Job Description

Details

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Reference number

432381

Salary

59,200 - 66,603
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

Commercial

Type of role

Commercial

Procurement and Contracts Management

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Manchester

About the job

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Job summary

The commercial team plays a pivotal role in building the necessary capability to deliver CMA's hugely important work, whilst ensuring value for money. The role of Deputy Head of Commercial offers a stimulating opportunity to lead and manage day to day and operational activities of the department, delivering innovative, compliant and effective commercial arrangements in an exciting and diverse environment with high value contracts.

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.


It's a fascinating time to be at the heart of competition and consumer protection as our lives become increasingly digital and society grapples with the unique power of large technology firms.


We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.


You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Job description

You will deliver innovative, compliant and effective commercial arrangements, with contracts ranging in value from 10,000 to over 2million. You'll play a pivotal role in building a strong commercial function as it expands so that the CMA has the necessary capability to deliver its business needs whilst ensuring value for money is delivered. You'll also play an influential role in driving forward a programme of commercial transformation which will deliver a commercial function for the future which is aligned to the Government Commercial Function operating model.


To succeed in this role, you will need to be professionally qualified (MCIPS) with Government Commercial Organisation accreditation or be willing to work to achieve such accreditation. You'll have a demonstrable track record of managing end to end public sector procurement activity, contracting, and supplier relationship management. You will have the ability to lead negotiations, resolve contentious commercial issues, and will provide strong and inspirational leadership to build teams, delivering value-for-money results,

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document.

Professionally qualified (Level 6 MCIPS) or holding GCO Commercial accreditation. Where not held, the applicant must be prepared to achieve GCO accreditation in the future. (Lead Criteria) Knowledge and experience in application of Public Sector procurement processes and a strong understanding of the challenges posed by the public sector procurement regime, especially in relation to the centralisation agenda. (Lead Criteria) Extensive experience in undertaking end to end procurement projects including initiating, commencing and concluding procurements that are subject to Procurement Act 2023 and CCS Framework 'Further Competitions', (Lead Criteria) A proven track-record in contract management in a Public Sector environment with the ability to lead negotiations and resolve contentious commercial issues, delivering value-for-money results. Ability to provide strong and inspirational leadership to build teams, deliver results, recognise outstanding performance and deal effectively with under performance. Strong written and oral communication skills; an ability to interact confidently with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and produce and represent structured arguments in writing and orally.

Behaviours

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


Seeing the Big Picture Managing a Quality Service Communicating and Influencing Delivering at Pace Leadership

Technical skills

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


Government Commercial Function - People Standards for the Profession (Commercial Specialist): Section A - Judgement and Leadership, and Section B - Expertise - Procurement Process and Contract & Supplier Management

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 59,200, Competition & Markets Authority contributes 17,150 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
You'll also get:

25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King's birthday. In addition, you'll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence. We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.


Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.


You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.

Things you need to know

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Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.


The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), presentation and an interview. Arrangements for the presentation and interview will be enclosed in the invitation.


Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.


The sift will take place between 5th and 10th November 2025.


Interviews will be held from the week commencing 17th November 2025.


The first part of the interview will comprise of a presentation, details of which you will sent with your interview invitation. The second part of the interview will be a 45 minute -1 hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.



If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. You can also email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.


For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

The use of AI

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:


UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.



We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

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Job contact :

Name : Serena Connor Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
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Recruitment team

Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.