At a Glance
- Tasks: Support financial operations and contractor management in a dynamic environment.
- Company: Join a leading company in the rail industry with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy employee discounts, health support, and flexible hybrid working.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on financial performance while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: Strong financial knowledge and advanced Excel skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 € per year.
About the Role
Provide day-to-day commercial, financial, and administrative support to the Maintenance Department across the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, and RG. The role ensures effective cost control, contractor governance, and financial compliance by maintaining accurate reporting, timely processing, and adherence to established commercial and procurement processes.
Support budget management and value-for-money outcomes through invoice validation, cost tracking, purchase order management, and contractor administration. Assist in maintaining robust financial controls, supporting audits, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
Work closely with internal stakeholders and contractors to ensure accurate data, resolve discrepancies, and maintain efficient commercial operations. Contribute to continuous improvement of processes, reporting accuracy, and overall commercial discipline within the function.
What you'll be doing:
- Financial & Accounting Responsibilities
- Prepare and maintain accurate cost trackers for PPM, reactive maintenance, POs, and CAPEX within the Maintenance department.
- Assist with monthly and weekly management accounts and reports relating to maintenance spend, including variance analysis against budget and forecast.
- Support preparation of internal financial statements and cost reports for senior management.
- Reconcile supplier invoices against contracts, purchase orders, statements and agreed scopes of work.
- Review contractor invoices for accuracy, compliance, and value-for-money prior to approval.
- Support year and month end close and audit processes by providing financial evidence and audit trails.
- Maintain fixed asset, equipment, and maintenance-related registers.
- Contractor Financial & Commercial Management
- Act as a first line of commercial and financial point of contact for contractors.
- Investigate discrepancies, escalations and the end-to-end management of complex queries.
- Support contract renewals through cost modelling, benchmarking, and financial comparisons.
- Monitor contractor performance from a financial and commercial perspective, linking KPIs, SLAs, penalties, and cost efficiency.
- Support dispute resolution by preparing financial summaries, investigations and cost evidence.
- Track, validate, and record contract variations ensuring financial approval and governance.
- Training of contractors on use of SSP systems, providing ongoing support.
- Management of trackers – POs, open units, PPMs, Projects.
- Communications with contractors – passes, insurance, opening and closing units.
- Budgeting, Forecasting & Cost Control
- Support annual Maintenance budget setting and periodic re-forecasting.
- Produce rolling forecasts for contractor and maintenance spend.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities through trend analysis, spend reviews, and supplier benchmarking.
- Support business cases for additional maintenance budget or CAPEX investment.
- Ensure adherence to SSP financial controls and approval processes.
- Procurement & Supplier Management
- Support procurement exercises including end to end administrative setup in SSP systems, financial evaluation of tenders and supplier submissions.
- Prepare cost comparison models and recommendation papers.
- Assist with negotiation of commercial and financial terms with suppliers.
- Maintain pricing schedules, rate cards, and commercial records in CAFM system.
- Maintenance Systems, CAFM & Data Governance
- Work closely with CAFM (Ostara), Maintenance, Finance and Operations teams to ensure financial data accuracy.
- Maintain contract, pricing, and financial data within CAFM systems.
- Support compliance and maintenance coverage gap analysis through cost and service reviews.
- Ensure financial changes are reflected accurately in CAFM system and trackers.
- Reporting & Management Information
- Produce regular financial and performance reports for the Maintenance department and senior stakeholders.
- Support the reporting of the F Gas at business level.
- Record and report amendments to baseline contractor costs.
- Provide insight into cost drivers, financial risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Support development of KPI dashboards combining financial and operational data.
- General & Professional Responsibilities
- Promote a strong customer service and commercial culture.
- Build and maintain productive working relationships with internal stakeholders and contractors.
- Take a proactive approach to continuous improvement and process efficiency.
- Manage workload effectively, meeting deadlines and handling competing priorities.
- Undertake ad-hoc duties aligned with role capability and development.
To be successful in this role you will need:
- Strong financial and accounting knowledge, with experience in financial analysis, budgeting, and reporting.
- Advanced Excel skills, including reconciliations, variance analysis, and cost modelling.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and collaboration tools (Teams, SharePoint); Power BI knowledge desirable.
- Familiarity with financial and CAFM systems (e.g. SAP, Compleat).
- Understanding of maintenance, contractor, or FM environments.
- Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
- High attention to detail with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Experience supporting contractor management and commercial processes.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and workstreams effectively.
- Fluent in English; Dutch language skills desirable.
- Full driving licence with willingness to travel if required.
Why Join Us
- Employee Discounts across our brands (over 400 locations).
- Friends and Family Discount App.
- Award-winning training, apprenticeships and development programmes.
- Health & Wellbeing support.
- Hybrid working model with flexibility for work–life balance.
- Inclusive and diverse workplace with employee networks and communities.
Ready to start the best part of your journey? Join us at SSP and play a key role in shaping the financial performance of our Rail Gourmet business — where your insight, collaboration, and ownership will help drive our success across the UK and beyond. At SSP, we value diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects a range of backgrounds, skills and perspectives.
Commercial Administrator in Birmingham employer: SSP Food Travel Experts
At SSP, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture that values diversity and collaboration. Our employees benefit from award-winning training programmes, flexible hybrid working arrangements, and a strong focus on health and wellbeing, ensuring a balanced work-life experience. Join us in shaping the financial performance of our Rail Gourmet business, where your contributions will be recognised and rewarded, and where there are ample opportunities for personal and professional growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Administrator in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and role thoroughly. Understand their values and how your skills align with their needs. This will help you stand out and show that you're genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online resources to get comfortable with common questions. The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel when it’s your turn.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you on their radar!
We think you need these skills to ace Commercial Administrator in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Commercial Administrator role. Highlight your financial and accounting skills, as well as any experience with contractor management and procurement processes. We want to see how your background aligns with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how you can contribute to our team. Be sure to mention specific experiences that relate to the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Show Off Your Excel Skills:Since advanced Excel skills are a must-have for this position, consider including examples of how you've used Excel in previous roles. Whether it's reconciliations or cost modelling, we want to know how you’ve leveraged these skills to achieve results.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to apply 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 serious about joining our team at SSP!
How to prepare for a job interview at SSP Food Travel Experts
✨Know Your Numbers
Brush up on your financial and accounting knowledge before the interview. Be ready to discuss your experience with budgeting, cost tracking, and financial reporting. Having specific examples of how you've managed budgets or reconciled invoices will show that you understand the role's requirements.
✨Excel Skills are Key
Since advanced Excel skills are crucial for this position, make sure you can demonstrate your proficiency. Prepare to talk about how you've used Excel for reconciliations, variance analysis, and cost modelling in past roles. If possible, bring along a sample of your work to showcase your abilities.
✨Communication is Everything
You'll need to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders, so practice explaining complex financial concepts in simple terms. Think of examples where you've successfully communicated with contractors or internal teams to resolve discrepancies or improve processes.
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss how you've tackled challenges in previous roles, especially those related to contractor management or financial compliance. Highlight any instances where you've identified cost-saving opportunities or improved processes, as this aligns perfectly with the continuous improvement aspect of the job.
