Senior Commercial Manager (Bids)

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a Senior Commercial Manager to join the team with one of our prestigious clients, this can be worked hybrid out of their offices in Harwell or Bristol

Primary Purpose of Role

To provide effective support and direction on all Commercial inputs to UK ‘s bid and opportunity portfolio, through pro-active participation within the UK Bids team and other UK and Group business functions.

To influence the development of capture strategies for new business opportunities that safeguard legal and regulatory compliance whilst maximising financial outturn and minimising financial and contractual risk.

To have responsibility for allocated Commercial bidding activities, ensuring priorities and workloads are correctly set and allocated.

To ensure that all necessary governance is enforced and the correct policies and processes are adhered to, including where necessary and appropriate that escalation and upward briefing is conducted accordingly.

Principal Relationships

• Lead Senior Commercial Manager
• Legal & Contracts
• Bids & Bid Managers
• Commercial Sales (Bid Winning) team
• Export Control Manager
• Finance Team including Bid Finance
• Business Development Team
• Procurement Function
• Customers
• TAS/ the business Legal / Risk/Trade Compliance and Export Control Managers

Key Responsibilities and tasks

Financial and Contractual Proposals

• Participate in all regular Bid Team meetings
• Provide a commercial formal point of contact with Customers for all communication following ITT publication, proposal submission and during the proposal follow-up/ negotiation phase and contract award phase
• Support the development of Sales and Procurement Strategies for all bids commensurate with Customer requirements and TAS UK commercial policy.
• Manage the modelling of costs and pricing of proposals
• Prepare Financial and Contractual Proposals including Customer Price Breakdown Schedules
• Prepare commercial input to bid risk assessments, commercial/contractual strategy and pricing strategy
• Prepare and review Price and Cash Sheets (PCS) as part of the bid preparation and approval activities
• Oversee the negotiation and agreement of all TAS UK Collaboration Agreements (Non-Disclosure Agreements, Teaming Agreements, Royalty/ IP Agreements)
• Assess commercial risks and develop plans to reduce risk and increase yield
• Review and approval of Commercial inputs to datapacks to prospective subcontractors to ensure the correct flowdown of contractual terms, conditions and risk
• Prepare Commercial and L&C inputs to Bid Price Approval Pack in accordance with TAS UK Quality Management System
• Participate in all Gate Meetings
• Take responsibility for Commercial Gate Approval actions for bids within delegated authority
• Ensure pre-briefing is conducted ahead of Gate Approvals for delegated Commercial approver
• Coordinate milestone/cash flow and foreign currency analysis for proposals
• Advise Bid Manager and their team on all commercial, contractual and pricing matters
• Coordinate signature and issue of formal proposals in accordance with TAS UK delegation requirements
• Solicit and record Customer feedback on bids on behalf of TAS UK.
• Lead and/or support Customer negotiations on proposals in line with policy/delegation and gate approvals
• Manage all contract award and order booking processes in line with policy and processes
• Conduct a robust handover of award projects to the project execution team

Experience and Skills

• At least 5 years in a Commercial Manager role
• Knowledge of European Space customer community and their procurement and contracting processes or equivalent such as MOD procurement processes.
• Experience of leading on the preparation and negotiation of high value Financial and Contractual proposals for institutional customers, ideally within the Space, Aerospace or Defence sectors.
• Experience of drafting collaborative agreements, including Teaming Agreements, MOU/HOA, NDAs
• Confident in presenting the Commercial proposition to senior management and in leading external Commercial negotiations.
• Background in Project based Research and Development/Technology Development programmes
• Experience in a product-based business would be beneficial
• Skilled and effective negotiator
• Experience of managing and developing people

Education & Qualifications

• IACCM accreditation desirable
• Business/Law Degree or equivalent (E.g. CIPS level 6)
• Knowledge of Contract/Company Law
• Knowledge of UK and other Export Controls
• Word/MS Office applications
• Strongly numerate with excellent Excel spreadsheet
• Valid Driving Licence and Passport

Personality / Behaviours / Values

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Confident in working with complex financial models and spreadsheets
• Thorough in approach, with strong attention to detail.
• Ready to adapt to the needs of a growing business
• Comfortable with managing multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities
• Team player, ready to engage with, and motivate others
• Experienced in negotiation with in high profile Customers
• Capable of identifying issues requiring escalation to senior level for resolution timely with business needs.
• Willing to undertake travel on an ad-hoc basis
• Willing to work extended hours occasionally with some notice.

Recognising the RESTRICTED nature of the work, suitable candidates will be SC cleared or eligible for this level of clearance