Senior Commercial / Procurement Manager – Defence Full-Time

Turner & Townsend; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Senior Commercial and Procurement Manager to join our UK Defence team. You will work with defence clients on the end-to-end commercial lifecycle, shaping procurement strategy and contract placement to secure value.

You will lead risk and performance management, governance and supplier relationships, and mentor cross-functional teams. The role requires strategic judgment and strong stakeholder engagement at senior levels.

Qualifications

• Extensive procurement and contract management experience across complex programmes.
• Ability to select the best commercial approach with risk awareness.
• Experience using programme, portfolio, and project management tools.
• Proven ability to lead tender evaluations and make commercial judgments.
• Experience developing contracting strategies to maximise value.

Responsibilities

• Develop procurement strategy and end-to-end lifecycle management.
• Manage end-to-end contract performance and risk.
• Lead governance, compliance and supplier performance reviews.
• Coach and lead multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Engage with clients and partners at senior levels.

Skills

Procurement principles

Contract management

Tender evaluation

Risk management

Governance & compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Supplier relationship

Category management

Education

Professional qualification in Business/Procurement/SCM/Law/PM

Job description

Company Description

The world is changing, and we have a responsibility to support that change, helping drive it and be part of it.

Through the commitment, capability and care our team brings, we build trust between clients, suppliers, governments, and society. Delivering better outcomes that have a positive impact on the world around us.

We work smarter to face the challenges of the future; bringing the clarity that helps teams realise their full potential across the real estate, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors.

It’s how we’ve made the difference for 75 years. Transforming performance for a green, inclusive and productive world.

At Turner & Townsend we are passionate about making the difference. That means delivering better outcomes for our clients, helping our people to realise their potential, and doing our part to create a prosperous society.

We provide Commercial, Procurement and Cost Management Services to a wide range of clients out of over 110 offices worldwide, operating in various sectors including Defence, Rail, Utilities, Transport, Education, Local Authorities and Health.

Job Description

Important

Important: Before applying, due to the sensitive nature of these projects, you must be a SOLE UK National who is able to achieve and maintain UK MoD Security Clearance (SC).

As a Senior Commercial / Procurement Manager at Turner & Townsend, you will work directly with our Defence Clients supporting them in delivering outcomes across the end-to-end commercial lifecycle.

Role Overview and Responsibilities

We are currently seeking Senior Commercial and Procurement Managers interested in working within the UK Defence Sector to be part of our growing Defence Team. As part of our team, you will have the opportunity to be involved in and contribute to some of the most exciting and interesting challenges that face the UK Defence Sector today, in both the Public and Private sector.

• Procurement and Commercial Strategy.
• End-to-End Contract Management.
• Risk and Performance Management.
• Negotiation and Continuous Improvement.
• Governance and Compliance, both with internal policy and legal frameworks.
• Business Analysis and Problem Solving.

About you

As a candidate for this role, you will not only have extensive and varied commercial experience built from a career in relevant sector, but you will also want to be part of a high-functioning team focused on delivering world-class outcomes to our ever-growing network of Defence clients.

We understand that people can contribute to our team and mission in a variety of ways, even if they do not possess all the experiences and skills listed below. While possessing most of the following could be advantageous, our focus is on meeting people that are equally passionate about making the difference and want to work towards delivering better outcomes for our clients.

Role Objectives

• Service Excellence: creating and deploying market leading capability, focused on optimising client satisfaction through knowledge, data and insight, and supported by best-in-class methodologies and world class people.
• Risk and Performance Management: identify, assess, and mitigate project risks to ensure client and business success, and implement robust governance activities.
• Business Transformation and Stakeholder Engagement: engage with stakeholders to support business transformation, change management, and efficiency initiatives.
• Leadership: formal and informal leadership through coaching, line management, mentoring and knowledge sharing activities.

Required Experience and Skills

• Applied knowledge of procurement principles and practices with experience of procurement, contract management and/or contract placement (sourcing).
• Ability to identify the most suitable commercial approach to a given circumstance, including assessing the potential trade-offs and the level of risk mitigation required to achieve the best outcome.
• Understanding and applying programme, portfolio and project management tools.
• Taking ownership of decisions at tender evaluation stage and applying commercial expertise and judgement accordingly.
• Conducting development and commercial assurance of business cases, commercial strategies, and contracting approaches, to ensure that sound commercial practices are being applied.
• Development and implementation of effective contract and supplier management strategies, to extract maximum value from contracts, motivate performance and drive innovation.
• Proactively monitor supplier performance, applying strategies and tools to secure the maximum value from contracts, motivating performance and driving innovation and continuous improvement.
• Experience leading teams and providing strategic direction.
• The role has responsibility for dealing regularly with clients / customers on complex, controversial and contentious issues. The role will typically be able to chair internal and external meetings involving senior stakeholders.
• Supplier Relationship Management and Category Management.

Qualifications

Working in teams/site attendance

Turner & Townsend recognises the importance of helping its employees harmonise their work and home life by offering hybrid working, that enable them to balance their working life with other priorities. At the same time T&T recognises that employee office and site attendance must always remain in line with the demands of the business and clients. Currently, we anticipate you being on client sites or Turner & Townsend offices 60% of your time, but this may flex depending on client and business requirements. The office is not the only place work gets done, but it is increasingly important for teams to be stronger together by learning, collaborating, and creating amazing work together.

Security Clearance

Important: Before applying, due to the sensitive nature of these projects, you must be a SOLE UK National who is able to achieve and maintain UK MoD Security Clearance (SC).
Many of the clients and projects we support are subject to MoD security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

• Professional qualification(s) in Business, Procurement/Supply Chain Management, Law, Project Management or a similar relevant discipline, or an equivalent level of relevant experience.
• Trained in, or holds a sufficient level of experience of, Defence and Security Public Contracting Regulations (DSPCR), the Public Contract Regulations (PCR) and/or the Procurement Act 2023.

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/

SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.