Senior Commercial Manager - Buildings Science

Defra has an exciting ambition to deliver on four priority outcomes: the Environment (improving the environment through cleaner air and water, minimised waste and thriving plants and terrestrial and marine wildlife); Net Zero (reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon storage in the agricultural, waste, peat and tree planting sectors to help deliver net zero); Floods and resilience (reducing likelihood and impact of flooding and coastal erosion on people, businesses, communities and the environment); Agriculture, food, fisheries, animal welfare and biosecurity (increasing the sustainability, productivity and resilience of agriculture, fishing, food and drink sectors, enhancing biosecurity and raising animal welfare standards).

The successful candidate will undertake a senior role.Responsible for effective spend management through innovation and transformation in order to meet the Defra strategic outcomes and the Weybridge Operating Model to ensure resilience of the building and laboratory assets at Weybridge.

The Buildings team, including Building Science, are responsible for c£350m spend per annum across multiple sub-categories including construction, construction related professional services, facilities management, utilities, estates management and sustainable power (EV charging, Solar PV etc.) The Defra and ALB estate is made up of offices, operational depots, fisheries, the Thames Barrier, high containment science laboratories, EU Exit border control posts (BCP's) and Natural England visitor centers. The Science team are responsible for the capital delivery of the science estate to maintain operation of the Weybridge site and other regional laboratories, whilst NBC is in development including maintenance, refurbishments, extension of building life and adaptations.

The Animal and Plant Health Agencies (APHA's) facilities and laboratories at Weybridge are key to the Government's management of animal health threats. The site provides the UK's only large animal high containment labs and allows APHA to offer 'end-to-end' capabilities for managing disease threats ranging from research to horizon scanning, outbreak prevention and response. However, the site is in very poor condition.

Job description

The role will head up the Weybridge Science Estates commercial team, leading the commercial delivery of the capital pipeline across the estate, Weybridge and other regional laboratories in England. They will work in alignment with the wider Building Category and National Biosecurity Centre Commercial team to ensure a category management approach is adopted across the construction and construction related professional services spend.

The role is to manage spend effectively and innovatively in order to meet the Defra network outcomes, whilst also fulfilling its Spending Review targets. The post-holder will undertake a strategic leadership and influencing role.

They will provide expert advice to the business on commercial issues and governance. They will be expected to deliver propriety and value for money whilst applying the Commercial DNA principles.

The role holder will hold a business-critical senior leadership role within the DGC team, providing strategic and operational support to the Head of Category and other senior leaders, including Defra group Property and the Weybridge Director of Operations. They will promote commercial principles within the Defra network and wider Government, influencing where appropriate.

They will lead, motivate and direct a professional commercial team to develop and implement corporate initiatives to control and secure compliance with business outcomes and to ensure continuous improvement in the field of procurement.