At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead commercial strategies and manage contracts to drive value and performance.
- Company: Join Affinity Water, a leader in the utilities sector with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, learning opportunities, and a double match pension scheme.
- Other info: Enjoy a supportive workplace with a focus on wellbeing and community engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while developing your commercial expertise.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in commercial management with strong NEC4 contract experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Affinity Water is looking for an experienced Commercial Manager to provide leadership and assurance across Capex, Opex and Indirect (Corporate) spend. This is a key role within our established Procurement & Commercial function, comprising over 30 professionals, and will play a pivotal part in driving value, governance, risk management and supplier performance across the organisation.
In this role you will act as a trusted commercial advisor to senior stakeholders, delivering end-to-end commercial support across sourcing, contracting, supplier management and change control. The role requires strong leadership capability, excellent judgement, and the ability to influence and challenge constructively. A core focus of the position will be the effective application and management of NEC4 contracts, ensuring best practice in contract administration, risk management and change mechanisms.
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial Leadership & Assurance
- Provide strategic commercial leadership and oversight across defined areas of spend
- Ensure robust governance, compliance and value for money
- Lead commercial input into procurement, contracting and supplier management activities
- Embed consistent application of commercial and procurement standards
- NEC4 Contract Management
- Lead and advise on NEC4 contract implementation and best practice
- Manage risk, early warnings, compensation events and contract changes
- Support and mentor stakeholders and colleagues in NEC4 principles
- People & Capability Development
- Contribute to a high-performing, collaborative team culture
- Support the development of capability across the wider function
- Demonstrate inclusive and values-led leadership
- Continuous Improvement & Digital Focus
- Drive improvements through data, analytics and digital tools
- Enhance spend visibility, forecasting and reporting capability
- Lead initiatives to improve processes and commercial outcomes
- Stakeholder & Supplier Engagement
- Build and maintain strong relationships across the business
- Lead engagement with key suppliers to deliver performance and long-term value
- Collaborate effectively across the Procurement & Commercial community
Skills & Experience
- Essential
- Minimum 5 years experience in commercial or contract management
- Strong practical expertise in NEC4 contracts
- Experience managing Capex, Opex and/or Indirect spend
- Strong commercial acumen, risk awareness and governance focus
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Desirable
- Experience in utilities, infrastructure or regulated sectors
- Knowledge of ECC Option C (target cost) contracts
- Experience in supplier relationship management and performance frameworks
- Exposure to digital tools, analytics or reporting enhancements
- Ability to leverage data to support commercial decision-making
About You
You will be a high-calibre, commercially focused professional with strong NEC4 expertise, proven negotiation skills and a proactive, forward-thinking mindset. You will be comfortable operating in a dynamic environment, influencing stakeholders and driving continuous improvement.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary dependant on skills and experience
- Learning and development opportunities, including mentoring and a range of formal courses and open learning resources.
- Entry into the company annual bonus scheme.
- Annual leave from 26-30 rising with length of service, and the option to purchase up to 5 extra days.
- A Celebration Day in addition to public holidays that people can use to celebrate a religious festival or other occasion that is important to them.
- A generous 'double match pension scheme' that doubles the contributions you make (company contribution capped at 12%)
- We offer a range of family benefits including enhanced Maternity, Adoption, Paternity, Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support Leave and up to 5 full or 10 half days of paid Carers Leave.
- Menopause policy and Reasonable Adjustment policy to help everyone perform at their best.
- Access to our Wellbeing Centre with support for looking after your physical and mental health.
- Discounts at a Range of Retail Outlets through our Tap4Perks scheme
- Discounts on Dental and Medical Insurance through our Tap4Perks scheme through salary sacrifice
- Up to 4 Affinity days a year to volunteer in the community.
- Life Assurance.
Disability Confident
As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to offering interviews to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and opt in on the application form. Ask the Talent Acquisition lead for the full job description to see all the criteria. If we have a very high volume of applicants and we’re not able to offer interviews to all, we’ll take a fair and proportionate number of disabled candidates through.
Commercial Manager in Hatfield employer: Affinity Water Limited
Affinity Water is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and well-being, offering a competitive salary alongside extensive learning and development opportunities. With a strong focus on collaboration and inclusivity, employees benefit from a supportive work culture, generous leave policies, and a commitment to mental health and family support, making it an ideal place for professionals seeking meaningful and rewarding careers in the utilities sector.
