Commercial Manager

Meritus; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Meritus is recruiting a Commercial Manager for a defence sector client in Portsmouth on a 6‑month contract with hybrid working (approx. 60% onsite). Active SC clearance is required at application. UK Nationals only.

The role covers preparation, negotiation and management of complex commercial agreements across defence programmes, working with procurement, finance and delivery teams to shape strategy, manage obligations and mitigate risks across the contract lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Experience in Commercial Manager, Contracts Manager or Commercial Contracts roles.
• Strong contract management and commercial negotiation experience.
• Experience supporting complex bids and competitive tendering.
• Knowledge of defence, government or MOD contracting environments.
• Experience working for a supplier organisation.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, negotiate and manage complex commercial agreements across defence programmes.
• Collaborate with programme, procurement, finance and delivery teams to shape commercial strategy.
• Manage contractual obligations and identify/mitigate commercial risks.
• Support complex bids and high‑value contracts throughout the lifecycle.
• Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships balancing customer expectations with business objectives.

Skills

Commercial management

Contract negotiation

Bids and tendering

Defence contracting

Stakeholder management

Contract lifecycle

Risk management

Project management

Customer relationships

Problem solving

Job description

MERITUS are recruiting for a Commercial Manager to join our client within the defence sector on a 6-month contract from their site in Portsmouth. This role offers a hybrid working arrangement with approximately 60% onsite attendance and requires candidates to hold active SC Clearance at the point of application. UK Nationals only.

COMMERCIAL MANAGER - INSIDE IR35 - 48 PER HOUR - PORTSMOUTH - 6 MONTHS - SC CLEARED - CONTRACT MANAGEMENT - SINGLE STAGE INTERVIEW PROCESS - SECTOR: DEFENCE

This position operates on a standard 37-hour week across 4.5 days, working between 07:00 and 19:00 subject to business requirements. Occasional travel may be required.

As a Commercial Manager, you will play a key role in the preparation, negotiation and management of complex commercial agreements across a diverse portfolio of defence programmes. Working closely with programme, procurement, finance and delivery teams, you will help shape commercial strategy, manage contractual obligations and ensure commercial risks are effectively identified and mitigated.

You will be responsible for supporting complex bids, managing high-value contracts, negotiating contractual agreements and providing commercial guidance throughout the contract lifecycle. This role requires a commercially astute professional who can build strong stakeholder relationships whilst balancing customer expectations with business objectives.

Skillset/experience required:

What can you bring to the role?

• Demonstrated experience within a Commercial Manager, Contracts Manager or Commercial Contracts role
• Strong contract management and commercial negotiation experience
• Experience supporting complex bids and competitive tendering activities
• Knowledge of defence, government or MOD contracting environments
• Experience working for a supplier organisation rather than solely on the customer side
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels
• Experience managing commercial risks and contractual obligations
• Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management
• Knowledge of project management, risk management and commercial finance principles
• Experience building and managing customer relationships
• Strong problem-solving skills and commercial judgement
• Ability to work across multidisciplinary teams including procurement, engineering, finance and project delivery
• Experience with Single Source Regulations or MOD commercial frameworks would be advantageous
• Active SC Clearance is highly desirable