Public sector
One seeks contractor to manage millions in taxpayer cash, will provide generous 20% off Windsor biscuit tins and tea towels
The UK’s Royal Household plans to spend £3 million ($4 million) on a new finance system to replace one that is more than 15 years old, the Buckingham Palace-based organization said in a procurement notice published on May 7.
King Charles III gets to announce the British government’s overall plans at the start of each parliamentary term but also has his own miniature civil service in the shape of the Royal Household, described by the procurement notice as a “public undertaking (commercial organization subject to public authority oversight).”
The household received £86.3 million ($116 million) in taxpayers’ money in 2024-25, known as the Sovereign Grant, and generated a further £21.5 million ($29 million) from activities including tours of Buckingham Palace. The King also receives private income from the Duchy of Lancaster, an estate held in trust for the sovereign, while the Royal Collection Trust, a charity, cares for the royal art collection and runs visitor attractions including galleries at Buckingham Palace and Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
According to the procurement notice, the Royal Household contacted suppliers on various Crown Commercial Service (now Government Commercial Agency) frameworks for information last year. It now plans to award a contract for financial software, implementation, training, and support, initially for five years from September 30, 2026, with a possible two-year extension, covering the household and a number of affiliated organizations.
To manage this project, last year the household’s Privy Purse and Treasurer’s Office – its back office division that runs finance, human resources, technology and facilities management – advertised for a finance systems technical project manager, a two-year fixed contract paying £60,000 to £65,000 annually.
According to the job advert, the role requires “a proven track record of delivering successful ERP or finance system projects” and the ability to “tailor your style to suit technical and non-technical audiences alike.” As well as a 15 percent pension contribution, perks of leading the installation of His Majesty’s new financial software include free entry to royal locations and 20 percent off at Royal Collection Trust gift shops. ®