Department’s ISS function seeks commercial director to help deliver value from technology engagements

The ISS commercial director will be expected to work closely with ministers and permanent secretaries, driving procurement reform across Whitehall

The Ministry of Defence is looking for a commercial director of its Information Systems and Services unit to drive an IT procurement “transformation”.

The role comes with a salary of between £150,000 and £170,000, and the successful candidate will lead an IT commercial team of about 160 people. The post will also require briefing permanent secretaries, ministers, and other senior Whitehall figures.

The commercial director will “play a key leadership and change-management role in developing a strong commercial function for the MoD and across government”, said the department. He or she will oversee spending of about £2.2bn a year, and will be expected to lean on the government’s size and stature to deliver value from supplier engagements.

The post will also require the candidate to lead ISS’s commercial professionals, and ensure their personal development.

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The MoD is looking for someone with “broad procurement experience, with the IT category as one of your specialisations”. 

“Supported by a team of domain specialists, the commercial director will oversee the management of a wide range of category-management activities, including market engagement, development of sourcing strategies, spend management, commercial-contract management, and supplier-relationship management,” said the department. 

“They will be building on and developing key strong stakeholder relationships within the department as well as related and dependent organisations across central government and the wider public sector.”

The closing date for applications is Friday 3 November, with a “sift meeting” taking place about four weeks after that. Remaining candidates will be asked to attend an assessment on 11 December, with final panel interviews taking place in the week before Christmas. 

The job will be based in Corsham in Wiltshire, the MoD said.