Commercial Lead – Grants Management

Building a strong Commercial Function in Government, and with it the right commercial capability, is at the heart of a far-reaching programme of Civil Service reform.

We are building a cadre of commercial talent in all Government departments; people who can manage our commercial portfolios, who can lead our most complex and novel programmes and projects, people who have the gravitas and depth of experience to work alongside our policy and operational leaders to develop innovative commercial arrangements, whether through joint ventures, outsourcing or best-in-class contracts.

The Government Commercial Organisation is an employer which is truly committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and are able to perform to their potential. We understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and strive for a workplace that reflects the communities which we serve. We especially welcome applications from underrepresented groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with a disability and candidates with gender-diverse identities. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

We have already made significant progress through the establishment of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), our single employer of senior commercial talent across government. This role will sit within the GCO, but based in our Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office commercial team delivering departmental objectives.

You will work closely with programme teams who are seeking support on funding modalities, looking to improve systems and be willing to gain experience in our commercial and grant activities.

Primarily, you will lead the day-to-day delivery of Commercial support to the wider FCDO grants agenda and provide advice and support to teams helping them to negotiate on grant template provisions with third parties such as non-government organisations (NGOs) and multilateral partners.  

This role is responsible for maintaining our relationship with the Cabinet Office’s Government Grants Management Function (GGMF).

The Grants Assurance Lead will report to the Head of Commercial: Strategic Frameworks & Grants and will play a critical role in ensuring our commercial model delivers excellent value, efficiency and development impact for FCDO, the UK Taxpayer and our Beneficiaries.  

The role-holder will be responsible for supporting their team in ensuring a first-class service to our stakeholders across FCDO. The role requires significant engagement with key stakeholders from across FCDO.

We are an agile team; therefore, roles are likely to evolve through time with tasks tailored towards individuals’ strengths.

In this role you will also be responsible for:

• Develop and deliver best in class grants policy and processes, linking closely with Cabinet Office requirements and how to operationalise these in a complex international context.

• Design and deliver specialist commercial guidance to allow the wider Commercial Directorate to better support discussions in grants with programme teams.

• Developing, maintaining and leveraging effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Act as the joint Grants Champion for FCDO, working closely with the Government Grant Management Function

• Undertake central assurance assessments as required and support any business cases that include Multilateral or Grant agreements.

• Provide leadership to and motivate, manage and develop the new Commercial Grants Hub Team, providing clear direction and building the capability of individuals.

• Feed into the overall PDCT Work planning process, taking into account FCDO priorities and your team’s available resource.

• Ability to prioritise workload for a small team focusing on interventions that provide the greatest commercial and development impact for FCDO.

• Support the development of others in the team and across PDCT by sharing technical knowledge, mentoring & coaching. Including the development of a suite of tools, guidance documents and training to the wider team in suitable formats.

• Support people, wellbeing and building capability as a priority, supporting the development of an open and inclusive culture for the FCDO commercial function, role-modelling collaborative and inclusive behaviours.

• Help to make the Commercial Directorate a better place to work, participating positively in ‘people’ initiatives and demonstrating leadership behaviours.

Candidates who secure a role that is considered specialist/technical, may be required to affiliate to the relevant specialist network, if not already a member. 

Please be aware that this role is open to UK Nationals only.

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

• Risk Mindset: Ability to take calculated risks through sound risk analysis that leads to new solutions. The ability to draw solid conclusions from incomplete data. The skill to manage trade-offs flowing from decisions & then mitigate key risks.
• Manages Complexity: Draws together reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete evidence and data; able to act even when details are not clear. Understands market & commercial drivers in practice and develops strategies to exploit these.
• Commercial Focus: Proven experience providing specialist advice on significant framework or strategic contracts.
• Builds Relationships: Involves the right stakeholders and partners in making recommendations or decisions early on and continues to engage them. Manages stakeholders and communicates with impact.
• Strategy and Policy Development: Develops implementation and resource plans in line with objectives. Comfortable working with a range of complex delivery models, with the strong data analysis skills that inform category strategy.

As a valued employee of the Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), you will have access to all the benefits the centre has to offer; including flexible working, generous benefits, Career Coaches, Mentors, L&D, a Commercial College, active talent management and, most importantly, access to commercial projects that will far exceed the scale and complexity on offer elsewhere in the UK.

For existing Civil Servants: For full details of the impact on any move across the civil service on your existing terms and conditions, please read the candidate pack. Please note that any move across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to continue to claim childcare vouchers.

Job contact :

• Name : Stephen Sharpe
• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk