Assistant Commercial Managers

Job description

About the job

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Corporate Services Group works closely with the Home Office's policy and operational commands to enable us together to deliver the department's priorities. The group is comprised of different teams and professional functions, including Commercial, Communications, Finance, People, Portfolio and Project Delivery, Private Office, Security, Estates and Information.

We are seeking talented individuals to join us at Senior Executive Officer (SEO) level to support the delivery of our commercial objectives. These roles will appeal to experienced procurement or contract management professionals, as well as individuals with strong analytical or transferable skills who are looking to develop their commercial capability within central government.

The Home Office Commercial Directorate is undergoing a significant programme of transformation and growth, with recruitment across all grades to strengthen our capability and deliver departmental priorities.

As a Senior Executive Officer (SEO), you will play a key role in delivering procurement and contract management activity across a complex and high‑profile portfolio. You will operate across the commercial lifecycle, supporting the delivery of critical goods and services while ensuring value for money, compliance, and effective risk management.

These roles offer the opportunity to work on a diverse range of commercial activities, building expertise in public procurement and contract management within a central government environment. Successful candidates will benefit from structured development and opportunities to work towards professional qualifications.

Job description

Key responsibilities

As an SEO in the Home Office Commercial Directorate, you will:

• Lead and deliver procurements.
• Plan and deliver procurement activity in line with Home Office policy and procurement legislation, including developing sourcing strategies, procurement documentation, and managing market engagement.
• Manage contracts and supplier performance
• Be responsible for contract delivery, working with business leads and suppliers to manage performance, risks, and changes, ensuring contracts deliver intended outcomes.
• Support complex commercial activity
• Contribute to high‑value or high‑risk procurements and contracts, working alongside G7 Commercial Leads to provide commercial insight, financial analysis, and delivery support.
• Engage stakeholders and shape requirements.
• Establish effective relationships with business stakeholders to understand requirements, align commercial strategy, and support delivery of operational priorities.
• Develop commercial strategies and pipelines.
• Support the development of category strategies, sourcing plans, and commercial pipelines, identifying opportunities to improve value and efficiency.
• Provide commercial advice and guidance.
• Advise stakeholders on procurement routes, policy, and market considerations, ensuring alignment with Home Office and Cabinet Office guidance.
• Ensure compliance and governance.
• Deliver commercial activity in line with relevant legislation (including the Procurement Act 2023 and the public contracts Regulations PCR 2015), governance processes, and assurance requirements.
• Build capability and support continuous improvement.
• Contribute to a high‑performing commercial function by sharing knowledge, mentoring others where appropriate, and identifying opportunities to improve commercial outcomes.

Role expectations

• You will typically operate with a degree of autonomy within defined governance frameworks.
• For the most complex or high‑risk activity, you will support and work alongside a Grade 7 Commercial Lead.
• Some roles may include line management responsibility for junior staff.
• All roles are expected to contribute to delivery, capability development, and continuous improvement of the commercial function.

Working pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, compressed hours are available, subject to discussion and business/role requirements.

Travel

Some travel may be required for meetings/workshops.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Commercial delivery experience

• Proven experience delivering procurement and/or contract management activity within a commercial environment, including supporting or leading elements of sourcing, contract award, or contract management.

Commercial lifecycle expertise

• Strong understanding of the end‑to‑end commercial lifecycle, with demonstrable practical experience in at least one area (e.g. procurement, supplier management, or contract delivery), and the ability to apply this to deliver outcomes.

Commercial judgement and value focus

• Ability to apply commercial thinking to deliver value for money, manage risk, and support effective decision-making, including experience of balancing cost, quality and delivery considerations.

Systems, governance and compliance

• Experience of working within commercial governance frameworks and using e‑sourcing tools, contract management systems or similar to deliver compliant, auditable commercial activity.

Stakeholder and supplier management

• Proven track record to engage effectively with stakeholders and suppliers, influencing outcomes and managing relationships to support delivery across complex or competing priorities.

Communication and commercial application

• Strong communication skills, including the ability to interpret and apply commercial information (e.g. contracts, requirements, or market insight) and provide clear, practical advice to stakeholders.

Continuous improvement and capability

• Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities to improve commercial outcomes, processes or delivery, and contribute to building capability within a team or function.

Candidates must clearly demonstrate hands-on commercial, procurement, or contract management experience in their application.

Desirable criteria

• CIPS qualified or working towards CIPS.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

Sign-up on our website to receive emails with information about careers at the Home Office

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the followingCivil Service Numerical and Judgement tests.

1. Online Test - by 3rd September 2026.

If you successfully pass the Civil Service Numerical and Judgement tests, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online tests or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent - Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

Please note: Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between4pm - 7pm Sunday, 23 August 2026, ET (US Eastern) 11am - 2pm and 4pm - midnight Sunday, 30 August 2026, ET (US Eastern) 11am - 7pm.

You will be unable to access tests during this period.

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended.

Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

Following successful completion of your tests, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2. Application - by 3rd September 2026.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

Your CV should consist of your career history, qualifications and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift - From 7th September 2026.

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, CV, behaviour - Communicating and Influencing as listed in the advert.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead behaviour. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted personal statement and CV. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

4. Interview - 28th September 2026.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength and experience based questions. All Behaviours listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.

The interview will take place on Teams.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you've made a mistake on an initial application, please contact [email protected], including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location preferences

You can select up to threelocations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours and strengths have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Further Information

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure 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 [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs

• Complete the "Assistance Required" 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 you're 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.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security 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.

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 theCivil 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.

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 : Home Office resourcing centre
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.