Head of Commercial

About the Role

Our world-leading Time & Frequency department is seeking a Head of Commercial .

This is an exceptional opportunity to join the global authority in precision timing at a defining moment for UK digital infrastructure.

Backed by a government investment of £180 million in the National Timing Centre (NTC) programme , we are developing a world-first resilient time distribution capability that will provide industry with a robust complement to satellite systems (such as GPS) – which are increasingly vulnerable to disruption from solar storms, jamming and spoofing. This will underpin essential services, including

• Telecommunications,
• Online banking,
• Emergency response,
• Transport networks, and
• Wider digital and data-driven operations.

Together, these services form the backbone of modern society - and your leadership will help ensure they remain secure, reliable and robust even if global navigation satellite systems fail.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the commercial direction and performance of the National Timing Centre (NTC) Programme, ensuring commercial, procurement and financial activity supports successful delivery and long-term impact.

• Shape and deliver the Programme’s commercial and go-to-market strategy, identifying opportunities for growth, adoption and business development across key UK markets including telecommunications, finance, transport, defence and energy.

• Develop strong external relationships with government, industry, strategic partners and key stakeholders to support adoption of resilient time services and maximise the Programme’s national benefit.

• Oversee commercial governance, contractual arrangements, supplier relationships and supply chain activity, ensuring effective management of risk, value for money and delivery outcomes.

• Provide senior oversight of financial performance, commercial risk, procurement decisions and legal interface, ensuring the Programme remains commercially robust, compliant and well-positioned for future growth.

• Work as part of the NTC Senior Leadership Team, contributing beyond the commercial function to support Programme-wide decisions, collaboration and successful delivery.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have the following skills, experience, and qualifications:

• Experience in senior commercial leadership within a programme, product, service or delivery environment.

• Proven ability to develop and deliver commercial strategies that support growth, adoption, value for money and successful delivery.

• Strong understanding of procurement, supplier management, contract management and commercial governance in a complex delivery environment.

• Able to use financial, commercial and risk information to support senior decision-making and maintain strong programme performance.

• Skilled at building effective relationships with senior stakeholders, including government, suppliers, customers, delivery partners and strategic partners.

• Demonstrable ability to identify commercial opportunities, risks and dependencies, translating them into practical plans that support growth, compliance and delivery.

• Confident leading, influencing and developing teams in a senior stakeholder environment.

Desirable:

• Experience working with government departments, public sector bodies or publicly funded programmes.

• Knowledge of CNI in telecommunications, finance, transport, defence, energy or resilient digital services.

• Experience developing go-to-market business development strategy for complex products, services or programmes.

• Experience in regulated, security-conscious environments.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

However, to work in this role in the Time and Frequency department, you will need to have an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview