Category Lead for Debt Support and Advice Services

Reed Talent Solutions; Bedford; Hybrid; GBP 87,000; Full time

Job summary

A public service organization is seeking a Category Lead for Debt Support and Advice Services in Bedford. This role involves overseeing contracts and grants, leading a small team, and providing commercial support. The ideal candidate will have experience across the commercial lifecycle and excellent relationship-building skills. The position offers a salary of approximately £87,000 per annum, with a hybrid working model and generous benefits.

Benefits

Generous Annual Leave

Pension scheme

Interest-free loan for season tickets

Cycle to work Scheme

Subsidised eye tests

Life assurance scheme

Employee assistance programme

Paid volunteering

Discounts portal

Qualifications

• Experience across the full commercial lifecycle.
• Ability to operate in dynamic environments.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial activity across contracts and grants.
• Develop collaborative working relationships with stakeholders.
• Manage a small team and oversee their development.

Skills

Commercial expertise

Decisive decision-making

Relationship Building

Regulation interpretation

Education

MCIPS or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Category Lead for Debt Support and Advice Services

c.£87,000 per annum

Bedford

12 months FTC

Hybrid Working

The Money and Pensions Service’s vision is “Everyone making the most of their money and pensions“.

We are a public body with a commitment to ensuring that people throughout the UK have guidance and access to the information they need to make effective financial decisions over their lifetime.

Join us to support the team that provide debt advisory services and money guidance. As the Category Lead, you will oversee sourcing contracts and allocating grants to a diverse range of suppliers, mainly in professional services provision

Role Overview

Lead a small team to provide great commercial support for Debt - the team that supports people with information and advice on debt and free debt advice. This means sourcing contracts and allocating grants, supporting onboarding contract and grants and providing commercial advice and assistance across the whole contract lifecycle

Key Responsibilities

• Lead commercial activity and provide commercial advice across the full commercial lifecycle for both contracts and grants including make or buy decisions, commercial and sourcing strategies, procurement, commercial contract management and contract exit or transition.
• Develop effective and collaborative working relationships with all stakeholders
• Develop effective relationships with suppliers identifying and realising opportunities for value add
• Line manage up to 3 team members looking after their own wellbeing and development
• Inform and shape MaPS strategies for delivery of services and going to market
• Manage commercial governance in MAPS, DWP and Cabinet Office.
• Be a great commercial colleague in a lively and diverse commercial team

You will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience

To excel in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• Commercial expertise, ideally MCIPS or equivalent with experience across the full commercial lifecycle from strategy, sourcing and procurement and commercial contract management. Knowledge of the Government Functional Standard for Grants would be helpful but not mandatory
• Decisive: Able to operate in a dynamic and fast-pacing environment and to make sound decisions and recommendations
• Relationship Building and Influencing: Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to build credibility with partners/stakeholders and constructively challenge situations where needed to improve outcomes.
• Interprets regulation: we are regulated by PCR2015 and PA23 and adopt the government functional standard for grants

About Us

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is based in Bedford, in a recently renovated modern office. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to become an integral part of a dynamic organisation, working to help people across the UK.

At the heart of the Money and Pensions Service are our values – caring, connecting, and transforming, which are the foundation of our success. They permeate every area of our work and define all our business relationships and the way we work with each other. We’re not only looking for the best people to come and work for us, but we need people who align themselves with our values:

• Caring
  We care about our colleagues and the people whose lives we are here to transform.
• Connecting
  We will transform lives through our ability to make positive connections.
• Transforming
  We are committed to transforming lives and making a positive societal impact.

Our Inclusive Working Environment

By fostering our values, we are immensely proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. The diversity of our people is a strength that we embrace and wish to build upon, so we are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds. We work hard to ensure that we have a progressive approach to inclusion, equity, and belonging. We really do want our colleagues to “bring their whole selves to work.”

Our colleague and ally networks encompass LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, women’s health, men’s health, ethnicity, and diversity.

What We Offer

• Generous Annual Leave – 30 days plus Bank Holidays
• Pension scheme – contributions matched 2 to 1 (up to 10% of your salary)
• Interest-free loan for season tickets for buses and trains
• Cycle to work Scheme
• Subsidised eye tests & flu jabs
• Life assurance scheme
• Give as you earn scheme
• Employee assistance programme (EAP)
• PAM Assist and PAM Life scheme (Wellbeing)
• Enhanced family and sick pay
• Paid volunteering (2 days a year)
• Recognition Scheme
• Discounts portal to numerous retailers

Flexible Working

At MaPS, we take pride in our flexible approach to work. As standard, we work on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in the office per week. Hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and our headquarters in Bedford 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 needs, but personal and other relevant circumstances will also be considered. 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.

Career Development

In MaPS, we take career development seriously. We actively encourage and support applications from our existing MaPS colleagues. However, we do follow the Civil Service Commissioner recruitment principles, which means that you will be required to participate in a full, open, and fair process.

Reserve List

If you are successful at interview, we operate a reserve list where your details will be held for up to 6 months. Should a vacancy come available in that time with the same essential criteria, reserve list candidates will be offered that position with no further assessment required.

Application Process

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the Money and Pensions Service via email: [e-mail]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.

Job Reference: MaPS01003

Close Date: 12/10/25