Senior Commercial Policy and Procurement Manager

On behalf of MHCLG , we are looking for a Senior Commercial Policy and Procurement Manager (Inside IR35) for a 5 month contract until 31/03/2027 based REMOTELY with Occasional travel to London or Birmingham .

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is a department dedicated to changing and improving lives in the UK. We support local governments and empower communities, by delivering safe, secure homes that people need. To make sure we deliver, we sponsor 14 arm’s length bodies, including Homes England, the Planning Inspectorate and HM Land Registry, which are critical to our mission.

The Local Audit Office (LAO) is a new independent public body being established to play a central role in rebuilding and strengthening the local audit system. Our work will improve transparency, accountability and public confidence in local government, helping to deliver better outcomes for communities across England.

As we build a new organisation from the ground up, we are seeking an experienced Senior Commercial Policy and Procurement Manager to help establish and embed robust procurement, commercial and contract management arrangements that will support the LAO's long-term success.

This is a unique opportunity to join a newly established public body at a pivotal stage of its development.

You will play a leading role in shaping the organisation's procurement and commercial framework while delivering procurement and contract management activity that enables the LAO to fulfil its statutory responsibilities.

Working across finance, legal, policy, operational and audit-facing teams, you will provide expert commercial advice, oversee procurement activities, manage supplier relationships and help ensure the organisation achieves value for money while maintaining the highest standards of governance and transparency.

We're looking for a commercially minded professional who can balance compliance and governance requirements with the practical realities of building new systems, processes and supplier arrangements within a developing organisation.

As a Senior Commercial Policy and Procurement Manager , your main responsibilities will be:

- Lead and deliver procurement exercises and commercial initiatives in line with organisational priorities, governance requirements and agreed timescales.
- Act as the LAO's procurement subject matter expert , providing advice on public procurement regulations, commercial strategy, routes to market and supplier engagement.
- Support activities relating to auditor appointments, allocations and changes, including local government reorganisation and newly established bodies.
- Lead commercial transition activities required to establish the LAO, including transferring, replacing or closing legacy commercial arrangements.
- Develop and maintain procurement documentation, business cases, evaluation records, approvals and audit trails.
- Create and manage procurement delivery plans, identifying risks, dependencies and opportunities for improvement.
- Manage procurement scope, timelines, risks, issues and change controls to ensure successful delivery of commercial outcomes.
- Work closely with legal advisers and stakeholders to ensure robust contractual arrangements and effective contract management practices.
- Coordinate input from internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, auditors, government departments and public sector partners.
- Ensure procurement and commercial activity complies with relevant legislation, governance requirements, policies and data protection obligations.
- Maintain an accurate and up-to-date contracts register to support transparency, reporting and future procurement planning.
- Support the ongoing management of commercial agreements, including professional services, legal services and operational contracts.
- Monitor supplier performance and supply chain risks, ensuring issues are identified, mitigated and escalated where necessary.

Essential:

- Significant procurement, commercial or contract management experience supported by professional training, qualifications or equivalent practical experience.
- Proven experience delivering end-to-end procurement activity, including planning, tender documentation, evaluation, approvals and contract award.
- Strong understanding of public procurement regulations, commercial best practice, transparency requirements and governance principles .
- Experience supporting contract management and supplier relationship management activities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare reports, briefings, business cases and procurement documentation for senior audiences.
- Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines and dependencies.
- High levels of accuracy and attention to detail when maintaining procurement records, contract registers and governance documentation.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
- Strong analytical abilities, sound judgement and a solution-focused approach to delivery.
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced and evolving organisational environment.

Desirable:

- Experience working within a public body, government department, local authority, audit organisation or arm's-length body.
- Experience supporting procurement or commercial activities during organisational set-up, transition, transformation or significant change programmes.
- Experience developing procurement policies, guidance, templates, controls or contract management frameworks.
- Experience procuring and managing legal services, consultancy, professional services, corporate services or audit-related contracts.
- Membership of, or progress towards, a relevant professional body such as CIPS.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, MHCLG encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates . Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

MHCLG welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".