Associate Commercial Lead

As an Associate Commercial Lead, youll provide a responsive, efficient and professional service in line with our commercial policy. Supporting the Commercial Lead within your team and working closely with customers at all levels, youll assist with the delivery of goods and services, and ensure requirements are delivered on time and meet expectations.

You could be working with our customer-facing teams, managing relationships, developing commercial solutions and agreeing the future pipeline and prioritisation of the workbook. Or you might be supporting commercial delivery within category teams across Technology, Estates, People and Professional Services, and the Supply Chain Security team. We also have roles in Commercial Operations, with responsibility for low value procurements, policy, audit, and management information.

Whichever area youre working in, youll be part of a friendly, inclusive, welcoming and highly supportive team working across the Intelligence Agencies. Youll work with a broad spectrum of people, from customers in highly sensitive operational areas to suppliers, government partners and our overseas counterparts.

Day-to-day, youll keep internal and external partners informed with progress, updates and any issues and risks regarding a range of procurement projects. Youll monitor and review contract performance, ensuring key performance indicators (KPIs) are met while providing sustainable cost savings and value-added interventions. From gathering requirements and overseeing tendering, to contract implementation and management, youll apply best practice commercial principles to all you do.

Plus, youll task manage a team of your own, building their capabilities and enhancing their impact through the continuous development of working practices and approaches. Youll share your enthusiasm and motivate those around you, providing support and approaching tasks with positivity. In doing so, youll add real value to a department making a genuine contribution to the safety of the UK.

The role offers a great balance of on-site collaboration and flexible working. A minimum of three days per week in the office is required, with the option to work from home on other days where business needs allow. Some postsand opportunities to take on a broader range of responsibilities across the organisationmay require up to five days a week on site. The role may also involve occasional travel to other locations this could be around 1 day per month, on average.

You will bring your commercial acumen, knowledge of procurement processes and in-depth understanding of procurement activities to this role. With your extensive experience of working in a procurement and supply chain service, youll know how to secure value for money and deliver best practice. This will be supported by your ability to build rapport and develop strong working relationships with customers, suppliers, and your own team.

You will also understand how to develop a commercial pipeline, with consistent and repeatable management information to support prioritisation of the commercial work. Your experience will be in areas such as development and delivery of sub-category strategies, implementing KPIs and facilitating invitations to tender, working to improve the use of small to medium enterprises, increasing diversity, and of course delivering customer needs. You will have experience of drafting and negotiating contracts, with support from colleagues in Legal and Finance, in addition to managing significant spend and saving efficiencies.

Youll have proven experience in at least one of the following: category management, contract management, sourcing, commercial policy and assurance, supply chain or low value procurement. Well look to you to find cost-saving solutions, so youll have knowledge of commercial approaches that deliver cash releasing savings and total cost reductions. Plus, youll be confident prioritising the commercial work for the customer to meet business demands.

Your expertise will be key and so will your ability to drive those around you. Youll be a role model for your team, providing support and encouraging confidence through mentoring and knowledge sharing. Youll take a positive approach to resolving issues and setbacks analysing situations, making recommendations and improving our service to customers.

Youll ideally have management experience, but this is not essential. You will also hold, or be willing to study towards, a professional commercial qualification such as Membership of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) or equivalent.

While not essential to the role, we are interested to hear from individuals who have experience of contracting for Cloud or Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled services or experience using AI or other Cloud enabled platforms in commercial delivery. Some of our roles involve working closely with the AI team to undertake projects across the business, onboarding AI with suppliers.

Training and development

No matter your experience or background, youll receive dedicated support when you join. Well work with you to build your own Personal Development Plan, whether thats through mentorship with an assigned partner, or support towards gaining your MCIPS. From day one, youll get all the help and guidance you need to grow a rewarding career at the heart of national security.

Plus, youll be working in a culture committed to your development. Theres a wealth of core and technical skills training available within the organisation, as well as an induction into the function when you start, and regular check-ins with your manager. In short, you wont be on your own throughout your career, youll be surrounded by colleagues who want you to succeed.