Senior Commercial Category Manager
| Posting date: | 12 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £44,241 per year |
| Additional salary information: | An additional RRA allowance may be applicable with the following qualifications: £2,000 for diploma level CIPS, or £4,000 for full MCIPS membership |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 25 January 2026 |
| Location: | Swansea |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 442647/4 |
Summary
Are you someone with an understanding of the Procurement Act 2023?
Can you lead a team to continue the development of Category Management?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
A unique opportunity to lead commercial excellence at the heart of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) operations, delivering measurable value across the full commercial lifecycle while developing your career through MCIPS qualification and ongoing professional growth.
The DVSA helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably. We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
We’re working hard to:
- make roads safer
- improve services for our customers
- make road transport greener and healthier
- harness the potential of technology and data
- grow and level up the economy
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Read more in the Benefits section below!
Find out more about what it's like working at DVSA.
This is an exciting opportunity to take on a dynamic role with excellent learning and self-development opportunities. If not already held, the role holder will be supported with time and funding to complete the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (MCIPS) qualification, with annual membership costs funded while in role.
The purpose of this role is to provide DVSA operations with exemplar commercial expertise in line with Government Commercial Function (GCF) best practice, leading the delivery of a Commercial Category Management approach. The role holder will manage all stages of the commercial lifecycle, delivering value through cost savings, cost avoidance, and improvements to Category Management.
Senior Commercial Category Managers will work collaboratively with stakeholders on sub-category plans, determine optimal routes to market, and implement risk-based lifecycle management, enabling business-led buying. The role requires excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and influencing skills with both suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Category Management is recognised as best practice by the GCF and supports the DVSA Commercial Strategy. It involves managing commercial requirements by category across the full lifecycle pre-procurement, procurement, contract management, and benefits realisation, delivering improved commercial services and efficiency savings.
The Senior Commercial Category Manager will deliver effective commercial services for one or more sub-categories, with potential opportunities to contribute to policy development, process improvement, and assurance within the commercial function and wider DVSA.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Leading a team to continue the development of the Category Management approach across DVSA
- Responsible for team delivery against the strategies.
- Operate within a regulated public sector commercial environment consistent with the GCF Commercial Operating Standards for Government
- Operate across one or more sub-categories with a value of c£25m
Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
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