Commercial Practitioner x 2

Permanent
Hybrid working (40% onsite)

About Our Client

Michael Page have partnered with the National Crime Agency (NCA) to recruit 2 Commercial Practitioners. These roles can be based from a variety of sites across the UK - Birmingham, Bristol, London, Normanton (Calder), Sunderland, Warrington.

The NCA currently employs more than 5,000 officers with a range of expertise and in a variety of roles to protect the public from serious and organised crime. Officers collect and analyse data and intelligence to understand the threat we face, and they investigate and relentlessly pursue criminals who cause the highest harm. They use forensics and surveillance to solve and stop crime, and they make sure the Agency keeps people, communities and the country safe by setting direction and providing access to the best skills, technology and tools.

The Commercial Department deliver high quality and professional procurement and contract management service. The department is responsible for ensuring that the purchase of all goods and services for the NCA are made in a legally compliant manner.

Job Description

The Commercial Practitioner role is dynamic, fast‑paced and hands‑on. You will support the delivery of high‑quality commercial outcomes by managing multiple priorities and helping the team navigate a wide range of commercial challenges. Working across the full procurement lifecycle, you will contribute to delivering commercial excellence and a responsive, customer‑focused service for the NCA.

You will apply commercial and procurement frameworks to support each stage of the process - from gathering, validating and refining business requirements informed by market insight, through to supporting contract award, mobilisation, and the transition into effective contract and supplier management.

Collaboration is central to the role, and you will work closely with colleagues across the wider Commercial Function and operational teams. At the same time, you will be expected to operate with a high degree of independence, managing your workload proactively, balancing competing demands, and adapting to evolving operational priorities.

SUPPLIER & STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Build effective working relationships with senior stakeholders within supplier organisations, establishing appropriate governance, communication, and performance arrangements.
Lead supplier engagement across various stages of the procurement lifecycle to enhance market understanding and ensure effective competition.
Use strategic relationships and appropriate methods to manage risks and assure high‑quality, reliable and timely delivery of goods and services, including in single‑supplier scenarios.

PERFORMANCE, COMPLIANCE & CONTRACT MOBILISATION

Apply organisational and government‑wide KPIs to measure supplier performance and support continuous improvement.
Work effectively with the contract management function during the contract mobilisation phase to ensure a smooth transition and robust ongoing management.
Debrief unsuccessful suppliers, providing constructive, transparent feedback in line with procurement regulations.

PROCUREMENT DELIVERY & TENDER MANAGEMENT

Lead and manage the end‑to‑end tendering process, ensuring compliance, transparency, and timely delivery.
Develop comprehensive bidder packs, including reviewing and clarifying specifications, drafting evaluation tools, and identifying appropriate pricing and incentivisation mechanisms for simple and low‑value procurements.
Brief and train evaluators in the use of e‑sourcing tools, including managing supplier correspondence and supporting compliant evaluation processes.
Participate in strategic and commercial negotiations to secure value for money and align with business objectives.

RISK, ASSURANCE & GOVERNANCE

Identify and communicate perceived and relevant areas of risk - including cyber, personnel, and physical security risks - and gain agreement on appropriate mitigation approaches.
Apply cost models and associated commercial and security considerations to support sound commercial decision‑

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Apply strong visual project management approaches to plan, track, and report procurement activity.

WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT

Manage and prioritise your workload effectively, balancing competing demands and adapting to evolving operational needs within a fast‑paced environment.

The Successful Applicant

Stakeholder Management

Works effectively with internal and external stakeholders to understand business needs, align with wider cross‑government strategies, and translate these into informed category strategies.
Communicates clearly with stakeholders at all levels, ensuring they understand progress, benefits delivered, and the strategic rationale behind commercial decisions.
Applies relevant standards to prevent corruption, fraud, and unethical behaviour in supply chains, taking appropriate and timely action in response to any alleged breaches.

Commercial Acumen

Demonstrates an understanding of how markets and basic economic factors influence market structure and supplier behaviour.
Understands business requirements and translates them into clear category objectives that support organisational and operational needs.
Recognises the importance of considering the full category management lifecycle from the outset of commercial activity.
Identifies patterns of historic spend, locates areas of the organisation with current or future needs, and uses this insight to inform commercial planning.
Applies tools and techniques to benchmark the current state of a category and help determine future requirements, seeking guidance where appropriate.
Understands the varying security requirements of government departments and applies them proportionately to all contracts and commercial activity.

Leadership

Demonstrates resilience when resolving issues, contributing to a positive team environment and supporting others through setbacks.
Reflects on personal strengths, development needs, and career goals, taking proactive steps to build capability.
Shares knowledge and best practice within the team to support collective development.
Adapts communication style to suit different audiences and situations.
Responds flexibly to changing circumstances while maintaining focus on business objectives and priorities.

Commercial Sourcing

Identifies required goods, services, and suitable markets or suppliers, using insight to inform sourcing decisions.
Contributes to the development of category and sourcing strategies and implements agreed sourcing plans.
Understands the importance of baselining costs to establish expected benefits and supports the creation of robust sourcing plans.
Recognises the benefits set out in business cases and understands how these relate to their role in delivering commercial outcomes.
Demonstrates the value of effective negotiation skills and contributes to negotiations under guidance.
Applies the procurement regulatory framework appropriately and understands how it supports the delivery of departmental policy objectives.

Desirable:

CIPS/ MCIPS or relevant Commercial qualification and experience.

What's on Offer

Salary £47,049 plus £3000 RRA (Plus £4,379 London Weighting for applicable candidates)
28.97% Civil Service Pension
Hybrid working (minimum 40% onsite attendance expected)
Flexible working, including flexi-time, compressed hours and job sharing (in line with business requirements)
26 days annual leave rising to 31 on completion of 5 years service

SC Enhanced Clearance Required before starting

Behaviours assessed:
* Managing a Quality Service
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing

Please find the following link to the civil service job advert for further information - Commercial Practitioner - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK

Closing date for applications (CV submission) is 23:55 on Monday 17th August.

Appliication is through CV submission via our advert please click apply.

Please include your full career history, training, qualifications, key responsibilities, and achievements. Explain any employment gaps in the last two years. Ensure all accreditation dates are accurate.

Details of what is expected within you CV are as follows: Please provide a concise CV that clearly demonstrates the following:

Evidence of supporting or leading on end-to-end procurement activities in either a public sector or private sector setting.
Evidence of managing or engaging with stakeholders and suppliers to deliver commercial, procurement or contract management outcomes.
Evidence of working within commercial policies, governance frameworks, controls or regulatory requirements to support compliant commercial activity.
Evidence of delivering and reporting on cost savings, service improvements, value for money outcomes, or other measurable commercial benefits.

All candidates will be pre-screened by Michael Page Recruitment Agency to assess how well you demonstrate the above criteria.

Candidates who have passed pre-screening stage will be submitted to NCA where a panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.

Any candidates who do not meet the criteria above will not progress to the next stage.

The NCA are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

They're committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic self. If you're neurodiverse, have a disability, or live with a long-term health condition, we encourage you to let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.

If you experience accessibility issues with the advert or require reasonable adjustments, please contact Joe Bloor at Michael Page before the advert closing date.

Please ensure you complete the 'Equal opportunities' and 'Reasonable Adjustments' sections in the application form to inform us on what support you may need in the recruitment process.

For more on our Disability Confident commitment, visit Disability Confident Scheme | Civil Service Careers.

Visit NCA Benefits and Support for more details.