At a Glance
- Tasks: Analyse data and support procurement projects to drive cost savings and efficiency.
- Company: Thames Water, the UK's largest water and wastewater company.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous annual leave, and a strong pension scheme.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements and opportunities for career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainability while developing your analytical skills.
- Qualifications: Degree in a numerical field and experience in an analytical role.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 60000 £ per year.
Contract: Permanent
Salary: up to 60,000 per annum
Procurement at Thames Water plays a key role in delivering significant cost savings while driving wider commercial value across the business. Operating within a dynamic matrix environment, the role offers exposure to a broad range of high-value projects, stakeholders, suppliers, and business functions. The team manages approximately 1.5 billion in annual spend, overseeing contracts ranging from 100,000 to several hundred million pounds.
The purpose of this role is to provide analytical and commercial support to the wider Commercial team across multiple concurrent projects. The successful candidate will help assess procurement opportunities with stakeholders and support the end-to-end delivery of sourcing activities, ensuring recommendations deliver best value and align with business objectives.
What you'll be doing as a Senior Commercial Analyst:
- Obtaining, cleansing and analysing large and complex data files to provide insight on our historical spend as well as identifying opportunities in cost and operational efficiency using historic and forecast information.
- Leading and supporting stakeholder (project) meetings and presenting findings in front of stakeholder group, which may involve senior-level commercial and operational managers to drive decision making.
- Demonstrating a thirst for knowledge to understand the macro and micro trends in the wider supply chain and applying these to commercial strategy.
- Taking ownership for our commercial data, including proactively cleansing our historic and forecast data to ensure it is as accurate as possible and available to the wider team through our commercial tools.
- Regularly engaging with stakeholders to elicit information and define the scope of analysis, and providing support to internal and external (supplier) meetings to explain data analysis as requested.
- Meeting time, cost and quality milestones at all times with proactive risk escalation to prevent any potential issues.
- Proactively identify further opportunities for the analyst team to support the commercial process and embrace these new opportunities.
Base location: Hybrid Clear Water Court Reading
Working pattern: Monday to Friday 36 hours
Necessary requirements for the role:
- A Degree in a numerical field.
What you should bring to the role:
- Degree-qualified in a numerically focused discipline such as Engineering, Accounting, Mathematics, Finance, Economics, or a related field.
- Proven experience in a similar analytical or commercial role within a fast-paced organisation.
- Confident and proven experience in presenting business cases, insights, and recommendations to senior stakeholders and influencing decision-making.
- A proactive self-starter with a strong analytical mindset and the ability to perform effectively under pressure and across multiple priorities.
- Advanced technical skills in Excel, VBA, Power BI, Power Query and PowerPoint, with the ability to turn complex data into clear and actionable insights.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work independently, prioritise competing demands, and deliver high-quality outputs efficiently.
- Strong problem-solving capability, including the ability to identify key issues, analyse information from multiple sources, and draw clear, commercially sound conclusions.
- Good understanding of commercial business operations, with practical experience using business analysis methodologies and data modelling tools.
What's in it for you?
- Competitive salary of up to 60,000 per annum depending on experience.
- Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
- Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
- Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
- Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family's health and wellbeing, and your finances - from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.
Who are we?
We're the UK's largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It's a big job and we've got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.
Learn more about our purpose and values.
Working at Thames Water:
Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you'll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.
If you're looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people's lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we'll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.
Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family.
Why choose us? Learn more.
We're committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that's extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we're here to help and support.
When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you'll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It's also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.
Disclaimer: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Senior Commercial Analyst - Reading, Berkshire in Newtown employer: Thames Water
Thames Water is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Reading where you can make a meaningful impact on millions of lives. With competitive salaries, generous annual leave, and a strong focus on employee wellbeing, we provide ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Join us to be part of a diverse team committed to sustainability and innovation, all while enjoying flexible working arrangements and a supportive culture.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Commercial Analyst - Reading, Berkshire in Newtown
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or at industry events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that Senior Commercial Analyst role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising your presentation skills. You’ll need to showcase your analytical insights confidently, especially when engaging with senior stakeholders. We suggest doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get feedback.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your data skills! Bring along examples of your previous work where you’ve turned complex data into actionable insights. We want to see how you can apply your analytical mindset to real-world scenarios.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our company.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Commercial Analyst - Reading, Berkshire in Newtown
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Commercial Analyst role. Highlight your analytical skills and experience in procurement, as well as any relevant projects you've worked on that align with what Thames Water is looking for.
Showcase Your Data Skills:Since this role involves a lot of data analysis, be sure to mention your technical skills in Excel, Power BI, and any other tools you’re proficient in. Give examples of how you've used these skills to drive insights or improve processes in previous roles.
Engage with Stakeholders:Demonstrate your experience in stakeholder engagement. Share specific instances where you've successfully presented findings or influenced decision-making. This will show that you can effectively communicate complex data to senior managers.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining the Thames Water family!
How to prepare for a job interview at Thames Water
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Commercial Analyst, you'll be dealing with large data sets. Brush up on your Excel and Power BI skills before the interview. Be ready to discuss how you've used these tools in past roles to drive insights and influence decisions.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
This role involves engaging with various stakeholders. Prepare examples of how you've successfully communicated complex data to non-technical audiences. Highlight any experience you have leading meetings or presenting findings to senior management.
✨Understand the Business Landscape
Familiarise yourself with Thames Water's operations and the broader water industry. Be prepared to discuss macro and micro trends that could impact procurement strategies. This shows your genuine interest and understanding of the role's context.
✨Prepare for Problem-Solving Scenarios
Expect questions that assess your analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Think of specific challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you approached them. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
