Strategic Partnering Manager

We are hiring a Strategic Partnering Manager to lead the work with some of the most important suppliers to government in the Built Environment Sector. The role sits within Markets, Sourcing and Suppliers, one of the most-high profile, dynamic and exciting commercial teams in the Government Commercial Agency. The Government Commercial Agency is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office and part of the Government Commercial Function.

The role holder will ensure government has the most effective relationships possible with its strategic suppliers in the construction and engineering sector, in order to unlock strategic and financial value, to deliver the best value from outsourced contracts, and to align the government's commercial strategy with suppliers and broader market capability. Working across government - both central government departments and the wider public sector - and with Crown Representatives, strategic suppliers themselves and with industry stakeholders, the Strategic Partnering Manager will strengthen relationships at all levels, building a mutual value proposition in key service areas.

The role offers an opportunity to lead the supplier-facing network across government, building an in-depth understanding and knowledge of strategic suppliers’ business models and public sector portfolios in the built environment sector and using this to drive collaborative continuous improvements to the contracts and services that suppliers deliver.

The successful candidate will be a highly experienced and successful senior leader, with a deep career anchored in commercial disciplines, practiced at senior level. A strong delivery ethic with high levels of resilience, a high level of adaptability and flexibility, and the ability to manage unstructured situations and environments are also required in this role. Additional requirements of the role are:

• Expert practice in business development, in developing and managing value propositions and in delivering strategic partnering plans.
• Expert knowledge in complex commercial relationship management and in the contracting process.
• An in-depth understanding of government structures with the ability to build and contribute to high-quality internal relationships.
• A highly developed strategic thinker and ability to identify and take calculated risks.
• Outstanding relationship-management capabilities, with first-class communication skills and solid track record of negotiations at very senior levels.
• Deep experience in collaboration across teams and separate organisations, and ability to lead without formal authority.
• A diplomatic approach, with deep understanding of the politics within complex organisations.
• A deep sense of commercial and operational value and a commitment to improve design, value and delivery in a variety of service areas and agreements.

Although not a guarantee, the role holder may have line management responsibilities for a small number of more junior colleagues. The main focus of the role will be to coordinate a network, across government and the wider public sector, comprising commercial and delivery professionals, focused on the relationship with several government’s construction and engineering strategic suppliers.

The role will sit in the Markets, Sourcing and Suppliers directorate in the Government Commercial Agency which is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office and part of the Government Commercial Function.

Locations:

The successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. When selecting your location listed in this job advert please be aware that this will be your contractual base location with a requirement to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in this organisational workplace.

Your time spent on official duties at workplace locations other than your contractual office such as supplier, customer or partner locations required to perform your role is included in the 60% attendance.

This requirement will however take into consideration any reasonable adjustments agreed upon appointment for people with a disability, flexibilities agreed for those with specific caring responsibilities, or other similar temporary flexibilities.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Your application will be reviewed by a panel and should you be successful at sift we will invite you to attend a Virtual commercial Assessment and Development Centre (VADC). The panel will review results of the VADC and determine which candidates will go through to a subsequent final panel interview. Please note: Only candidates that achieve an A grade at ADC will be invited to interview for this role.

Please be advised that the Virtual ADC is taking place on the 15th of October 2026 and will require a full day's attendance.

If you are invited to attend a virtual ADC, but for any reason are unable to meet the date outlined then please get in touch with the team on commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible. The ADC is booked and paid for in advance by departments, therefore it is only in certain circumstances we are able to accommodate alternative dates.

For full details of our process, and a likely timeline, please read the attached candidate pack.

Throughout our selection process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the Technical Skills (essential criteria) and your Job History (CV) that you will be asked to provide during the application process. Further help and advice on our application and selection process can be found at this web address https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/gcf-how-to-apply/

IMPORTANT: If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within 2 working days please contact: commercialresourcinghub@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.