Commercial Policy, Assurance & Capability Manager

Government Recruitment Service; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service is seeking a Commercial Policy, Assurance & Capability Manager to join BIST Commercial’s Policy, Capability and Assurance team in Darlington. The role translates government commercial policy into practical department requirements and builds the capability needed for compliant, high‑quality delivery.

You will work across policy, capability and assurance, lead defined workstreams, engage with stakeholders and help shape guidance, training and playbooks.

Responsibilities

• Act as a flexible member of the team, supporting priority commissions and providing resilience across policy, capability and assurance as business needs evolve.
• Support the development, implementation and continuous improvement of BIST commercial policies, standards, templates and guidance, ensuring that government requirements are translated into the BIST Commercial Toolkit.
• Own or support defined policy workstreams, including consultation, impact assessment, stakeholder input, governance, communications and implementation planning.
• Help maintain coherent commercial toolkits for applicable procurement regimes and ensure policy, capability and assurance products remain aligned as requirements change.
• Develop and coordinate capability interventions as required, such as guidance, briefings, induction, learning sessions and practical resources for commercial and non-commercial audiences.
• Support BIST Commercial colleagues, wider departmental teams and Partner Organisations by responding to enquiries, providing advice, signposting relevant requirements and maintaining effective engagement forums.
• Support proportionate commercial assurance and governance activity, including reviews, approvals, compliance checks, audits, functional assessments, performance returns and implementation of relevant sourcing and contract management playbooks.
• Use evidence from assurance activity, stakeholder feedback and performance information to identify recurring risks, capability gaps, unnecessary bureaucracy and opportunities for process improvement or automation.
• Contribute to the design and streamlining of assurance processes, making them efficient, visible and proportionate while maintaining appropriate controls and standards.
• Represent BIST in departmental and cross-government working groups, build productive networks, share good practice and ensure BIST delivery considerations are reflected in policy and standards development.

Job description

Commercial Policy, Assurance & Capability Manager

This is an opportunity to join BIST Commercial’s Policy, Capability and Assurance team at a time of significant organisational and policy change. The team provides a joined-up service that translates government commercial policy into practical departmental requirements, builds the capability needed to apply them effectively, and operates proportionate assurance to support compliant, high-quality commercial delivery.

The successful candidate will work flexibly across the three disciplines, taking ownership of defined workstreams while helping the team align policy, learning, standards and assurance activity. The role will suit someone who is confident with stakeholder engagement, delivery of capability interventions, and evidence-based review of commercial practice.

The postholder may lead on topics such as procurement policy implementation, commercial standards, contract management capability, Partner Organisation engagement, approvals and assurance processes, reporting, or the development of guidance and training. Priorities will evolve, so the ability to understand the wider business context, identify practical impacts and deliver at pace will be important.

The purpose of the role is to connect policy intent, capability and proportionate assurance so that BIST colleagues can deliver commercial activity confidently and compliantly. As interest in commercial matters continues to grow across BIST and its Partner Organisations, the role will operate in a dynamic environment, balancing policy development, capability improvement and assurance activity to support effective commercial delivery.

• Act as a flexible member of the team, supporting priority commissions and providing resilience across policy, capability and assurance as business needs evolve.
• Support the development, implementation and continuous improvement of BIST commercial policies, standards, templates and guidance, ensuring that government requirements are translated into the BIST Commercial Toolkit.
• Own or support defined policy workstreams, including consultation, impact assessment, stakeholder input, governance, communications and implementation planning.
• Help maintain coherent commercial toolkits for applicable procurement regimes and ensure policy, capability and assurance products remain aligned as requirements change.
• Develop and coordinate capability interventions as required, such as guidance, briefings, induction, learning sessions and practical resources for commercial and non-commercial audiences.
• Support BIST Commercial colleagues, wider departmental teams and Partner Organisations by responding to enquiries, providing advice, signposting relevant requirements and maintaining effective engagement forums.
• Support proportionate commercial assurance and governance activity, including reviews, approvals, compliance checks, audits, functional assessments, performance returns and implementation of relevant sourcing and contract management playbooks.
• Use evidence from assurance activity, stakeholder feedback and performance information to identify recurring risks, capability gaps, unnecessary bureaucracy and opportunities for process improvement or automation.
• Contribute to the design and streamlining of assurance processes, making them efficient, visible and proportionate while maintaining appropriate controls and standards.
• Represent BIST in departmental and cross-government working groups, build productive networks, share good practice and ensure BIST delivery considerations are reflected in policy and standards development.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Job details

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £44,913 to £53,230 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Darlington

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 15 Oct 2026

Closing date: 10 Nov 2026

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.