Quality Service Making Effective Decisions Indicative Timeline: Please note that the following dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these time frames, please let us know in your application. Sifting Panel: W/C 20th October 2025 Final Panel Interviews: W/C 3rd November 2025 Further Information At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub. Reserve List A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note: If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health). If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list. Disability Confident Scheme If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards. Reasonable Adjustments We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. Integrity, plagiarism, Civil Service Principles and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Examples of plagiarism can include: Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check toDisclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out. Important New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks. Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWPs Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions. Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary. Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website. VISA Please note that these vacancies we recommend that applicants seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role. We can never guarantee sponsorship, requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. Diversity and Inclusion 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name : Katherine Harrison Email : KATHERINE.HARRISON@DWP.GOV.UK Recruitment team Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission. Attachments Commercial Directorate Candidate Pack - 430396 Opens in new window (pdf, 1129kB) DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 46kB) Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview-Accessble-Version Opens in new window (docx, 67kB)