About the job

Job summary

We are looking for a Commercial Manager to join our Parliamentary Commercial Directorate (PCD). This is an exciting time to join as over the coming 2 years, we plan to undertake significant changes aimed at increasing our impact across the organisation. This comes on top of continuing to ensure the value for money from our nearly £1bn in annual spend and supporting transformational projects across the organisation and our estate, including at the Palace of Westminster which is a UNECSO world heritage site.

This role will enable you to undertake compliant end-to-end procurements, ensuring required regulations and frameworks are followed. You will work closely with customers and business areas within your role as Commercial Manager, embedding good contract management practices, offering support and communicating change or requirements in a clear, concise and engaging way. You’ll support the delivery of the category strategy in various ways including conducting market/stakeholder analysis and benchmarking tasks.

This is an opportunity to work on a hybrid basis, with an expectation to be on-site at Parliament for a minimum of 2 days per week. This is a fantastic opportunity for an organised, self-motivated and engaged individual who enjoys working within a team and is keen to be a part of ensuring that the overall commercial function operates at its best.

Job description

You’ll be accountable for –

• Undertaking compliant end-to-end procurements, including those above procurement thresholds under the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015, the new 2023 Procurement Regs and through existing frameworks.

 

• Supporting the delivery of your team’s category/project strategy for the relevant category/project team such as via undertaking market and supplier relationship analysis and benchmarking.

 

• Maintaining a thorough understanding of your customers business and culture, supporting them in your role as Commercial Manager, helping to embed good contract management practices.

 

• Owning project data in our e-sourcing system and supporting the active promotion of systems, tools, and data management, enabling us to provide effective services and meet transparency obligations.

 

• Developing knowledge of the obligations within Parliamentary contracts, maintaining knowledge of the levers, performance standards, and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) etc. contained within.

 

• Supporting the Commercial Function to deliver effective results on time, to required quality standards and cost, to fulfil the business plan and achieve/ support environmental goals.

 

• Writing BAU reports in order to comply with governance requirements.

 

If this sounds like something you would like to hear more about, please apply below.

Person specification

What we’re looking for –

• You may have level 4 CIPS, equivalent experience or other relevant qualifications.
• An interest in procurement, ideally with 2 years commercial experience, where key achievements can be demonstrated.

 

• Knowledge of Procurement Legislation (Public Contract Regulations and the Defence & Security Public Contract Regulations.

 

• Experience at using systems to generate management information/reporting to drive decision making.

 

• Experience of working at varying levels with internal and occasionally external stakeholders. Ability to develop rapport with colleagues and contacts, utilising negotiating and influencing skills to produce a positive outcome.

 

• Well organised, methodical approach to work with an ability to prioritise and multitask.

 

• Ability to learn quickly and exercise initiative and seek ways to improve service.

 

• Proven analytical and research skills that can be applied to several different challenges and scenarios

 

• Good IT skills and a strong commitment to the use of IT including E-tendering systems.

 

• Ability to work quickly under pressure maintaining a high standard of accuracy and detail.

 

It would be even better if you have or are willing to learn –

• Some experience of contract management including performance

 

• Able to analyse and apply essential procurement techniques and research skills to investigate supply markets, suppliers, and commodities.

The job description provides full details about the role and what we are looking for.

Benefits

What you’ll get in return

• 30 days annual leave (increasing to 35 after one years’ service)
• Generous pension scheme
• Discounts from well-known brands and retailers
• Parliamentary health and wellbeing programme
• The opportunity to witness history in the making!

The work we do is vital to House of Lords, and you will be a pivotal member in the team strengthening the work of the House. The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK parliament. It is independent from and complements the work of the House of Commons to:

• Make laws
• Check and challenge the actions of the government through questions and debates
• Investigate public policy and provide a forum of independent expertise

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Please complete your online application by 23.55 on Sunday 14th January 2024.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please contact hlrecruitment@parliament.uk

The House of Lords Administration is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all candidates regardless of their age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender/sex, gender reassignment/trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and socio-economic status. The Administration will also consider flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments.

We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. For this role we particularly welcome applications from groups which are currently underrepresented within the team, including applications from Black, Asian and ethnic minority candidates and candidates with disabilities.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.