HEO Commercial Manager – Defence Digital Commercial, AI, Cloud and Foundry

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); Corsham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Corsham is seeking a Commercial Manager to join their Software Category team focusing on AI, Cloud Services, and Digital technologies. This role involves managing procurement contracts, developing sourcing strategies, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The position offers a supportive environment with opportunities for professional development, including fully funded qualifications. This is a full-time role with hybrid working options available.

Benefits

Civil Service pension

Fully funded professional training

Flexible working options

On-site parking and gym

Qualifications

• Experience in developing and implementing procurement strategies.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and make decisions.
• Confident working independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Manage procurement contracts and lead sourcing strategies.
• Support senior managers in complex procurement projects.
• Ensure compliance with government regulations.

Skills

Experience in a commercial or procurement environment

Supplier management

Stakeholder management

Decision-making

Team collaboration

Education

CIPS Level 4 (or willingness to achieve)

Job description

About the Job

We are looking for talented and hard-working individuals with demonstrable commercial experience or transferable skills, to join us in providing a full procurement service for digital technology capability across Defence.

Defence Digital is responsible for delivering and integrating new digital capabilities, giving our forces the advantage on the cyber battlefield to combat an ever-evolving threat.

In support,Defence Digital Commercialis building a centre of procurement excellence, focusing on getting the best outcomes across all our contracts. We are developing a more strategic approach to supplier relationship management and implementing new ways of working that will embed good practice category management.

We are committed to developing our staff, providing opportunities to develop and grow within an inclusive and supportive environment. You will work within a highly capable, diverse team who will support you to develop your professional and personal skills, knowledge, and experience, including a fully funded professional qualification Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS).

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity for a Commercial Manager to join the Software Category within the sub-category team for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Services and the Digital Foundry.

Defence is following the Cloud First strategy which involves significant transformation by moving away from traditional on-prem data centres and migrating onto the cloud in order to exploit the latest technology.

The AI and Digital Foundry Commercial Team is a relatively new sub-category team and is going from strength to strength. The portfolio is a significant growth area for Defence and is looking for highly motivated commercial professionals to help us mature as a category.

The team has been set up to enable MOD to harness the game changing power of AI through harnessing the Digital Backbone and accelerating adoption and scaling the impact of AI and innovative technologies. Joining the team is an opportunity to help pioneer cutting-edge digital capabilities to real world problems, directly impacting the security and protection of the UK.

We are seeking an Commercial Manager to join our team, specialising in sourcing and contract management within a dynamic fast-paced and agile environment. You will be responsible for your own procurements and contracts, reporting directly to the Senior Commercial Manager. The role may also have Line Management responsibilities.

You will lead on some procurement requirements and contract management and support the senior commercial manager in sourcing a range of complex and high-value procurement projects and ensure governance with government regulations. You will be empowered to think creatively and have the autonomy to coin your own sourcing strategies and contract management plans for a variety of procurement projects. The core aim is to deliver value for money whilst adapting to shifting priorities and maintaining operational effectiveness.

The post advertised is full time equivalent. There may be opportunities for part time candidates if a job share partnership can be established, subject to full time hours being achievable. Offers made to candidates below 37 hours per week (FTE) will be subject to business need and at the Authority's sole discretion.

As part of flexible resourcing, reserve candidates may be offered alternative roles within DD Commercial teams, although key responsibilities will remain the same.

Person specification

• Experience in a commercial or procurement environment, including Sourcing through to contract management
• Experience in developing andimplementing procurement and commercial strategies and contract management plans
• Experience in supplier management
• Experience of leading, managing and developing others.
• Stakeholder management and influencing, with good communication skills
• Confident with making decisions and able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to manage competing priorities, assess information rapidly and be flexible to respond to dynamic situations
• Hold Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply CIPS Level 4, or be willing to achieve this qualification by commencing study once in post. This will be fully funded and supported by MOD.

We are looking for a person who:

• Is a team player and sees the added value that a team contribution to achieving results can bring;
• Demonstrates energy and personal drive to deliver business outputs;
• Responsive, innovative and seeks out opportunities to effect creative change;
• Flexible and adaptable to meeting business priorities, and accepts that these are often subject to change;
• Builds positive and effective relationships that enable both commercial and/or project team goals to be delivered;
• Willingly contributes commercial advice and judgement in the acquisition process to their commercial team;
• Empowers others;
• Fair, honest and transparent in all personal and professional activities; and
• Seeks continuous improvement and builds it into a personal development plan.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• People Standards for the Profession - Understanding Needs and Sourcing Options - Commercial Practitioner
• People Standards for the Profession - Contract and Supplier Management - Commercial Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• ACivil Service pensionwith an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Hybrid working options including some working from home where appropriate,although we expect the role to require office working on 4 days per week
• Commercial Market Skills Allowance of £1500 per annum, payable to staff on completion of CIPS Level 4 and mandatory commercial e-learning courses.
• Fully funded training for professional qualifications with Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), a global membership organisation
• MOD Corsham has on site parking, staff restaurant, coffee shops, sports facilities including fully equipped 24/7 gym for a fraction of the cost of a commercial gym. Classes run daily by fully trained PT instructors.
• MOD Corsham is a modern building surrounded by countryside, perfect for lunchtimes walks.

Where business needs arise, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility athttps://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). TheMOD Privacy Policy Noticesets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know Selection process details

This vacancy is usingSuccess Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Interviews will be held from week commencing Sept 22nd 2025 (subject to change) using MS Teams

At application, you will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in both your CV and Personal Statement.

Please complete the CV section setting out your career history, including key responsibilities and achievements.

You must also complete a Personal Statement (max 1250 words). This is your opportunity to provide us with additional information that highlights relevant achievements and experience, and the required skills and Behaviours listed in this advertisement that make you suitable for the role.

Note: you will NOT be able to attach your CV as a separate document. Applicants may use AI when preparing documents, but the content must be factually accurate.Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours and technical skills:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Understanding Needs & Sourcing Options
  • Uses pre-market engagement to inform the requirement and determine the most effective route to market.
  • Demonstrates practical experience of, or participating in, conducting negotiations.
  • Understands end to end procurement life cycle and tools required to deliver effective outcomes.
  • Understands the contract management requirements and considers these in the sourcing process to ensure fit for purpose contracts are implemented.
  • Able to work with procurement policies and processes to ensure compliant and time efficient procurement decisions.
  • Understands and applies Category Management principles, building into procurement decisions at the outset.
  • Builds and maintains relationships with Stakeholders throughout the process.
• Contract & Supplier Management
  • Understands and is able to apply contract management processes.
  • Demonstrates understanding of terms and conditions of the contract, including its deliverables and works with the supplier to establish a plan for delivering them.
  • Able to work with procurement policies and processes to ensure compliant and time efficient procurement decisions.
  • Manage and maintain effective stakeholder relationships.
  • Manages and maintains good supplier relationships.
  • Effectively manages contract change throughout the life of the contract.
  • Evaluates and monitors the performance of suppliers against the contract terms using management information eg KPIs, taking remedial action as necessary.
  • Effective contract management including re-tendering, exit, transition.
  • Support dispute resolution.

Candidates invited to interview will be required to deliver a short (5 minute) presentation on the topic: 'What makes a good Manager in the Procurement function?'

You will have the opportunity to provide further detail supporting your application, specifically relating to theSkills(People Standards for the Profession - Level Commercial Practitioner) andBehaviours(CS Behaviours - Level 3).