At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive commercial strategy and optimise client relationships for profitable growth.
- Company: Join Relay, a fast-growing logistics startup backed by top investors.
- Benefits: Generous equity, private health coverage, 25 days holiday, and extensive perks.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of reshaping e-commerce logistics with innovative strategies.
- Qualifications: Experience in commercial strategy or operations; data-driven and collaborative mindset.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Relay is fundamentally reshaping how goods move in an online era. Backed by Europe’s largest-ever logistics Series A ($35M), Relay is scaling faster than 99.98% of venture-backed startups. Relay’s Mission is to free commerce from friction. Today, high delivery costs act as a hidden tax on e-commerce, quietly shaping what can be sold online and limiting who can participate. We envision a world where more goods move more freely between more people, making the online shopping experience seamless and accessible to everyone.
THE TEAM
- ~110 people, more than half in engineering, product and data
- 45+ advanced degrees across computer science, mathematics and operations research
- Thousands of data points captured, calculated, analysed and predicted for every single parcel we handle
- An intellectually vibrant culture of first‑principles thinking, tight feedback loops and relentless experimentation
The Opportunity
Relay’s clients are some of the biggest e-commerce giants in the market — household names with ten‑figure logistics spend a year. This role sits at the heart of those relationships and is core to how Relay delivers on its profitable growth targets. You’ll work directly alongside our Customer Success and Commercial leadership, owning the strategy and execution that keeps our most strategic accounts growing, and building the commercial infrastructure that turns profitable growth opportunities into repeatable, scalable outcomes. This isn’t a narrow, single‑lane role — you’ll be the connective tissue between strategy and execution: defining how we go to market, ensuring our commercial operations run smoothly, and owning some of our highest‑value client programmes end‑to‑end.
What You’ll Do
- Own go‑to‑market strategy across existing and new client segments — building the commercial frameworks and client proposals that drive faster deal execution and profitable growth
- Take ownership of client profitability — working with commercial analytics to identify margin risks and driving the interventions that fix them
- Run the commercial and operational cadence behind a portfolio of strategic clients — ensuring governance, action tracking, and value delivery are tightly managed
- Design and maintain the operational infrastructure that keeps the commercial team running — from process improvements and tooling to the playbooks that let CS scale consistently
- Identify and pursue profitable growth opportunities within the existing client base and work closely with the account management team to build and pitch these to the client portfolio
Who Will Thrive in this role?
- A commercial thinker with operational range. You care about what drives revenue and margin — and you’re equally comfortable shaping a GTM strategy and getting into the details of a client programme review.
- A structured problem‑solver who follows through. You take complex, ambiguous problems and distill them into something navigable. People rely on you to close things out.
- Comfortable with data and AI. You use data to drive decisions and actively seek ways to leverage AI tools to optimize your work. You work to figure out the right questions to ask.
- Experience in commercial, strategy, or operations — ideally in tech, logistics, retail, or B2B. You don’t need to have done all three pillars of this role already, just enough to hit the ground running.
- Curious, collaborative, and client‑aware. You have an appetite to work across a broad spectrum of projects, grow your client muscle, and invest in the people around you.
- Mandarin speaker, comfortable working with clients across Chinese speaking markets.
Compensation & Benefits & Workplace
- Generous equity, richer than 99% of European startups, with annual top‑ups to share Relay’s success.
- Private health & dental coverage, so comprehensive you’d need to be a partner at a Magic Circle law firm to match it.
- 25 days of holidays
- Enhanced parental leave
- Located in Shoreditch, our office set‑up enables the kind of in‑person interactions that drive impact. We work 4 days on‑site, with 1 day remote.
- Hardware of your choice.
- Extensive perks (gym subsidies, cycle-to-work, Friday office lunch, covered Uber home and dinner for late nights, and more).
Fast and Focused Hiring Process
- Talent Acquisition Interview - 30 min | [Remote]
- Hiring Manager - 45 min | [Remote/Onsite]
- Case Study - 60 min | [Onsite]
- Cross functional Interview - 30 min [Remote/ Onsite]
- Final Interview - 30 min [Remote/ Onsite]
- Decision and offer within 48 hours. Our process mirrors our pace of work.
Who Thrives at Relay?
- Aim with Precision: You define problems clearly and measure your impact meticulously.
- Play to Win: You chase bold bets, tackle the hard stuff, and view constraints as fuel, not friction.
- 1% Better Every Day: You believe that small, consistent improvements lead to exponential growth. You move quickly, deliver results, and learn from every experience.
- All In, All the Time: You show up and step up. You take ownership from start to finish and do what it takes to deliver when it counts.
- People‑Powered Greatness: You invest in your teammates. You give and receive feedback with care and candour. You build trust through high standards and shared success.
- Grow the Whole Pie: You seek out win‑win solutions for merchants, couriers, and our customers, because when they thrive, so do we.
If these resonate, and you combine strong technical fundamentals with entrepreneurial drive, let’s connect.
Relay is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion, and fostering a workplace where everyone thrives.
Commercial Strategy and Operations Manager employer: Relay
Relay is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that thrives on innovation and collaboration. With generous equity options, comprehensive health benefits, and extensive perks, employees are empowered to grow both personally and professionally in a fast-paced environment. Located in the heart of Shoreditch, the company fosters meaningful in-person interactions while promoting a balanced work-life dynamic with a flexible remote work policy.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Strategy and Operations Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the logistics and e-commerce space. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching Relay and its mission. Understand their go-to-market strategies and think about how your skills can contribute to their goals. Tailor your responses to show you’re not just a fit for the role, but also for the company culture.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms to get comfortable with common questions. Focus on articulating your experience in commercial strategy and operations clearly, so you can impress the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Relay team. Keep an eye on our careers page for the latest opportunities!
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Strategy and Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Commercial Strategy and Operations Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in commercial strategy, operations, and any data-driven decision-making you've done. We want to see how you can fit into our mission of freeing commerce from friction!
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:Relay thrives on structured problem-solving. In your application, share examples of how you've tackled complex challenges in previous roles. We love candidates who can distill ambiguity into actionable insights, so don’t hold back on those success stories!
Demonstrate Your Data Savvy:Since this role involves a lot of data and AI, make sure to mention any experience you have with analytics tools or data-driven projects. We’re looking for someone who’s comfortable using data to drive decisions, so let us know how you’ve done this in the past!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Relay!
How to prepare for a job interview at Relay
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Commercial Strategy and Operations Manager, you'll need to be comfortable with data. Brush up on key metrics related to client profitability and logistics operations. Be ready to discuss how you’ve used data in past roles to drive decisions and improve outcomes.
✨Understand the Market
Relay is reshaping logistics, so it’s crucial to understand the e-commerce landscape. Research current trends, challenges, and competitors in the logistics sector. This will help you articulate how your experience aligns with Relay's mission to free commerce from friction.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples where you've tackled complex problems. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers. Highlight how you distilled ambiguity into actionable strategies, as this role requires structured problem-solving.
✨Be Client-Centric
Since this role involves working closely with clients, demonstrate your understanding of client needs and how to build strong relationships. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed client accounts or improved client satisfaction in previous positions.