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- Tasks: Lead commercial activities and develop strategies to drive performance and manage risk.
- Company: Draken, a forward-thinking company committed to fair rewards and recognition.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, pension contributions, bonus incentives, and wellbeing programmes.
- Other info: Join a supportive environment that values diversity and offers career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the Defence sector while working with diverse teams.
- Qualifications: Experience managing complex contracts and strong negotiation skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Draken believes in fair reward and recognition for our employees. As such, we offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including up to 12% matching pension contributions, bonus incentives, discounted PMI, electric car scheme, tech vouchers, wellbeing programmes and much more.
About the Role
As Senior Commercial Manager, you will play a key role in supporting and, where appropriate, leading commercial activity across existing programmes and new business opportunities. Working within cross‑functional teams, you will act as a commercial expert—helping to shape and deliver commercial strategies that support Draken’s business objectives. This role requires the ability to interpret complex commercial, financial and technical data and translate it into pragmatic commercial solutions that drive performance, manage risk and maximise value.
Key Responsibilities
- Monitor, manage and report on the commercial performance of programmes to ensure business objectives are achieved.
- Identify and manage contractual change throughout the contract lifecycle, maximising opportunity while mitigating risk.
- Support the preparation of business cases and briefing materials for Senior Management and Board reviews.
- Support programme delivery and bid financial performance within multi‑functional teams.
- Work closely with Finance to support invoicing and cash collection processes.
- Produce contractual performance reports for customers.
- Develop and deliver innovative commercial solutions to support bids, proposals and customer requirements, including complex due diligence activities.
- Negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements and manage non‑routine contractual issues through senior stakeholders.
- Draft contracts, agreements and bespoke clauses for new and existing business.
- Own key commercial aspects of programmes, including customer relationships, dispute resolution, risk analysis and mitigation.
- Ensure robust contract administration and governance throughout programme delivery.
Qualifications
- Proven experience managing large, complex contracts, ideally with UK MOD customers.
- Experience negotiating commercial agreements within the Defence sector (aerospace industry experience is desirable).
- Strong experience in programme financial management, including risk and opportunity management.
- Demonstrable customer relationship management experience.
- Excellent communication skills with a positive, flexible and collaborative approach.
- A strong track record of problem‑solving and driving performance through others.
- Willingness and ability to travel occasionally within the UK.
- Experience negotiating and managing UK Defence contractual frameworks.
Our employee values
Draken is committed to eliminating unlawful and unfair discrimination and we celebrate the differences that a diverse workforce brings. A range of perspective and talent supports our values and drives our success, with a mix of voices generating better discussions, business decisions and outcomes for all. At all our sites internationally, every member of the Draken team is accountable to ensure that we are all treated fairly and with respect. We are also an Armed Forces friendly organisation, and as part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, welcome applications from veterans and services spouses and partners who met the criteria in our job specifications. In line with our Disability Confident Commitments, we provide reasonable adjustments to facilitate our interview process, please liaise with us if any reasonable adjustments are required.
Senior Commercial Manager employer: Draken Europe
Contact Detail:
Draken Europe Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Commercial Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who have experience with UK MOD customers. A friendly chat can lead to valuable insights and even job leads.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your negotiation skills. Since you'll be dealing with complex commercial agreements, practice articulating your approach to managing risk and driving performance.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving abilities! Be ready to discuss specific examples where you've turned challenges into opportunities, especially in programme financial management.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Commercial Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Commercial Manager role. Highlight your experience with large contracts and your ability to manage complex commercial agreements, especially in the Defence sector. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you’ve driven performance and managed risks in previous roles. Use metrics where possible to demonstrate your impact. This helps us see the value you can bring to Draken.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role. We appreciate clarity, so make it easy for us to understand your qualifications and experiences.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Draken Europe
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Commercial Manager, you'll need to interpret complex financial data. Brush up on key metrics related to commercial performance and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Prepare examples of successful negotiations you've led, especially within the Defence sector. Highlight your approach to managing non-routine contractual issues and how you’ve built strong relationships with stakeholders.
✨Understand the Business Objectives
Familiarise yourself with Draken's business goals and how the role aligns with them. Be prepared to discuss how your experience can help shape and deliver commercial strategies that support these objectives.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities
Think of specific challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you overcame them. Show that you can drive performance through others by sharing examples of how you've led teams to success in complex situations.