Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) - Chief of Staff'

Government Recruitment Service; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 86,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service is recruiting for the role of Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) - Chief of Staff in Birmingham. The post leads strategic delivery, governance and transformation to strengthen the OSBC’s mission of improving payment practices for small businesses and accelerating cash flow in the economy.

The Chief of Staff acts as the senior adviser to the Small Business Commissioner, guiding policy and operational priorities, and coordinating cross-government engagement to ensure

Responsibilities

• Act as principal adviser to the Small Business Commissioner, providing strategic counsel on priorities, risks and issues and deputising when required.
• Provide strategic leadership for the OSBC, setting organisational priorities and driving delivery against ministerial and corporate objectives.
• Lead corporate planning, performance and transformation, ensuring effective decision-making, continuous improvement and an organisation that remains fit for purpose.
• Lead corporate governance, risk and compliance, ensuring high standards of propriety, transparency and public accountability.
• Maintain effective governance and internal control frameworks, including sponsorship arrangements, advisory board effectiveness and risk management.
• Deputise as Accounting Officer when required, providing assurance on expenditure, value for money and organisational compliance.
• Lead financial strategy, planning and stewardship, ensuring effective and sustainable use of public resources aligned with organisational priorities.
• Oversee financial controls, audit, procurement, funding and assurance, ensuring robust financial management.
• Provide strategic financial advice to support informed decision-making and effective resource allocation.
• Take a senior lead on policy, legislative and regulatory development, including implementation of the Commercial Payments Bill and supporting frameworks.
• Oversee the expansion of OSBC’s statutory powers, ensuring organisational readiness and effective delivery of new responsibilities.
• Build strong cross-government relationships, influencing policy and securing support for OSBC priorities.
• Lead and develop a high-performing, inclusive organisation, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Oversee workforce planning, organisational design and capability, ensuring the organisation attracts, develops and retains talented people as it grows.
• Champion Civil Service values, promoting wellbeing, diversity and inclusion across the organisation.
• Lead strategic engagement with Ministers, Parliament, industry and key stakeholders, representing the OSBC at senior and high-profile engagements.
• Oversee reputation, communications and stakeholder relationships, ensuring effective and consistent organisational messaging.
• Provide senior assurance and sign-off for Parliamentary Questions, FOI responses, ministerial correspondence and other formal communications
• Provide strategic oversight of statutory services, including the complaint's function and Fair Payment Code, ensuring high-quality, customer-focused delivery.
• Drive organisational performance and impact, using data and insight to improve services and demonstrate outcomes.

Job description

Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) - Chief of Staff'

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £86,000 to £117,800 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Birmingham

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 27 Oct 2026

Closing date: 15 Nov 2026

The Chief of Staff is the senior strategic adviser to the Small Business Commissioner and a leader of the Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC). The role has overall responsibility for organisational strategy, corporate governance, operational performance and business transformation, ensuring the OSBC delivers its mission to make life easier for small businesses by improving payment practices and enabling money to move more quickly through the economy.

As the most senior corporate leader within the organisation, the Chief of Staff provides strategic leadership across all aspects of OSBC activity, including policy, legislation, regulation, operational delivery, communications, stakeholder engagement, research and insight, finance, governance and people management. The postholder will lead the organisation through a significant period of growth and transformation as the OSBC expands its statutory remit and develops into a more independent and influential regulator.

The Chief of Staff acts as principal adviser to the Small Business Commissioner and is responsible for translating ministerial priorities and strategic objectives into effective organisational delivery. The role requires extensive engagement with Ministers, senior government officials, Parliament, business representative organisations and external stakeholders, maintaining the OSBC's reputation as a trusted and authoritative voice on payment practices and small business issues.

Candidate Information Call

The hiring manager for this position; Emma Jones, Small Business Commissioner and Paul Drabwell, Deputy Director and Policy Sponsor (BIST) will be hosting a virtual call for any interested applicants to discuss the role and answer any questions. Please note this is not part of the formal assessment process and the session will not be recorded.

Strategic Leadership and Corporate Management

• Act as principal adviser to the Small Business Commissioner, providing strategic counsel on priorities, risks and issues and deputising when required.
• Provide strategic leadership for the OSBC, setting organisational priorities and driving delivery against ministerial and corporate objectives.
• Lead corporate planning, performance and transformation, ensuring effective decision-making, continuous improvement and an organisation that remains fit for purpose.

Governance, Risk and Accountability

• Lead corporate governance, risk and compliance, ensuring high standards of propriety, transparency and public accountability.
• Maintain effective governance and internal control frameworks, including sponsorship arrangements, advisory board effectiveness and risk management.
• Deputise as Accounting Officer when required, providing assurance on expenditure, value for money and organisational compliance.

Financial Leadership and Commercial Oversight

• Lead financial strategy, planning and stewardship, ensuring effective and sustainable use of public resources aligned with organisational priorities.
• Oversee financial controls, audit, procurement, funding and assurance, ensuring robust financial management.
• Provide strategic financial advice to support informed decision-making and effective resource allocation.

Policy, Legislation and Regulatory Development

• Take a senior lead on policy, legislative and regulatory development, including implementation of the Commercial Payments Bill and supporting frameworks.
• Oversee the expansion of OSBC’s statutory powers, ensuring organisational readiness and effective delivery of new responsibilities.
• Build strong cross-government relationships, influencing policy and securing support for OSBC priorities.

People and Organisational Leadership

• Lead and develop a high-performing, inclusive organisation, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Oversee workforce planning, organisational design and capability, ensuring the organisation attracts, develops and retains talented people as it grows.
• Champion Civil Service values, promoting wellbeing, diversity and inclusion across the organisation.

External Engagement and Corporate Reputation

• Lead strategic engagement with Ministers, Parliament, industry and key stakeholders, representing the OSBC at senior and high-profile engagements.
• Oversee reputation, communications and stakeholder relationships, ensuring effective and consistent organisational messaging.
• Provide senior assurance and sign-off for Parliamentary Questions, FOI responses, ministerial correspondence and other formal communications

Operational Delivery

• Provide strategic oversight of statutory services, including the complaint's function and Fair Payment Code, ensuring high-quality, customer-focused delivery.
• Drive organisational performance and impact, using data and insight to improve services and demonstrate outcomes.

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.