Commercial Change Portfolio & Transformation Lead

Government Recruitment Service; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Commercial Directorate is recruiting a Commercial Change Portfolio & Transformation Lead, posted by Government Recruitment Service. This permanent, full‑time role is based in Birmingham and offers a unique opportunity to shape strategic delivery across a central enabling team.

You will lead portfolio governance, coordinate transformation across multiple strands, manage stakeholder expectations, and drive continuous improvement in government procurement

Qualifications

• Experience leading cross-functional teams in complex public sector environments.
• Ability to design and govern large portfolio delivery programs.
• Strong understanding of transformation and policy implementation in government contexts.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, coordinating and governing delivery of multiple strands of commercial strategy.
• Develop and deliver transformation communications and matrix management for executive offices.
• Embed new strategies into commercial delivery and ensure consistent improvement across the department.

Skills

Portfolio leadership

Governance

Strategic delivery

Transformation

Policy implementation

Stakeholder management

Job description

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the UK's biggest government departments, building services that make a real difference to the lives of millions of people. Commercial Directorate (CD) is one of the leading government procurement functions, is commercially unique and presents an attractive challenge for anyone wanting to advance their procurement career.

As a key part of DWP, CD shapes how services are delivered across hundreds of third-party contractual arrangements, with some of the largest industry suppliers. In 2026/26 CD managed a total spend of over £3.2bn and secured savings for the taxpayer of over £500m.

DWP’s Commercial function is based across several Finance Group Hub locations and is divided into several categories aligned to areas of spend with a central enabling team leading on areas such as data, policy and systems. The team works with key stakeholders to design and deliver services to support some of DWP’s biggest key policies and organisational priorities.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a central enabling team and support the delivery of the DWP Commercial Strategy. Our strategy is fundamental to the achievement of departmental objectives priorities and delivery of government missions. The Commercial Change Portfolio & Transformation Lead is a pivotal role in our structure. The role holder will provide portfolio leadership, governance and strategic delivery of all transformation, policy implementation and continuous improvement activity across the Commercial Directorate, ensuring initiatives are prioritised, sequenced, resourced and communicated effectively to deliver agreed outcomes.

Leading a small team responsible for planning, coordinating, and governing the delivery multiple strands of our commercial strategy and policy implementation deliver. The post holder will also be responsible for developing and leading delivery of our transformation communications plan and supporting matrix management of the Chief Commercial Officers Private Office. They will own the delivery of the commercial strands of the departments transformation and efficiency plans, maximising the transformational opportunities presented through implementation and embedding of new strategies and policies into commercial delivery.

The post holder will work with commercial teams and wider stakeholders to transform our processes and ways of working, creating opportunity to reduce administrative burdens and embedding a culture of continuous improvement. The post holder will report to the Head of Commercial Operations and Strategy 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 and finance teams and Cabinet Office, and will act as the central commercial lead for the overall departmental transformation programme.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Commercial Change Portfolio & Transformation Lead

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £76,339 to £81,672 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Birmingham

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 4 Nov 2026

Closing date: 18 Nov 2026

Summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the UK's biggest government departments, building services that make a real difference to the lives of millions of people. Commercial Directorate (CD) is one of the leading government procurement functions, is commercially unique and presents an attractive challenge for anyone wanting to advance their procurement career.

As a key part of DWP, CD shapes how services are delivered across hundreds of third-party contractual arrangements, with some of the largest industry suppliers. In 2026/26 CD managed a total spend of over £3.2bn and secured savings for the taxpayer of over £500m.

DWP’s Commercial function is based across several Finance Group Hub locations and is divided into several categories aligned to areas of spend with a central enabling team leading on areas such as data, policy and systems. The team works with key stakeholders to design and deliver services to support some of DWP’s biggest key policies and organisational priorities.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a central enabling team and support the delivery of the DWP Commercial Strategy. Our strategy is fundamental to the achievement of departmental objectives priorities and delivery of government missions. The Commercial Change Portfolio & Transformation Lead is a pivotal role in our structure. The role holder will provide portfolio leadership, governance and strategic delivery of all transformation, policy implementation and continuous improvement activity across the Commercial Directorate, ensuring initiatives are prioritised, sequenced, resourced and communicated effectively to deliver agreed outcomes.

Leading a small team responsible for planning, coordinating, and governing the delivery multiple strands of our commercial strategy and policy implementation deliver. The post holder will also be responsible for developing and leading delivery of our transformation communications plan and supporting matrix management of the Chief Commercial Officers Private Office. They will own the delivery of the commercial strands of the departments transformation and efficiency plans, maximising the transformational opportunities presented through implementation and embedding of new strategies and policies into commercial delivery.

The post holder will work with commercial teams and wider stakeholders to transform our processes and ways of working, creating opportunity to reduce administrative burdens and embedding a culture of continuous improvement. The post holder will report to the Head of Commercial Operations and Strategy 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 and finance teams and Cabinet Office, and will act as the central commercial lead for the overall departmental transformation programme.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

Related jobs

Strategic Resourcing Strategic Workforce Planning Lead

£58,961 to £69,399 per year

Government Recruitment Service

Birmingham

Permanent Full time

Programme Lead

£44,447 to £46,547 per year

Government Recruitment Service

Birmingham

Permanent Full time

Lead Test Engineer

£75,026 to £90,627 per year

DWP Digital

Birmingham, West Midlands

Permanent Full time

Browse more jobs