Army - Commercial Officer

The Army Commercial Team comprises of around 90 qualified Commercial Officers ranging in grade from Executive Officer to Senior Civil Servant. A large proportion of the team are responsible for placing around 180 contracts a year for around £240M worth of activity and managing £5bn worth of contracts.
These contracts range in value and complexity from the Army Recruiting Partnering Project and a 30-year arrangement for the Royal School of Military Engineering Public Private Partnership to low value short terms Adventurous Training support contracts. It also places sales contracts which enable the Army to generate income by using its spare capacity.

This exciting role requires to undertake Pre-Sourcing, Sourcing and Contract Management activity to enable innovation, and support to the Army Commercial Team, with a primary focus on innovation, research, and experimentation. It is focused on the entire procurement cycle providing early commercial support and leadership to shape projects and to support the adoption of innovation from industry, engaging with Enabling Agents such as DE&S and Dstl.

The post holder will acquire an extensive knowledge of the current and potential supplier market and understand, and put into effect, the components required to maximise competition. Dealing with a variety of complex contracts while covering end to end procurement activities. The successful candidate will support and report to the Army Commercial Senior Executive Officer as well as the Assistant Head Army Commercial Innovation Lead.

This is a very exciting and influential role that will work across numerous projects at the earliest stage to ensure they are commercially viable and enable the exploitation of Innovation and pull through of technology.

• Providing early and ongoing commercial advice and commercial technical leadership to stakeholders and establishing/maintaining positive working relationships within all areas of Army but primarily in innovation, research, experimentation, and trials.


• Laying the commercial foundations for requirements to pass through timely and effectively, meeting both Army Commercial and Stakeholder needs.


• Define, procure and contract manage contracts in support of innovation and the wider Army Commercial activities.


• Supporting early market engagement to understand the supplier market, procurement options and supplier relationship management.


• Generating ideas for securing better value for money through support requirements setting and development of commercial strategies in meeting Army's innovation objectives.


• Working collaboratively and flexibly with Army Commercial colleagues to deliver Army's priorities in accordance with the Army Command Plan.


• Ensuring high quality data and integrity by maintaining Army's electronic commercial tools and using available technologies.


• Supporting the implementation of Commercial Awareness training to maximise and sustain improved commercial awareness across the Army Command.


• Ensuring compliant pre-sourcing, sourcing and contract management applying commercial assurance to all activities.


• Supporting the implementation of Commercial Awareness training to maximise and sustain improved commercial awareness. This may include delivering Commercial Awareness Presentations periodically.