Commercial Director

The Commercial Director is accountable for delivering the organisation’s commercial strategy, supporting sustainable growth, strong commercial/contractual governance, commercial/contractual risk management, and driving value for money across all commercial relationships. The role encompasses all commercial/contractual activity in the business across the lifecycle of opportunities and contracts, balancing risk, compliance, and profitability as part of the Leadership team. This is a hands‑on role with support from the wider leadership team as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Strategy & Leadership: Develop, produce and deliver the organisation’s commercial strategy aligned to corporate objectives and growth plans. Act as a senior advisor on the Executive Team and to the Board, where required, on commercial risk, opportunity, and performance. Lead, develop, and inspire high‑performing commercial culture, promoting strong ethical standards and commercial discipline. Ensure compliance with commercial controls and performance management across partners and suppliers, products, services, and customers to optimise margin, competitiveness, and long‑term value.
• Bids, Pricing & Revenue: Ensure agreed pricing strategy, approvals, and governance process are being followed. Provide sound commercial inputs and support for major bids, tenders, and negotiations, including complex procurements. Ensure pricing models reflect qualified risk, cost to serve. Challenge and support business cases, investments, and new propositions.
• Partner and Supplier Management: Maximise the commercial value realised from partner and supplier relationships, through performance and commercial reviews, whilst mitigating commercial risk and owning commercial disputes. Responsible for supplier and partner contractual reviews, negotiations, variations and obligations. Maintain a robust contracts register for both Customer and Supplier base including key term summaries for each major contract.
• Contracting & Negotiation: Participate in negotiations on high‑value, complex, and strategically important customer contracts. Lead negotiations on high‑value, complex, and strategically important supplier contracts taking inputs from relevant relationship owners. Draft and structure robust contracts that manage risk, protect the organisation, and enable delivery. Manage the contract lifecycle, including variations, extensions, disputes, and renewals. Work closely with Finance and Operational teams to ensure contracts are commercially and operationally viable. Support any business transformation activity.
• Governance, Risk & Compliance: Provide and operate clear commercial governance, including enhancement of contract review/approval process. Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and policy, including public‑sector regulations and value‑for‑money requirements. Ensure the correct identification, assessment, and management of commercial risks. Drive continuous improvement in commercial controls, tools, and data quality.
• Stakeholder & Customer Management: Build strong, trusted relationships with senior customers, partners, and suppliers. Represent the organisation in strategic customer, partner and supplier discussions, escalations, and negotiations in conjunction with relationship owners. Support operational leaders in resolving commercial issues and maintaining client confidence.

Essential Key Skills & Experience

• Hands‑on, in the detail approach, whilst being able to summarise succinctly.
• Capable of operating as an individual contributor in cross functional teams.
• Proven experience operating at senior commercial leadership level (Director / Head of Commercial or equivalent).
• Governance of internal commercial, sales and procurement processes.
• Law Degree or equivalent qualification.
• Deep expertise in commercial strategy, pricing, contracting, and negotiation.
• Proven to have a Win/Win approach.
• Strong supplier/vendor management experience.
• Complex and high value contractual negotiation skills.
• End‑to‑end contract lifecycle management expertise.
• Strong understanding of public‑sector or regulated environments and complex governance frameworks.
• Track record of leading and developing commercial culture across the organisation.
• Track record of personally delivering commercial outcomes as a sole, hands‑on practitioner.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills at executive and board level.
• Strong financial, numeracy, commercial, and risk analysis capability.
• Effective dispute resolution skills.
• Evidence of embracing new technologies and future ways of working.

Desirable

• Experience within public services, government, or large outsourced service environments.
• Knowledge of public procurement frameworks and UK regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading major transformation or commercial capability uplift.
• Positive approach to Social Value.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong hands‑on, execution focus.
• Confident decision‑maker, able to balance risk and opportunity.
• High integrity, resilient, articulate and comfortable with challenge.
• Pragmatic, collaborative, and outcome focused.