Commercial Lead - Forensics

Metropolitan Police; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 78,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Police Service is seeking a Commercial Lead within the Forensics Sub-Pillar, based in Lambeth. You will manage end-to-end procurement, develop category strategies, and partner with MO4 to deliver value for money in forensic goods/services.

You will work within the Commercial Services team, driving supplier relationships, market engagement, and compliance while navigating public-sector procurement standards in a London setting.

Qualifications

• Experience using analysis and insight to make effective decisions while proactively managing risk.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate at all levels.
• Proven track record in category management and procurement methodologies.
• Understanding of regulated/public sector procurement processes.
• Ability to prioritise and manage a demanding workload to deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Category Management – develop and implement strategies for forensic procurement.
• Commercial Pipeline – forecast demand and maintain project pipelines.
• Commercial Plans – deliver plans meeting objectives and market trends.
• Compliance – ensure sourcing aligns with policies and legislation.
• Market Engagement – lead market engagement activities when required.
• Business Cases – support development of commercial cases and savings.
• Contract Design – define business requirements with stakeholders.
• Procurement – provide end-to-end sourcing services and guidance.
• Negotiation – lead negotiation and guide others in techniques.
• Risk & Performance – manage commercial risk and monitor benefits.

Skills

Leadership

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Category management

Negotiation

Education

CIPS qualification / IACCM certification

Tools

P2P systems

Job description

Salary: The starting salary is £77,775, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.

The salary is broken down as £74,766 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £82,362. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: Kilburn, Lambeth, Westminster. Hybrid / London (average 3-day/pw in the office)

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Commercial Function are responsible for delivering end-to-end commercial lifecycle management and supporting the wider business in working with third parties.

The MPS spends about £800 million each year on a diverse range of goods and services, and we aim to procure them in the most cost effective and compliant way, while satisfying often urgent operational needs. We proactively manage thirty large complex and operationally critical outsourced service contracts, to ensure that we receive the quality services we are paying for and achieve value for money through the entire life of the contract.

There is a unique and ever-evolving challenge of policing London. As a member of the Commercial Services team, you will be directly supporting the MPS mission to make life safer for over 9 million Londoners. This means that there are more opportunities for you to get involved with making London the safest global city in a time of unprecedented change within the UK's largest Police Service.

MORE CHALLENGES. MORE EXCITEMENT. MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

BE AT THE HEART OF A CHANGING SERVICE.

The Role

This role is an integral part of Commercial Services. This role sits within the Operational Pillar within the Commercial Services team, specifically within the Forensics Sub-Pillar team. The main focus of the role is the digital forensics procurement category.

Your primary stakeholder group is the MPS forensics function (MO4), based in Lambeth. Working in close partnership with MO4, you will become a trusted specialist commercial business partner. You will proactively manage commercial projects throughout the commercial lifecycle, gaining an in-depth understanding of relevant marketplaces and regulatory landscape, and developing and delivering commercial strategies to meet operational requirements.

You will need to be customer focused, understanding the operational business need and stakeholder drivers. You will also need to develop and maintain relationships with key and strategic suppliers, driving value for money and effectively managing commercial risk across the category.

As a leader in the Commercial Services team, you will support rolling out commercial sourcing and contract management standards across the organisation. You will also work closely with colleagues within Commercial Services to contribute to driving and delivering best practice across the wider team.

You will be expected to work autonomously to ensure effective stakeholder management and work within the commercial and wider MPS governance framework processes and procedures. You will drive performance management, risk management, issues resolution, financial management, change control and overall contract and statutory compliance whilst being responsible for continuous improvement (service and value). You will also have the opportunity to work closely with other forces, the Home Office and purchasing functions such Bluelight Commercial to proactively shape the forensic elements of national policing reform.

Subject to a current review of reporting lines, the role may have line management of up to 1x FTE at Band B (SEO equivalent).

Key Responsibilities

Strategic delivery and management within a category:

• Category Management – Developing and implementing Category Strategies where required, bringing insight and analysis gained from managing contracts.
• Commercial Pipeline – Understanding demand by forecasting and planning requirements with internal stakeholders and suppliers to develop and maintain a pipeline of physical and digital forensic commercial projects.
• Commercial Plans – Producing commercial plans for commercial projects that meet commercial objectives in line with business needs, category strategies, and market trends. This includes the delivery of sourcing projects.
• Understands relevant sourcing options and analysis, and delivers positive outcomes through the procurement process.
• Compliance – Understanding and being accountable for sourcing in compliance with internal policies and procedures, framework procedures, and/or relevant legislation.
• Market Engagement – Leading the strategy and planning for any sourcing, planning and undertaking market engagement activities where required.
• Business Cases – Supporting the development of business cases, including producing supporting commercial cases which clearly articulate how commercial objectives will be achieved, including achieving value for money and associated commercial risk management strategies.
• Contract Design – Working with key stakeholders to develop a clear and agreed view of business requirements and supporting business units in articulating their commercial requirements.
• Procurement – Performing end-to-end strategic sourcing activities for MPS and serving as a subject matter expert, providing a procurement service which delivers demonstrable value for money and compliant goods and services contracts as part of a team of procurement professionals on larger procurement activities. This includes advising and providing professional guidance throughout the sourcing process.
• Negotiation – Leading negotiation relating to commercial activity. Has knowledge and experience with negotiation techniques. Leads and guides others in negotiation.
• Commercial Risk Management – Managing commercial risk and reward mechanisms in contracts, including via key performance indicators, and advising on and mitigating supply continuity risk and owning this risk for relevant contract(s).
• Performance Management – Overseeing the realisation of benefits achieved through regular contract performance monitoring and management or change control, and challenging non-delivery of benefits escalating where appropriate.

This role does not attract Shift Disturbance Allowance. If you are currently in a shift-working role, SDA should cease upon appointment to this job.

Application Process

Following a Met Police PNC (Police National Computer) check, the sift is based on the essential criteria and will take place week w/c 12 October 2026.

Interview selection is based on the Government Commercial Function People Standards at Commercial Lead. In addition, the interview panel will ask a mandatory diversity and inclusion question.

If successful at the paper sift stage, candidates will be invited to the Government Commercial Function Assessment and Development Centre (ADC) where your skills and experience will be assessed against the Commercial People Standards for the Profession at Commercial Lead Level. Shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to undertake an ADC on or around Tuesday 10 November 2026. Depending on the outcome of the ADC, successful candidates will then be invited to a panel interview which will be expected to take place on a face to face basis in Central London from week-commencing 30 November 2026.

Internal and external candidates who have secured an A at the ADC will be eligible for a permanent appointment. External candidates who have secured a B at the ADC are eligible for appointment on a 2-year fixed term contract, until such time they re-sit the ADC and secure an A, at which point they can be offered a permanent contract at the same level without further competition.

Completed applications must be subject to successful completion of vetting up to CTC level. The vetting process, which follows the interview, can take in excess of 16 weeks before clearance is received and a start date can be confirmed.

Assessment and Development Centre and Interviews

If successful at the paper sift stage, candidates will be invited to the Government Commercial Function Assessment and Development Centre at Commercial Lead level. Successful candidates will then undertake interviews.

Essential For The Role

Roles in Commercial Services are aligned with the levels of the Government Commercial Organisation, which sits within the Government Commercial Function. This role has been mapped to Commercial Lead level. Paper sift, Assessment and Development Centre, and interview selection is undertaken against the Government Commercial Function People Standards for this level.

Candidates must submit a curriculum vitae and statement of suitability, both evidencing how they meet the following essential criteria:

• Business Acumen and Commercial Judgement – Experience using analysis and insight to make effective decisions while proactively managing risk.
• Leadership Skills and Capability – Experience working and effectively influencing senior stakeholders with or without authority, projecting personal impact and credibility at all levels (including senior) of the organisation and the external market, demonstrating an ability to influence, persuade and effectively communicate.
• Understanding Needs and Sourcing Options – Evidence of having delivered organisational benefits to customers through effective design and/or implementation of category strategies or category management as a methodology; able to describe value add and savings in a strategic context in a complex commercial environment.
• Procurement Process – Excellent understanding and experience of developing and delivering of sourcing and procurement methodologies, ideally within a regulated or public sector environment.
• Effectively Managing Workload – Ability to prioritise and manage a demanding workload whilst balancing both operationally urgent and important tasks to deliver to deadlines aligned with strong project management capabilities gained through practical professional experience.
• Leadership Skills and Capability – Evidence of inspirational and inclusive leadership, developing a professional culture and building commercial capability. Empowers team members and/or extended stakeholders through coaching, mentoring and sharing of expertise/knowledge.
• Contract and Supplier Management – Evidence of developing effective supplier relationships and the ability to resolve issues in performance or variations in supply without the need for legal or contractual recourse, working in partnership to deliver continuous improvement and innovation for all parties including complex performance management and incentivisation mechanisms.
• Professional Qualification – CIPS qualification / IACCM certification (or working towards).
• Purchase to Pay (P2P) – Working knowledge of purchasing processes and systems and how these support purchasing protocols in contracts.