Description & Requirements
On behalf of Department for Education, we are looking for 2x Commercial Practitioners (Grade SEO)(InsideIR35) for a 6 month contract based hybrid in either Manchester, Coventry, Sheffield or Darlington. Office attendance is 2 days a week.
Out of the 2 roles, one is focused on running procurement tenders and the other role is focused on the procurement and contract management for professional services and energy categories.
Role Profile:
The team provides specialist procurement and commercial support across a broad range of departmental and school-facing procurement activities. This includes delivering procurement services through the DfE's Engine Room function, supporting schools through the Get Help Buying for Schools service, and providing commercial support for Energy for Schools activity.
These roles offer the opportunity to lead and support end-to-end commercial delivery, ensuring value for money whilst maintaining compliance with public procurement legislation, including PCR 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23).
As an Engine Room Commercial Practitioner, your responsibilities will be to:
Lead and manage procurement activities across a variety of categories and spend areas.
Deliver end-to-end procurement exercises from requirement gathering through to contract award.
Develop procurement documentation including ITTs, evaluation models, pricing schedules, KPIs and contract terms.
Advise stakeholders on procurement strategy, routes to market and commercial options.
Conduct compliant procurement activity using frameworks, call-offs and open procurement routes.
Manage multiple procurement projects simultaneously, ensuring delivery against timescales and business objectives.
Analyse procurement data and commercial information to support decision-making and value-for-money outcomes.
Engage with internal stakeholders to understand requirements and develop effective procurement solutions.
Support the weekly triage process and progress procurement cases through the commercial pipeline.
As a Get Help Buying for Schools / Energy Services Commercial Practitioner, your responsibilities will be to:
Lead procurement projects on behalf of schools across categories including energy, catering, cleaning and technology services.
Oversee compliant procurements through existing frameworks, DPS arrangements and formal tendering exercises.
Provide commercial advice and guidance to school stakeholders.
Manage supplier and contract performance where required.
Support Energy for Schools procurement and supplier management activity, including engagement with existing energy suppliers.
Identify opportunities to increase customer uptake and maximise commercial savings.
Monitor benefits realisation, customer satisfaction and sustainability outcomes.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across commercial processes and service delivery.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Essential:
Significant experience in a public sector procurement, commercial or buying environment.
Strong knowledge and practical application of PCR 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23).
Experience leading procurements from requirement definition through to contract award.
Experience securing demonstrable value for money and commercial savings.
Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
Desirable:
Energy sector or utilities procurement experience.
Experience supporting schools, education organisations or public sector customers.
Understanding of benefits realisation and continuous improvement methodologies.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.
Disability Confident
As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DfE guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply.
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."