The government has launched a recruitment campaign for the next government chief commercial officer – seven months after it announced the current boss would be leaving.
A £250,000 salary is on offer for the Cabinet Office-based role, which leads the civil service’s commercial function and is now unfilled after Gareth Rhys Williams departed.
The Cabinet Office announced in February that Rhys Williams would be leaving to become chair of National Highways in April. It said he would stay in post as government chief commercial officer while it searched for his successor, working in a part-time capacity once he joined the Department for Transport-owned roads company.
Following this announcement, CSW understands, the Cabinet Office carried out an assessment to determine the specific needs of the position. The job advert was published last week, seven months after the announcement, with applicants having until 15 October to apply.
CSW understands that Rhys Williams has now fully stepped down from the role, with senior leaders from the government commercial function stepping in to maintain continuity of leadership and direction.
The recruitment process is being carried out by management consultancy firm Russell Reynolds Associates on behalf of the Cabinet Office. The job pack sets out a lengthy process, which includes initial interviews; longlisting; shortlisting; a day of classroom-based tests; individual leadership assessments; and a final panel interview on 6 December. By this point, 10 months will have passed since plans to replace Rhys Williams were announced.
The GCCO is responsible for implementing professional standards for the around 6,000 commercial professionals in government, as well as leading and building strong commercial expertise across all government departments.
Reporting directly to the civil service chief operating officer, the GCCO is accountable for evolving and implementing the civil service’s commercial strategy, positioning the commercial function as a key delivery partner in all commercial relationships and helping departments realise efficiency savings.
The role-holder also has oversight and direct management of the government grants function, which supports departments and their arm's-length bodies to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of government grants.
In a foreword to the job pack for the position, civil service COO Cat Little said she would be “delighted to hear from candidates from all walks of life and past experience who have the enthusiasm and energy to take this task on and deliver real change and value for the citizens of the UK, building an excellent commercial function for a modern civil service”.
Rhys Williams, who became GCCO in 2019, came from outside the civil service, having been chief executive of hygiene services firm PHS Group and, before that, chief exec of engineering business Charter International.
Little said his successor would be joining at a “brilliant time to be taking on the responsibilities and challenges that this role entails”.
“Demands for high-quality public services have never been higher; nor has the need to drive ever greater efficiency in delivering them,” the Cabinet Office permanent secretary said.
“Rising to meet the demands of citizens is both a privilege and a responsibility. Citizens rightly expect government money to be spent wisely, in pursuit of high quality services that deliver for them in all aspects of life. To do this, the civil service must be highly skilled, motivated and innovative in searching out new efficiencies and seizing opportunities wherever they arise.
“In building our relationships with the suppliers that support us in delivering these services, we must be equally stretching: building the deep strategic relationships with specific suppliers where necessary, while being searching in all our contractual relationships to ensure we are spending taxpayers’ money wisely.”
Little said the role holder will work alongside and with the “vibrant” commercial function community on a “huge array of projects; whether in energy, national security, or in improving healthcare delivery at the national and local level”.
She added the recent passing of the Procurement Act means there are “enormous opportunities to leverage the new flexibilities offered, and to shape our relationship with suppliers that span from the largest multinational organisations to the smallest SMEs”.
“Realising these opportunities requires confident, experienced leaders, who work collaboratively and strategically to drive real results at pace,” Little said.
“We need to support our colleagues in developing their skills and experience even further and prepare the civil service to meet the challenges of the coming years and decades."