Commercial Manager

Matchtech Group; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing defence marine organisation is seeking a Commercial Manager to support a pipeline of UK and international programmes. You will lead commercial activities from tender review through to contract award, ensuring proposals are compliant, competitive and robust.

Join a role that collaborates with Engineering, Operations, Finance and Legal to mitigate risk, draft key documents and negotiate terms with customers and partners across complex contracts.

Qualifications

• Experience in commercial management within defence or complex technical environments.
• Strong contract negotiation and risk understanding.
• Proven bid management and cross-functional stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial activities across the full tender and contract lifecycle from opportunity assessment to contract award.
• Negotiate commercial terms with customers, suppliers and subcontractors.
• Draft, review and finalise contractual documentation including liabilities and indemnities.
• Conduct commercial risk assessments to identify and mitigate contractual, operational and financial risks.
• Ensure contractual obligations and customer requirements are flowed down through the supply chain.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Tender management

Stakeholder engagement

Risk assessment

Analytical skills

Job description

A growing and ambitious defence marine organisation requires a Commercial Manager to support a pipeline of high-profile UK and international programmes.

The Commercial Manager will play a pivotal role in securing new business opportunities and protecting commercial interests across complex contracts. Working closely with Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal and external stakeholders, you will lead commercial activities from tender review through to contract award, ensuring proposals are compliant, competitive and commercially robust.

Specific duties of the Commercial Manager include:

• Lead commercial activities across the full tender and contract lifecycle, from opportunity assessment and governance through to submission and contract award.
• Negotiate commercial terms and conditions with customers, suppliers and subcontractors, ensuring contracts align with business objectives and risk appetite.
• Draft, review and finalise contractual documentation, including liabilities, warranties, indemnities, guarantees and other key commercial provisions.
• Conduct commercial risk assessments, identifying and mitigating contractual, operational and financial risks throughout the bid process.
• Ensure contractual obligations, customer requirements and regulatory considerations are effectively flowed down through the supply chain.

Commercial Manager applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Experience in a Commercial Management, Contracts Management (at Officer, Senior Officer or Manager level) or similar commercial role within defence, maritime, engineering, aerospace or another complex technical manufacturing environment.
• Strong contract negotiation, drafting and commercial management experience, with a sound understanding of contractual risk.
• Proven ability to manage commercial bids and tender workstreams within demanding timescales.
• Experience engaging with technical, operational and commercial stakeholders across cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical, organisational and problem-solving capabilities.