Role: Associate Commercial Specialist PFI
Salary/Rate: £650-752 per day inside IR35
Location: Hybrid, 3x per week on site
Contract Duration: until 31/3/26
We are currently looking for an Associate Commercial Specialist PFI - Private Finance Initiative Specialist for our government client.
This Associate Commercial Specialist PFI role is hybrid, 3 days per week in the office and the remainder of the week working remotely. There is no further flexibility with expected time on site.
Office locations include Andover, Wyton near Huntingdon, Whittingdon near Lichfield or Glasgow, as preferred, with a significant number of team members based in Whittingdon. There will be possible occasional travel required to other sites, as per business needs.
The contract for the Associate Commercial Specialist PFI position is until 31/3/26, with potential to extend, operating inside IR35.
Security Clearance: Security Check (SC Clearance)
This role is inside IR35 - Due to the service of the role, it will now be based on an Umbrella solution.
Essential skills/experience required:
- Prior Public Sector experience is essential
- Senior Private Finance Initiative (PFI) experience - full lifecycle
- Senior Procurement experience
- Extensive experience in Cat A public procurement (upwards of £500m)
- High level contract experience
- PCR 2015
- Familiar with PA2023 & PA2024
- Prior experience in a large team
- Strong stakeholder management skills at all levels
- Familiarity with gov Defence estate - desirable
- CIPS level 5 - desirable
Job role/responsibilities:
- Lead procurement and contract management for high‑value, complex and strategic contracts.
- Deliver the full procurement lifecycle including requirements gathering, market analysis, tendering, evaluation, negotiation and contract award.
- Build and manage effective supplier relationships, ensuring strong governance and competitive sourcing.
- Construct contracts with legal/technical support and justify commercial decisions in line with gov rules.
- Oversee contract mobilisation, performance management, change control, risk management and contract transition/exit.
- Resolve supplier underperformance, maintain legal compliance and ensure continuity of supply throughout the contract lifecycle.
- Monitor performance data, drive value‑for‑money improvements and ensure benefits are realised and reported accurately.
- Provide expert commercial advice to senior internal and external stakeholders, including defence representatives.
- Represent Commercial as the senior point of contact for clients, suppliers and end users.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of Commercial Strategy as part of the Senior Leadership Team.
- Lead and develop a team, supporting capability building, talent management and succession planning.
- Maintain accurate commercial records and ensure full compliance with corporate and regulatory requirements.
- Build effective stakeholder relationships to influence decisions and overcome delivery challenges.
- Drive continuous improvement across procurement, contract management and wider commercial services.
If you are interested in the above role, please click Apply Now and send a CV for quick review.
As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, Circle and our Client guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. Our client is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, they guarantee to interview all veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where they have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, they will interview the best candidates from within that group. If you qualify, please notify us on igs [at] circlerecruitment [dot] com. We will be in touch to discuss your suitability and arrange your guaranteed interview.
Should you require reasonable adjustments at any point during the recruitment process or if there is a better way for us to communicate, please do let us know.
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