We are currently seeking a Commercial Specialist to support the organisation’s commercial requirements. As a member of the Finance and Corporate Commercial team, you will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure customer and stakeholder needs are met and will deliver commercial activity in line with public accountability expectations. You will be a member of the broader Home Office and cross government commercial community and will therefore be encouraged and supported to build relationships with colleagues across government. Key Responsibilities: As a commercial specialist you will develop relationships to support the organisation in reducing unnecessary spend and deliver value for money through commercial activities. You will be responsible for liaising across the organisation to offer advice to assist stakeholders in developing innovative commercial and procurement strategies. Your key responsibilities will include: Implementing commercial and procurement strategies, defining and negotiating contract terms Identifying and mitigating contractual risk to reduce the risk of service failure and reputational damage Commercial management of new contracts and handover to contract management teams Ensuring compliance to and awareness of developments in procurement law, government accounting, commercial and procurement best practice Working closely with internal stakeholders to effectively develop and maintain a Commercial pipeline Ensuring that commercial risks are identified, understood, recorded and managed at all stages of the procurement cycle Supporting and/or leading on the procurement of services and the management of small, medium and large contracts across all relevant categories Supporting senior colleagues in raising awareness and understanding of Commercial policy among stakeholders across business areas Ensuring a full audit trail for each requirement, embracing continuous improvement and adapting to new ways of working as appropriate Developing an understanding of service supply markets, categories and business context providing options and opportunities for different ways of thinking from a commercial perspective About you: Great people skills and experience of building, maintaining and influencing customer and stakeholder relationships within a commercial environment Resilience when working under pressure and proven ability of leading or working within a team environment to deliver successful outcomes at pace and within a changing environment Understanding of working with CCS frameworks and associated development of schedules, statement of works, statement of requirements, milestones Experience of working in a commercial environment, either through working in procurement, supplier management or contract management Qualifications/Technical Ability CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) membership, qualified to Level 4 Diploma (or equivalent) An awareness of the Gov.uk Sourcing Playbook, the Contract Management Professional Standards and associated policies and the obligation on Commercial Willingness to progress towards CIPS Level 6 or equivalent Completed (or be willing to complete) “foundation” level in the Contract Management Capability Programme Successful candidates must meet BPSS security requirements before they can be appointed. Why Join us: This is an exciting opportunity to join DBS as it builds and strengthens its Commercial team. We’re currently revisiting our Corporate Strategy and embarking on a technological transformation program, both of which require strong commercial leadership and support. The newly restructured Commercial team will play a key role in advancing these strategic priorities and driving key changes. You will have the opportunity to apply your skills and experience to shape the strategic direction of both the Commercial team and the wider organisation as DBS embarks upon its new strategy. As an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), DBS operates with more independence than many government organisations, so you’ll enjoy more autonomy and flexibility than typical government department Commercial teams and you’ll have the ability to drive commercial strategy across the organisation. At DBS we have made a real success of flexible working and are not mandating the 60% ‘in office’ requirement that other government departments are bound by. We welcome applications from across the UK, with a willingness to travel as needed. Alongside your salary, we contribute (28.97%) towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. In addition, we offer a number of excellent benefits for its employees. These can include: Generous annual leave entitlement Excellent maternity, paternity and adoption schemes (after a qualifying period) Employee Assistance Programme Flexible working opportunities Eyecare voucher scheme Occupational Health Service including referrals for counselling and physiotherapy 24/7 Counselling and Wellbeing Service Car parking/bike to work scheme Discounted gym memberships Dental insurance policy benefit 5 days per year for learning and development About The Department: DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 on 1 December 2012, operating from two sites, Liverpool and Darlington. We operate on behalf of government delivering Disclosure functions in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and Barring functions for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We operate in the complex world of safeguarding alongside our multi agency partners. Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. We provide a service that enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make better informed, safer recruitment and other decisions. We do this by providing information to enable them to determine whether individuals are unsuitable or unable to undertake certain work, particularly with occupations involving regular contact with vulnerable groups, including children. Job Types: Full-time, Permanent Pay: £38,700.00-£43,300.00 per year Benefits: Company pension Schedule: Day shift Monday to Friday Work Location: In person