Senior Commercial Manager - Operational Technology (Complex Transactions)

Transport for London; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Final salary pension scheme

Free travel on the TfL network

75% rail travel reimbursement

Job summary

Transport for London is seeking a Senior Commercial Manager in Operational Technology to lead complex, high‑value procurements across Traffic Management, CCTV and related systems.

You will build and implement commercial strategies, negotiate contracts and shape investment decisions while developing a high‑performing team in a hybrid working environment across London.

Qualifications

• Significant experience delivering complex procurement and commercial transactions in a large organisation.
• Proven track record of developing commercial strategies and delivering high-value outcomes.
• Experience leading, managing and developing teams.
• Strong commercial judgement and contract negotiation experience.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing competing priorities across multiple projects.
• Strong analytical, financial and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex procurement and commercial activities from strategy through to contract award.
• Develop commercial strategies that deliver value, manage risk and support business objectives.
• Provide commercial leadership and challenge on major procurement and investment decisions.
• Negotiate and manage complex contractual arrangements.
• Build effective relationships with strategic suppliers and stakeholders.
• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team of commercial professionals.
• Manage team performance, capability and resources across multiple priorities.
• Drive commercial excellence, continuous improvement and best practice.

Skills

Procurement strategies

Commercial judgement

Team leadership

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder influence

Multi-project management

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

MCIPS or equivalent accreditation (desirable)

Job description

Job title: Senior Commercial Manager - Operational Technology (Complex Transactions)

Salary: Competitive

Grade: Band 4

Contract type: TfL

Reference: 5715

Team: P&C Technology

Directorate: P&C Technology

Contract details: Permanent

Location: Palestra/ Hybrid

Application closing date: 8th October @23.59

Please Note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications; therefore, we encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 percent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period.

Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.

Operational Technology is one of TfL's most strategically important commercial portfolios, managing annual spend of approximately £100m across services and systems that keep London moving.

As a Senior Commercial Manager, you will lead complex, high-value commercial transactions across a diverse Operational Technology portfolio, including Traffic Management, Traffic Signals, CCTV, Asset Management, Bus Operations, Scheduling Systems and emerging technologies.

Alongside delivering major procurements and commercial strategies, you will lead and develop a team of commercial professionals, driving performance, capability and continuous improvement across the function. This role requires an experienced people leader with a proven track record of building, motivating and developing high‑performing teams within a complex organisational environment.

This is a highly visible leadership role offering the opportunity to influence major investment decisions, engage senior stakeholders and deliver commercially significant outcomes that support London's transport network.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead complex procurement and commercial activities from strategy through to contract award.
• Develop commercial strategies that deliver value, manage risk and support business objectives.
• Provide commercial leadership and challenge on major procurement and investment decisions.
• Negotiate and manage complex contractual arrangements.
• Build effective relationships with strategic suppliers and stakeholders.
• Lead, develop and inspire a high‑performing team of commercial professionals.
• Manage team performance, capability and resources across multiple priorities.
• Drive commercial excellence, continuous improvement and best practice.

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Significant experience delivering complex procurement, sourcing or commercial transactions within a large organisation.
• Proven track record of developing commercial strategies and delivering high-value outcomes.
• Experience leading, managing and developing teams.
• Strong commercial judgement and contract negotiation experience.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing competing priorities across multiple projects.
• Strong analytical, financial and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and negotiation skills.

Desirable

• Experience within Operational Technology, Technology, Digital, Infrastructure or other regulated environments.
• Public sector procurement and commercial experience.
• MCIPS qualified or working towards accreditation.
• Experience supporting major technology, operational or infrastructure programmes.

Why Join TfL?

This is an opportunity to lead commercially significant projects that directly support London's transport network. You'll influence major investment decisions, develop a high‑performing team and play a key role in delivering some of TfL's most important operational and technology programmes.

In return, you'll gain exposure to high-profile projects, senior stakeholders and excellent opportunities for professional development within one of the UK's largest commercial functions.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and aim to reflect the diverse communities we serve. We believe that a diverse workforce enables us to deliver better services and outcomes. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people. As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we aim to offer an assessment or interview to candidates who apply via the scheme where the minimum essential criteria for skills, knowledge and experience has been met. In some circumstances, it may not be practical to offer an interview or assessment to every candidate who applies through the scheme and meet the minimum essential criteria; in these situations, we select candidates who best meet the minimum criteria for the job rather than interviewing all who meet them.

Across all recruitment activity, we recognize that selection methods may vary depending on the nature and scale of the campaign and will be applied fairly, consistently and proportionately in line with our Disability Confident commitments.

Benefits

• Final salary pension scheme
• Free travel for you on the TfL network
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow
• Private healthcare discounted scheme Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
• Discounted Eurostar travel

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

Vetting Process

At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application, but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect, and clear communication throughout.