Overview

Head of Commercial Services – Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE15 8NY

Salary: £91,342 to £105,337 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-time
Reference Number: G9914-25-0243

 

Job summary

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for delivering commercial excellence across the NHS? Do you thrive in complex environments and want to make a real difference to public services?

We’re looking for an experienced and dynamic Head of Commercial Services to lead our commercial function at NHSBSA. This is a high-impact role where you’ll shape and deliver our commercial strategy, collaborating with senior stakeholders across government, suppliers, and the wider NHS.

You’ll oversee a talented team, manage high-value contracts, and drive innovation in sourcing and procurement. If you’re ready to bring your commitment expertise to a role that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

What do we offer?

  • 27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidays
  • Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
  • Hybrid working model (we are currently working largely remotely)
  • Career development
  • Active wellbeing and inclusion networks
  • Excellent pension
  • NHS Car lease scheme
  • Access to a wide range of benefits and high street discounts!

Main duties of the job

As Head of Commercial Services, you’ll lead a team of up to 45 professionals, managing a contract portfolio worth over £1bn. Your key responsibilities will include:

  • Developing and delivering NHSBSA’s commercial strategy
  • Leading strategic sourcing and procurement programmes
  • Managing supplier relationships and contract performance
  • Advising on business development and commercial risk
  • Embedding Government Commercial Functional Standards
  • Driving innovation through technology and data
  • Ensuring compliance with legal and governance frameworks
  • Reporting to senior stakeholders including the NHSBSA Board and DHSC
  • Identifying opportunities for savings and service improvements
  • Supporting major projects including outsourcing and joint ventures

You’ll be a trusted advisor to senior leaders, bringing insight, creativity, and commercial acumen to everything you do.

About us

Here at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), what we do matters.

We manage the NHS Pension scheme, process prescription payments and much more. Our services are used by NHS organisations, contractors and the public: we’re proud to be part of something meaningful, that touches millions of lives.

We design our services around customer needs and place people at the heart of our organisation. That’s why when you join us, you’ll be empowered and supported to help your career grow.

As one of the UK’s Best Big Companies to work for, we’re connected to our values: Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We care about our people, our purpose, and your progress.

We strive to offer a fantastic colleague experience, where every colleague is heard, supported and respected. Wellbeing, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of this, and you can join our Lived Experience Networks who help us bring our authentic selves to work.

We’re committed to being a flexible employer and we try to offer a working pattern that suits you where possible, through hybrid working, flexible hours and more.

Alongside a competitive salary with pay progression, we offer a people-centric benefits package, connecting you to the rewards and benefits you value most!

Ready to join us in delivering business service excellence to the NHS, helping people live longer, healthier lives? Apply today and see where the NHSBSA can take you.

We are people connected to care.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Leading a team of commercial professionals responsible for providing commercial advice and supporting activities for the entire 3rd party supplier lifecycle (planning, sourcing, transition, contract life, exit) to enable the delivery of the NHSBSA strategy and business plan through development and implementation of a Commercial Strategy and associated plans.
  • Undertake due diligence and advise on business development activities.
  • Delivering NHS-wide benefits and savings through embedding Government Commercial Functional Standards in NHSBSA operations.
  • Leading the commercial services team alongside other supporting corporate services to provide timely reliable advice and assurance to the Accounting Officer, Senior Responsible Officers (SROs) and Budget Holders. Ensure that NHSBSA services, projects and programmes deliver best value outcomes through timely agile corporate support.
  • Enabling business development and service improvement opportunities through commercially exploiting emerging technology, development of digital user interfaces and use of NHSBSA data in partnership with stakeholders.
  • Supporting stakeholders through the sourcing process, engaging colleagues at all levels including the NHSBSA Main Board and across government to create partnerships with 3rd party suppliers whilst safeguarding NHSBSA. Support securing relevant approvals on time to execute sourcing programmes.
  • Developing and maintaining timely and accurate reporting of commercial activities to SROs, Budget Holders, Project Portfolio Board, Leadership Team, NHSBSA main Board, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Cabinet Office.
  • Support NHSBSA SROs so that key commercial risks in service or product provision by a third party are identified and understood, documented and that appropriate actions are agreed and taken to mitigate risks.
  • Designing and delivering the Commercial Strategy and outcomes on major projects including outsourcing, establishment of joint ventures and alternative contract arrangements. To take full accountability for effective delivery of the above, agreeing and capturing desired outcomes,benefits, timelines and approaches with the Director of Commercial Services, the Chief Finance Officer , programme leads and other stakeholders.
  • Ensuring that supplier market insight is gathered effectively and used as evidence to inform sourcing strategy and decisions. To become a supplier market expert in critical categories of spend (either directly or through team members).
  • Designing, articulating and delivering an effective procurement service for the Director of Commercial Services and SROs for both complex and simple sourcing programmes.
  • Ensuring NHSBSA access and develop necessary procurement tools in order to deploy and manage existing and emerging technology and services and, where necessary, cut new ground to meet user need of services being delivered by a rapidly developing business with complex national business processing, digital, data and technology at its heart.
  • Taking the lead to ensure all commercial processes and activities are compliant both with the law and internal NHSBSA powers and associated internal governance.
  • Undertaking comprehensive and rigorous contract negotiations and management of suppliers that safeguards NHSBSAs interests whilst ensuring continuity of NHS business delivery. Creating flexibility for service enhancements, quality improvements and high levels of customer satisfaction whilst delivering value for money.
  • Identifying opportunities for continual improvement, operational economies and financial savings to benefit the wider NHS through both effective procurement and contract management.
  • Advising NHSBSA on the development and implementation of supplier performance measurement systems which enable clear and frequent visibility of supplier performance.
  • Ensuring all contracts adequately reflect relevant risks and the way in which they are managed and managing supplier performance through contract management.
  • Maintaining and developing a comprehensive and accurate commercial data set which drives data based decision making and work planning.

    • Person Specification

    Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

    Essential

    • A proven track record of achievement in delivering major strategic sourcing and procurement projects on spec, within budget, and on time.
    • Understanding of the wider commercial environment and relevant market knowledge of providers of high value complex strategic sourcing.
    • Ability to deliver change and improvement through strategic influence
    • Commercially astute and able to develop appropriate commercial and contractual solutions
    • Collaborative and insightful delivery through working with and through partners
    • Expert knowledge of procurement and contract management strategy including relevant government legislation.

    Desirable

    • Project planning and management techniques
    • Expert knowledge of relevant NHS and government policies
    • Political awareness and awareness of broader aspects which may impact on the area of expertise.

    Experience

    Essential

    • Extensive prior relevant experience.
    • Experience of managing major strategic sourcing programmes to include service outsourcing with high complexity make/buy decisions
    • Managing contractors, professional and administrative staff and resources to achieve objectives.
    • Experience of developing and implementing procurement strategy on major programmes and managing major high value contracts
    • Management of strategic supplier contracts and relationships
    • Experience of leading a Commercial services function and experience of a range of commercial delivery models
    • Proven £multi-million negotiation experience in the Private or Public sectors

    Desirable

    • Public sector outsourcing
    • Design and delivery of joint venture arrangements
    • Design and delivery of business disposals

    Qualifications

    Essential

    • CIPS Qualified, or equivalent, with additional business qualification

    Desirable

    • Membership of professional body.
    • “A” at Commercial Specialist Level Government Commercial Function Assessment and Development Centre

     

    **** When applying for this role, please read the Supporting Documents on the apply page. ***

     

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