Commercial Manager

The Fair Work Agency (FWA) launched in April 2026. We currently regulate Employment Agencies, license Gangmasters in agricultural and horticultural sectors, tackle serious labour abuse and modern slavery and enable National Minimum Wage enforcement. And there is more to do - we have new powers under the Employment Rights Act 2025 and are working to develop and implement new responsibilities - including ensuring people get their holiday and statutory sick pay. We will:

• ensure that workers and victims of labour exploitation understand their rights, and know how to access support and raise concerns
• simplify compliance and support business to understand and act on their obligations
• take tough action against rogue businesses who exploit workers and undercut legitimate business.

To do this we need great people who are inspired by innovation and improvement, like working with partners and stakeholders and are focused on making a real difference.

Joining us now means becoming part of an organisation as it is being built. You will help shape how the Agency operates, influence its culture, and contribute directly to improving fairness, compliance and outcomes for millions of workers and responsible employers across the UK.

As Commercial Manager for the Fair Work Agency (FWA), you will be at the forefront of building a modern, effective commercial function within a newly established public body. This is a rare opportunity to support a national organisation to manage its suppliers, contracts and commercial activity.

In this pivotal role, you will lead the development and delivery of FWA?s commercial strategy, ensuring value for money, robust compliance with procurement legislation, and high performing contracts that support our mission. You will work closely with senior leaders across the Agency, providing authoritative commercial advice, managing complex and high-risk contracts, and driving continuous improvement across the full commercial lifecycle.

Joining the Finance and Commercial Team at this formative moment, you will play a central role in designing and embedding modern commercial practices that strengthen our capability as the Agency grows. You will be responsible for developing strategic sourcing plans, overseeing procurement activity, shaping new ways of working, and building strong supplier relationships that enhance service quality and operational effectiveness.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across the FWA and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), you will help establish our commercial processes, improving efficiency, transparency and impact. Your insight and leadership will directly influence how the FWA operates and will contribute to establishing a trusted, forward-looking organisation.

This role is ideal for candidates with experience across the full commercial and procurement lifecycle who are motivated by the opportunity to make a tangible difference. You will balance the management of existing contracts with leading new procurements for the goods and services critical to the Agency?s success.

If you are driven, commercially astute and excited by the chance to shape a new organisation, we would welcome your application.

Key responsibilities:

Commercial Strategy and Planning

• Contribute to the development and delivery of category strategies aligned with the Fair Work Agency and the Department for Business and Trade.
• Forecast and plan commercial requirements with stakeholders and suppliers, maintaining category plans for key areas of spend.
• Analyse historical and forecasted expenditure, market trends and sourcing options to support effective routes to market.
• Provide commercial insight during strategic planning and help business areas embed good commercial practice.

Procurement and Sourcing

• Lead end to end strategic sourcing, ensuring compliance, value for money and adherence to governance requirements.
• Work with stakeholders to develop business requirements and identify suitable sourcing routes, assessing benefits and risks.
• Negotiate with suppliers to secure strong commercial outcomes and support long term supplier relationships.
• Deliver a procurement service that drives commercial value and supports DBT Commercial on major procurements.
• Identify opportunities for supplier collaboration and cost saving initiatives across the supply base.

Contract and Supplier Relationship Management

• Support the Head of Commercial and Procurement to embed strong contract management practices across the FWA.
• Act as commercial lead for complex contracts, ensuring governance, performance management, financial oversight and issue resolution.
• Build strong supplier relationships that promote transparency, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Lead contract transition, renewal and exit activity to ensure service continuity and maximise value.
• Identify and manage commercial risks, putting appropriate mitigations in place and escalating when needed.

Stakeholder Management

• Build influential and collaborative relationships across the FWA and DBT to embed commercial best practice.
• Provide timely and professional commercial advice across all aspects of commercial activity.
• Engage with senior leaders to ensure business needs align with category strategies and sourcing plans.

Leadership

• Where needed, line manage staff, acting as a positive role model and supporting wellbeing and professional development.
• Contribute to developing commercial capability across the FWA through induction, coaching and training.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours over 4 days per week.

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria.

Essential criteria:

• Experience across the full commercial lifecycle, with procurement and contract management expertise.
• Strong understanding of UK Public Contracts Regulations and public sector commercial policy.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and communicate commercial information clearly.
• Evidence of delivering commercial outcomes, driving value, and managing supplier relationships.
• Relevant commercial qualification (e.g., CIPS, WorldCC) or willingness to work towards one.

Qualifications

Desirable:

• Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.
• World CC

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

• Developing Self and Others
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Job contact :

• Name : recruitment@fairworkagency.gov.uk
• Email : recruitment@fairworkagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@fairworkagency.gov.uk