Commercial Manager in Chelsea

The Opportunity

Do you have the right skills and experience for this role? Read on to find out, and make your application. Working as part of the Council's Procurement Service, you will lead the delivery of high-value, high-risk and innovative tenders, frequently above regulatory thresholds and often exceeding £20 million in value. This role sits within a team of procurement professionals who work flexibly across the organisation to support a broad range of commercial and procurement requirements. You will bring strong commercial awareness, technical procurement expertise and the ability to work effectively across a variety of service areas. You will build productive relationships with commissioners, senior managers, budget holders, legal advisers, finance professionals and external suppliers throughout the procurement lifecycle, from project initiation through to contract award and mobilisation. The successful candidate will be committed to continuous professional development and will actively promote procurement best practice both within the team and across the wider organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead high-value and high-risk Housing tenders through all stages of the procurement lifecycle from Gate 0 (Initiation) through to Gate 4 (Contract Mobilisation).
• Provide commissioners and budget holders with pragmatic, informed and commercially focused procurement advice.
• Conduct market research and utilise sector expertise to gain a thorough understanding of the products, services and markets relevant to each procurement.
• Work collaboratively with legal, finance and other subject matter experts to develop contracts, special terms and conditions and performance management frameworks.
• Prepare detailed procurement strategies outlining findings, recommendations and proposed procurement routes.
• Deliver efficiencies, savings and operational improvements through procurement activity.
• Ensure sustainability, social value and community benefits are fully incorporated into procurement exercises.
• Support stakeholders in developing clear specifications and outcome-focused requirements.
• Design robust evaluation methodologies that secure best value for money and appropriate commercial outcomes.
• Ensure full compliance with procurement legislation, Council policies and governance requirements.
• Support contract mobilisation activities prior to handover and operational commencement.
• Attend project boards, governance meetings and stakeholder forums as required.
• Develop and maintain effective communication with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Assess and manage commercial, financial and operational risks throughout the tender process.
• Undertake financial assessments of bidders during the procurement process and post-award where required.
• Keep abreast of relevant legislation, policy developments and procurement best practice.
• Manage procurement projects using the Council's e-procurement systems and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop procurement approaches that secure competitive market participation and maximise value for the Council.

What We Expect This Role to Achieve

• Design and manage quotations and tenders through to successful contract award.
• Deliver required commercial and service outcomes within agreed timescales.
• Enhance the reputation of the Procurement Service and Westminster City Council as a commercially astute and effective public sector organisation.
• Ensure compliance and mitigate risk through adherence to relevant legislation, policy and governance frameworks.

About You

You will be an experienced procurement professional with a proven ability to deliver complex procurement projects within a public sector, commissioning or commercial environment. You will possess excellent commercial judgement, strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to operate effectively across multiple projects simultaneously. Ideally, you will have previous experience delivering procurement activity within the Housing sector and be comfortable working in a fast-paced, politically sensitive and highly regulated environment.

Essential Requirements

• Significant experience working within procurement, commissioning, finance or commercial environments.
• Proven experience delivering complex procurement exercises, ideally including negotiated procedures or similar procurement routes.
• Experience working within the Housing category.
• Experience developing specifications, statements of requirements and contractual documentation.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end procurement processes and relevant procurement regulations.
• Experience building and maintaining effective relationships with senior stakeholders and external organisations.
• Experience working within structured or project-based environments.
• Ability to manage multiple procurement projects simultaneously.
• Experience producing high-quality reports, briefings and recommendations.
• Strong financial literacy and numeracy skills with experience using analysis to support commercial decision-making.
• Experience within construction or a related sector would be advantageous.

Skills and Behaviours

• Strong procurement and project delivery skills.
• Experience working to demanding deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Excellent commercial awareness and business acumen.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong report writing and presentation abilities.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to influence, negotiate and challenge constructively.
• Strong relationship-building capabilities across all levels of an organisation.
• Customer-focused approach with the ability to build trust and credibility.
• Emotional resilience and sound judgement.
• Flexible, innovative and self-motivated approach to work.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• CIPS Level 5 or Level 6 qualification, working towards such a qualification, or equivalent procurement expertise.

Evidence of continuous professional development.