Contract and Management Supplier Lead
£75,000 per annum
Bedford
Permanent
Hybrid Working
Join us at the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) as a Contract and Management Supplier Lead. The Contract and Supplier Management Lead serves as the primary assurance for the platform’s supplier contract execution. Ensuring appropriate financial stewardship, and value-for-money (VfM) frameworks are realised. Reporting directly to the Corporate Director for Pensions Platform and working with MaPS’ Commercial team, you will hold accountability for the contractual lifecycle of the multi-million-pound Integrated Service Provider (ISP) and other associated contracts. Ensuring the provider's commercial drivers remain strictly aligned with MaPS’ delivery milestones and regulatory obligations and executing MaPS’ Third-Party risk management controls.
You will bring a sophisticated commercial mindset, acting as an objective quality gatekeeper for supplier delivery. Beyond day-to-day contract administration, you will oversee the strategic execution of the platform's Knowledge Transfer (KT) via a dedicated Knowledge Transition Manager, leveraging contractual mechanisms to enforce supplier compliance and ensure MaPS regains the full control, data sovereignty, and intellectual property ownership required to secure this critical national asset.
Key Responsibilities:
Role boundaries:
- Operates within the overall technology and commercial strategy, standards, and governance set by the CDIO, central MaPS Commercial team, and the Corporate Director.
- Accountable for contract performance, budget management, and value-for-money optimisation across the Pensions Dashboards digital infrastructure.
- Collaborates effectively with the Head of Platform Delivery (who provides technical verification of KT deliverables), the Head of IT Service (who provides live operational SLA data), the Pensions Dashboards Service Owner (who aligns spending with business outcomes), the MaPS Commercial team, and MaPS Finance teams.
- Identifies, manages, and mitigates material commercial, financial, and vendor lock-in risks, escalating to executive governance as appropriate.
Person Specifications:
- Commercially Astute: Sharp-minded and highly analytical, with an exceptional grasp of commercial risks, financial value protection, and long-term asset security.
- Objective Gatekeeper: Remain objective despite delivery velocity or external pressure, with the determination to hold suppliers to strict compliance standards.
- Strategic Diplomat: Highly adept at managing high-stakes supplier conversations, navigating commercial tension, and driving win-win outcomes without yielding on organisational sovereignty.
- Clear Communicator: Exceptional capability to translate dense legal terminology and contractual mechanisms into plain, actionable risk assessments for technical and business leadership.
Key accountabilities
1. Commercial Contract Leadership & VfM Enforcement
Responsible for the proactive commercial stewardship of the platform budget and the overarching ISP contract. Aggressively utilise contractual performance levers, financial incentives, and value-for-money frameworks to maximise supplier efficacy and protect the public purse.
2. Strategic Knowledge Transition Governance
Oversee the end-to-end Knowledge Transfer (KT) framework via the dedicated Knowledge Transition Manager. Ensure the suppliers fulfil their contractual obligations especially phased handovers while minimising operational friction.
3. Commercial Lever Management & Quality Assurance
Serve as the objective contract gatekeeper with the authority to withhold milestone payments, pause stage gates, apply financial service credits, or escalate contract disputes when the supplier fails to meet technical definitions of done or handover criteria.
4. Financial Management & Variation Governance
Managing the contract’s operational budget, leading the commercial execution of Statements of Work (SoWs), contract indexation reviews, and formal contract variations to maintain the flexibility required for agile operational and data exchange requirements.
5. Communicate contractual performance & Supplier Diplomacy
Translate complex contractual clauses, supplier performance metrics, and financial risks into clear, actionable, and trusted strategic advice for the Corporate Director and central MaPS Commercial teams.
Essential & Desirable Skills and Experience:
Essential:
- Commercial Contract Management: Significant experience in senior commercial contract management, with a proven track record of holding major technology vendors or Managed Service Providers (ISPs) to account within high-value infrastructure frameworks.
- Contractual Lever Management: Experience using performance points, and service credits to drive value for money and supplier accountability.
- Outsource to Insource Transition: Demonstrated success in managing the contractual mechanics of complex digital transitions, contract exit strategies, "knowledge extraction" protocols, and de-risking vendor lock-in.
- Financial Stewardship & Budgeting: Expertise and experience in managing large-scale operational budgets, understanding vendor cost models, and executing formal contract variations and Statements of Work (SoWs).
- Matrix Stakeholder Management: Experience operating within a matrixed agile environment, successfully partnering with technical delivery leads, legal specialists, and senior executives to protect organisational sovereignty.
Desirable:
- Experience managing complex technology or data utility contracts within central government, arm's-length bodies (ALBs), or regulated financial services/pensions sectors.
- Familiarity with public sector procurement guidelines (e.g., Public Contracts Regulations) and central government commercial standards.
- A baseline understanding of digital delivery models (Agile, SIAM, ITIL) to effectively bridge the gap between contractual text and technical reality.
About Us
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is based in Bedford, in a recently renovated modern office. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to become an integral part of a dynamic organisation, working to help people across the UK.
At the heart of the Money and Pensions Service are our values – caring, connecting, and transforming, which are the foundation of our success. They permeate every area of our work and define all our business relationships and the way we work with each other. We’re not only looking for the best people to come and work for us, but we need people who align themselves with our values:
- Caring
We care about our colleagues and the people whose lives we are here to transform.
- Connecting
We will transform lives through our ability to make positive connections.
- Transforming
We are committed to transforming lives and making a positive societal impact.
Our Inclusive Working Environment
By fostering our values, we are immensely proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. The diversity of our people is a strength that we embrace and wish to build upon, so we are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds. We work hard to ensure that we have a progressive approach to inclusion, equity, and belonging. We really do want our colleagues to “bring their whole selves to work.”
Our colleague and ally networks encompass LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, women’s health, men’s health, ethnicity, and diversity.
What We Offer
- Generous Annual Leave – 30 days plus Bank Holidays
- Pension scheme – contributions matched 2 to 1 (employer contribution up to 10% of your salary)
- Interest-free loan for season tickets for buses and trains
- Cycle to work Scheme
- Subsidised eye tests & flu jabs
- Life assurance scheme
- Give as you earn scheme
- Employee assistance programme (EAP)
- PAM Assist and PAM Life scheme (Wellbeing)
- Enhanced family and sick pay
- Paid volunteering (2 days a year)
- Recognition Scheme
- Discounts portal to numerous retailers
Flexible Working
At MaPS, we take pride in our flexible approach to work. As standard, we work on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in the office per month. Hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and our headquarters in Bedford will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business needs, but personal and other relevant circumstances will also be considered. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
Recruitment Process:
- Initial Review: Our recruiter will review your CV. If it looks like a good fit, they'll reach out to arrange a call.
- Hiring Manager Review: If the recruiter thinks you're suitable, your CV will be passed to the hiring manager, who will decide whether to invite you for an interview.
- Interview: If selected, you'll participate in a virtual interview. This single-stage process allows you to demonstrate your skills and experience through competency-based questions. This will also require you to deliver a short presentation.
Career Development
In MaPS, we take career development seriously. We actively encourage and support applications from our existing MaPS colleagues. However, we do follow the Civil Service Commissioner recruitment principles, which means that you will be required to participate in a full, open, and fair process.
Reserve List
If you are successful at interview, we operate a reserve list where your details will be held for up to 6 months. Should a vacancy come available in that time with the same essential criteria, reserve list candidates will be offered that position with no further assessment required.
Application Process
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the Money and Pensions Service via email: [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.
Job Reference: MaPS01237
Close Date: 19/7/2026
