Commercial Finance Manager

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a Commercial Finance Manager for a contract until March 2027 (Inside IR35) based remotely anywhere within the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK's biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.

As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives. Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:

• Help people to move into work and support those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• Help people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• Provide effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• Improve experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer.

To support a major DWP commercial finance function. This role sits at the intersection of finance and commercial operations, providing financial insight, supplier risk assessment, commercial challenge, and strategic support across large, high-value public sector contracts. Working closely with commercial teams, suppliers, and senior stakeholders, you will help drive value for money, support contractual negotiations, assess supplier financial health, and provide robust financial advice to support key business decisions.

This is an excellent opportunity for a finance professional who enjoys combining financial analysis with commercial engagement and stakeholder management. As a Commercial Finance Manager , your main responsibilities will be to:

• Partner with Commercial teams and senior stakeholders to provide financial support during supplier negotiations and contract changes.
• Review, analyse and challenge supplier cost submissions to ensure value for money is achieved.
• Support the financial assessment of suppliers, including financial viability and risk reviews.
• Conduct ratio analysis, trend analysis and financial health assessments using supplier accounts and financial statements.
• Provide financial insight and recommendations to support strategic commercial decision-making.
• Identify, assess and mitigate financial risks associated with major outsourced contracts.
• Support governance processes, business cases, approvals and commercial assurance activities.
• Interpret supplier financial information and communicate findings clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Assist in the management of high-value and high-risk contracts, ensuring financial risks are understood and effectively managed.
• Support compliance with Outsourcing Playbook principles and best practice commercial finance governance.
• Build strong relationships across finance, commercial and operational teams.
• Contribute to commercial finance awareness and capability-building activities across the organisation.

• Fully qualified accountant or part qualified if 8 or exams completed.
• Ability to understand and interpret detailed cost returns from suppliers and evaluate against contractual standards and requirements, identifying areas to challenge.
• Excel and Presentation skills - analysis skills and reporting to non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management and business partnering capability.
• Experience supporting commercial decision-making from a finance perspective.
• Ability to work across multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience working within commercial finance or procurement finance environments.
• Knowledge of Government commercial frameworks and outsourced service contracts.
• Understanding of the UK Government Outsourcing Playbook.
• Understanding of IFRS standards.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

As a Disability Confident employer, DWP encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates. Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security…