Commercial Manager NHS

Commercial Manager NHS Job – £57,528 to £64,750 | Band 8a | Remote & Flexible Working

A high-level NHS Commercial Manager opportunity is now open with South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, offering a salary of up to £64,750 per year.

The permanent Band 8a Commercial Manager position supports the Ambulance Radio Programme (ARP), a major national programme responsible for emergency communications services across the UK ambulance sector.

The role combines procurement, contract management, commercial strategy, supplier management and stakeholder engagement, making it particularly relevant to experienced commercial professionals, procurement specialists and candidates with public-sector or NHS procurement experience.

Salary: £57,528 – £64,750 per year
Band: NHS Band 8a
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, flexible working and home/remote working
Location: Barnsley, Bristol or London, with home-based working available
Closing date: 13 September 2026
Employer: South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Reference: 202-8251919

Commercial Manager NHS Vacancy – Key Details

Job detail	Information
Job title	Commercial Manager
Employer	South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Programme	Ambulance Radio Programme (ARP)
Salary	£57,528 – £64,750 per year
NHS Band	Band 8a
Contract	Permanent
Hours	Full-time
Working options	Flexible, home or remote working
Main locations	Barnsley, Bristol and London
Closing date	13 September 2026
Reference number	202-8251919
DBS	Basic DBS check required
Security	Security Clearance required
UK residency	At least 5 years of UK residency required for clearance

About This NHS Commercial Manager Job

This Commercial Manager position sits at the centre of the Ambulance Radio Programme’s commercial function.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading significant procurement activities while also managing contracts throughout their implementation and delivery.

The role requires someone who can combine commercial judgement with strong analytical, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.

You will work with a broad range of organisations and senior stakeholders, potentially including NHS Ambulance Trusts, the Home Office, Crown Commercial Service, the Department of Health and Social Care and internal ARP teams.

A key part of the position is ensuring that commercial activity delivers value for money, transparency and regulatory compliance.

What Will the Commercial Manager Do?

The successful applicant will lead procurement and commercial activities across major ARP services.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading end-to-end procurement activities.
Managing the full procurement lifecycle.
Designing and running competitive procurement procedures.
Managing framework procurements.
Ensuring procurement activity complies with the Public Procurement Act 2023.
Supporting procurement of goods and services required by ARP and Ambulance Trusts.
Managing contracts through implementation and delivery.
Maintaining accurate commercial and contract records.
Monitoring contractual performance.
Identifying and resolving commercial issues.
Supporting contractual change.
Preparing commercial and contractual evaluations.
Producing assessments for senior management.
Drafting and reviewing contract change notices.
Working closely with internal and external stakeholders.
Providing commercial advice and guidance.
Influencing stakeholders to achieve positive commercial outcomes.

The role is particularly suited to professionals who are comfortable working on complex contracts and large-scale procurement programmes.

About the Ambulance Radio Programme

The Ambulance Radio Programme (ARP) is an enduring organisation appointed by the Department of Health and Social Care to provide and upgrade emergency communications for UK ambulance services.

ARP has a team of more than 80 staff working across commercial, finance, project, implementation, technical, user assurance and service functions.

The organisation supports a major programme of work valued at approximately £460 million.

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Its work includes introducing new technology and communication services across ambulance services and supporting the delivery of technology designed to improve emergency response and patient care.

ARP services include technology deployed across approximately 6,500 national ambulance vehicles, as well as data-rich communications products used by more than 15,000 frontline paramedic and control-room staff.

The programme covers installation, maintenance and replacement of communications technology and plays an important role in supporting ambulance services responding to critical incidents.

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Location and Remote Working

One of the major attractions of this Commercial Manager vacancy is its flexible working arrangement.

The role is anticipated to be home based, although successful candidates may work from one of the ARP offices depending on their location and preference.

Current office locations include:

Barnsley
Bristol
Central London

Home-based employees may occasionally need to travel to an ARP office or attend meetings with external colleagues and other members of the team.

For candidates working from London, the vacancy states that office attendance is expected at least once a week.

This makes the position potentially attractive to experienced commercial professionals looking for remote NHS jobs or flexible public-sector employment.

Salary – £57,528 to £64,750

The Commercial Manager position is advertised at NHS Band 8a, with a salary range of:

£57,528 to £64,750 per year.

The position is permanent and full-time, while flexible working arrangements are available.

The salary reflects the seniority and commercial responsibilities associated with the role.

Candidates should review the official vacancy for the complete terms and conditions applicable to the post.

NHS Benefits and Employment Package

Because the ARP team is hosted by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, the successful candidate will receive the benefits associated with working for an NHS Foundation Trust.

The advertised benefits include:

Generous annual leave allowance, starting at 27 days.
Career Average NHS Pension Scheme.
Access to NHS and Emergency Services discounts.
Salary sacrifice lease car scheme.
Cycle-to-work scheme.
Technology scheme.
Flexible working arrangements.
Home or remote working options.

The exact employment package and applicable terms should be confirmed during the recruitment process.

Who Can Apply?

The vacancy is aimed at experienced commercial and procurement professionals who can demonstrate strong knowledge of complex contracts and commercial management.

Candidates should be capable of working independently while also influencing a wide range of stakeholders.

The role requires strong analytical ability, commercial awareness and the confidence to deal with contractual and procurement matters at a senior level.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should meet the essential requirements listed by the employer.

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These include:

CIPS Qualification

Applicants must be a CIPS member or qualified, or hold an equivalent qualification, at least to Level 4.

Degree or Equivalent

A degree or equivalent qualification is required.

Commercial and Contract Experience

Candidates should have experience dealing with the:

Financial aspects of complex contracts.
Contractual aspects of complex contracts.
Commercial aspects of complex contracts.

Stakeholder Management

Applicants should have experience resolving queries and influencing people.

The successful candidate will regularly communicate with different stakeholders and must be able to build effective working relationships.

Commercial Evaluation

Experience producing contractual, commercial evaluations and other assessments for senior management is required.

Contract Documentation

Candidates should have the ability to draft and review:

Contract change notices.
Contractual documentation.
Other commercial documents.

Personal Skills

The employer is looking for someone who is:

Self-reliant.
Tenacious.
Highly analytical.
Commercially aware.
Proactive.
Curious.
Comfortable influencing others.

Desirable Experience

The following experience is desirable but not listed as essential:

Large-scale procurement within the NHS.
Large-scale procurement within Central Government.
Working within a large-scale service management structure.
Knowledge of the NHS.
Understanding of wider public procurement.
Knowledge of the commercial marketplace.

Candidates who have previously worked in NHS procurement, central government procurement or other major public-sector commercial environments may therefore find their experience particularly relevant.

NHS Commercial Manager and Procurement Career Opportunities

This vacancy could be relevant to professionals working in several areas, including:

Commercial management.
Procurement.
Contract management.
Public-sector procurement.
NHS procurement.
Supplier management.
Commercial analysis.
Contract evaluation.
Strategic sourcing.
Government commercial functions.

The position also offers exposure to a major national emergency communications programme, potentially providing valuable experience for professionals looking to progress within NHS, government and public-sector commercial careers.

Visa Sponsorship for International Applicants

The vacancy information states that applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.

However, applicants should not assume that sponsorship is automatically guaranteed.

Eligibility for sponsorship depends on the specific role, the candidate’s circumstances and the relevant UK immigration requirements.

International applicants should carefully review the official NHS vacancy and current UK immigration guidance before applying.

For official UK visa information, use the UK Government’s immigration guidance rather than relying on third-party job advertisements.

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Security Clearance and UK Residency Requirement

This position has an important additional requirement because it requires Security Clearance.

The employer states that candidates will need to have been UK residents for at least five years.

This is an important consideration for applicants who have recently moved to the UK.

Meeting the professional requirements does not necessarily mean that an applicant will be able to obtain the required clearance.

Candidates should carefully review the security requirements before submitting an application.

DBS Check

The position is subject to a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

The employer states that the cost of the DBS check will be deducted from the successful candidate’s first pay instalment.

Applicants should review the official vacancy information for the current DBS requirements and pricing.

UK Professional Registration

The vacancy information also includes a UK registration requirement.

Applicants should check the official job advertisement carefully to determine how this requirement applies to them and whether their professional registration meets the employer’s criteria.

Why This Job Could Be Attractive

There are several features that make this vacancy stand out among senior UK commercial jobs.

High Salary

The position offers up to £64,750 per year, placing it among higher-paying NHS Band 8a opportunities.

Permanent Employment

This is a permanent position rather than a short-term contract.

Remote Working

The vacancy offers home or remote working, subject to the role’s operational requirements.

National Programme

The successful candidate will work within a major national emergency communications programme supporting ambulance services.

NHS Benefits

The role comes with NHS employment benefits, including the NHS Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlement.

Senior Commercial Experience

The position provides an opportunity to work across procurement, contracts, commercial evaluation and stakeholder management.

Application Deadline

The closing date for this Commercial Manager vacancy is:

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13 September 2026

Applicants should avoid waiting until the final day to apply.

Recruitment processes can involve multiple stages, and candidates should ensure they have enough time to prepare their application and supporting information.

How to Apply for the Commercial Manager NHS Vacancy

Applications should be submitted through the official NHS Jobs recruitment system.

Official vacancy:
View the Commercial Manager vacancy and apply on NHS Jobs

Before applying, candidates should carefully read the job description and person specification and make sure their application clearly demonstrates the required procurement, commercial and contract-management experience.

Where applicable, applicants should explain their experience of working with complex contracts, senior stakeholders, commercial evaluations and procurement procedures.

Application Tips for This NHS Job

Candidates applying for senior commercial positions should make their application evidence-based.

Consider highlighting:

Commercial experience:
Give examples of complex contracts you have managed and explain your specific responsibilities.

Procurement experience:
Describe procurement exercises you have led and the outcomes achieved.

Contract management:
Explain how you have monitored supplier performance, handled contractual issues and managed change.

Stakeholder management:
Provide examples of working with senior stakeholders and influencing decisions.

Public-sector experience:
If you have worked for the NHS, government or another public-sector organisation, clearly demonstrate how that experience relates to the position.

Analytical ability:
Use examples showing how your analysis influenced commercial or strategic decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the NHS Commercial Manager job?

The advertised salary is £57,528 to £64,750 per year at NHS Band 8a.

Is the Commercial Manager position permanent?

Yes. The vacancy is advertised as a permanent position.

Is this an NHS remote job?

Yes. The vacancy allows home or remote working, although occasional travel may be required. Candidates can also work from ARP offices in Barnsley, Bristol or London.

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What is the closing date?

The closing date is 13 September 2026.

Can international applicants apply?

The vacancy states that applicants requiring current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside other applicants. Sponsorship should not be assumed, and applicants must meet all relevant requirements.

Is Security Clearance required?

Yes. The role requires Security Clearance, and the employer states that candidates need to have been UK residents for at least five years.

Is a DBS check required?

Yes. The position requires a Basic DBS check.

What qualification is required?

Applicants must have CIPS membership or qualification, or an equivalent qualification, to at least Level 4, as well as a degree or equivalent.

Where is the job based?

The role can be worked from Bristol, Barnsley or London, with home-based working also anticipated.

What NHS Band is the position?

The Commercial Manager vacancy is NHS Band 8a.

Job Summary

This is a senior NHS commercial opportunity for an experienced procurement or contract-management professional seeking a permanent role with flexible and remote working options.

With a salary of up to £64,750, NHS employment benefits and involvement in a major national emergency communications programme, the vacancy could be particularly relevant to professionals with experience in complex commercial environments.

However, applicants should pay close attention to the CIPS Level 4 requirement, Security Clearance requirement and five-year UK residency requirement before applying.

Closing date: 13 September 2026.

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Source and Disclaimer

This vacancy information is based on the official NHS Jobs advertisement published by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Job details, salary, eligibility requirements, closing dates and recruitment arrangements can change. Applicants should always verify the latest information on the official vacancy before applying.

Apply via official website

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