Ministry of Justice

Job Title & Grade: Commissioning Officer - HEO

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary range (depending on location):

Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.

Location: Any LAA office

Please note that whilst this role is open to all Civil Servants, you can only apply for London, Cambridge and Brighton offices if you are a current LAA staff member based in those offices. This is due to and in line with the LAA's Location Strategy and the Cabinet Office's Places for Growth Strategy.

Minimum Working Pattern:

If you are applying for a part time role, please note that to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 32 hours and to cover 4 days of the week.

The Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We are responsible for operationally administering the legal aid fund to provide criminal and civil legal aid advice to people in England and Wales.

Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service.

Commissioning and Contract Management

The Directorate is responsible for the design, procurement, delivery and management of legal aid contracts on behalf of the Lord Chancellor. Within this, the Commissioning Team leads procurement activity, develops tender processes, implements new contracts, and monitors service availability and capacity across the provider market.

Commissioning

The Commissioning team work closely with operational and policy teams across the LAA and MoJ to inform future contracts and services. We develop and undertake procurement activity, including large, complex procurement processes; and ensure we are compliant with current public sector procurement legislation. Following implementation of the contracts, Commissioning monitor the availability and capacity of legal aid services and undertake further activity to increase or supplement supply as and when necessary.

The team works closely with operational and policy teams across the Agency and Ministry of Justice to develop future contracts and services. It is responsible for the effective procurement of legal advice services in line with public sector procurement legislation. Contracts let by the team have an annual value of £1.4bn. The team leads procurement activity including large, complex procurement processes which lead to the award of over 1,000 contracts as well as smaller commercial contracts for contact centres and other support services. Following implementation of the contracts, the team monitors the availability and capacity of legal aid services and undertakes further procurement exercises to increase supplement supply as and when necessary.

Team members are based in several locations including our head office in London. We offer flexible working options including from home or other suitable environments additional to the office. The postholder may be based in any Legal Aid Agency office though travel to other sites is required.

Job Summary

As a Commissioning Officer, you will support commissioning and procurement activity that helps maintain a sustainable and resilient legal aid market. Working as part of a supportive and experienced team, you will contribute to the delivery of commissioning activity across the commissioning cycle, helping ensure access to legal aid services for those who need them most.

The role offers a strong opportunity to build experience in market engagement and public procurement, working closely with internal colleagues and external stakeholders such as providers and representative bodies. You will help gather and analyse information about provider capacity, market pressures and risks, and support collaborative approaches to commissioning activity.

You will be encouraged to develop your commercial and professional skills on the job, with access to learning and development opportunities, including support to work towards professional accreditation such as the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

Key Responsibilities:

• Support commissioning and procurement activity that contributes to a sustainable and resilient legal aid market, helping maintain access to services.
• Assist with market engagement activity, including working with providers and internal stakeholders to build understanding of capacity, risks and opportunities within the legal aid market.
• Build effective working relationships with a range of internal colleagues and external stakeholders, supporting collaborative ways of working.
• Contribute to the delivery of commissioning and procurement activity, supporting elements of tender processes and related governance under the direction of senior colleagues.
• Develop and apply knowledge of procurement and commissioning policy, guidance and legislation, using this to support accurate and proportionate delivery.
• Support effective planning, scheduling and tracking of commissioning activity, ensuring information is accurate and up to date.
• Contribute positively to team culture, learning and continuous improvement.

Essential Knowledge, Experience and skills

• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks accurately and deliver high‑quality work to agreed deadlines in a stakeholder‑rich environment.
• Confidence in communicating clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with the ability to share information, explain issues and engage constructively with internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Flexibility and resilience, with the ability to work effectively under pressure and adapt to changing priorities, stakeholder needs and market conditions.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills, demonstrating a positive approach to working with others and contributing to shared objectives.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and use complex information, including market or performance data, to support decisions and commissioning activity.
• Excellent attention to detail and effective planning skills, ensuring work is well‑structured, accurate and aligned to wider commissioning and market engagement outcomes.

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and skills

• An interest in, or early experience of, market engagement or stakeholder‑facing work, with an understanding of how collaboration supports sustainable service delivery.
• Commercial awareness, including an appreciation of how commissioning decisions and procurement processes impact providers and market capacity.
• Experience of working with external organisations, suppliers or partners, contributing to constructive and professional relationships.
• An emerging understanding of public sector procurement, commissioning or contract management principles and how they are applied in practice.
• Ability to support change activity, including adapting ways of working and contributing ideas that improve collaboration, efficiency or customer outcomes.
• Willingness to build professional capability through learning and development, including working towards a recognised accreditation with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

Person Specification

• Demonstrates strong attention to detail, taking care to produce accurate, well‑structured work that supports effective commissioning, market engagement and stakeholder confidence.
• Is resilient and positive in the face of competing demands, able to manage pressure and respond constructively to challenges in a changing environment.
• Maintains focus on the end goal, understanding how their work contributes to wider commissioning outcomes, market sustainability and access to justice.
• Thrives in an environment of change, showing flexibility and openness as priorities, policies or market conditions evolve.
• Enjoys working collaboratively with others, valuing different perspectives and contributing to positive, inclusive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Is proactive and curious, seeking better ways of working and showing a willingness to learn, innovate and continuously improve commissioning and engagement practice.

Assessment approach

Application Process

To apply please provide a statement of suitability showing how you meet the essential criteria in no more that 1000 words.

Your statement should demonstrate your ability to do all the essential criteria listed, using examples can help strengthen your application.

Please note we do not require a CV.

Please note that we only require a Statement of Suitability for your application. The wording on this advert may suggest that an Experience question is also required, however this is not necessary.

Interview / assessment Process

If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre in person or via Microsoft Teams where you will be assessed against the following:

• Strengths relevant to the role
• The following Behaviours:
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together

• Your Experience of implementing, promoting, or understanding diversity and inclusion policy - Diversity is the presence of difference, this can include one or more of the protected characteristics (Gender, Age, Race, Disability etc.) or it can be about working patterns, whether we like to jump into a task or reflect on it before acting. Inclusion is how we welcome, value, and celebrate diversity, giving everyone a voice, tapping into ideas, and enabling everyone to be themselves at work and achieve their potential.

For this grade/ role we would expect the candidate to demonstrate understanding of the terms Diversity and Inclusion and be able to explain why they are important to them and to where they work. Examples of action they have taken (in or outside of work) to embrace diversity (e.g., increasing understanding) or improve inclusion for others will increase the strength of their answer.

Shortlisting is planned for week commencing 1st June 2026

Interviews are planned for week commencing 15th June 2026

If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact – Katrina Gillies at Katrina.gillies@justice.gov.uk

Our LAA commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain, and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.

If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.

The LAA’s goal is to build an organisation that is open and inclusive and truly values and celebrates the diversity of its workforce. One that reflects and understands the needs of the diverse society we serve. This is regardless of social background, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, beliefs, disabilities or long-term illness or caring responsibilities.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process, please let us know by adding the information to the applications system or emailing LAARecruitment@justice.gov.uk after you have applied so that we can discuss options with you.

Complaints procedure

If you have any complaints about this recruitment activity, please share your concerns by emailing LAARecruitment@justice.gov.uk initially. We aim to respond to any complaint within 10 working days.