At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead commercial management for large infrastructure contracts and mentor a dynamic team.
- Company: Join AWE, a leader in national safety and security.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 9-day working fortnight, competitive salary, and generous leave policies.
- Other info: Diverse backgrounds encouraged; hybrid working options available.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while developing your career in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: 10 years of relevant experience in commercial management and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 63270 - 95000 € per year.
AWE is currently recruiting for a Principal Commercial Manager for the Commercial team. Location: Reading, with free onsite parking.
Package: 63,270 to 95,000 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience).
Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.
Ready to play your part? At AWE, it's not just a job, it's far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Our work underpins national safety and security.
The role: As a Principal Commercial Manager, you will operate as the client side commercial authority for large, complex infrastructure contracts, playing a critical role in enabling safe, assured and value for money delivery. Providing commercial and contract performance leadership to the project team to enable effective management of project and commercial risk.
This is a senior commercial management role, requiring sound judgement, confidence operating in ambiguity, and the ability to lead others through complex commercial challenges. You will be trusted to take decisions, manage risk proportionately, and provide clear direction in high stakes environments.
You will lead strategic planning and governance. Manage, develop and mentor a team that administers the contracts, and get involved in contract disputes. You will support the procurement team, advising on contract options management, working with tier 1 Suppliers and managing KPI reviews/planning. Integration and cross functional relationship management is key.
What you will do:
- Act as Client Commercial Manager for large, complex infrastructure contracts across their full lifecycle ensuring they deliver value for money and achieve the objectives.
- Provide commercial management leadership, ensuring risk, change and performance are managed effectively and proportionately.
- Lead a team that manages supplier payments and analysis of contract and subcontract agreements.
- Set and maintain contract governance, reporting, assurance and standards, aligned to organisational objectives.
- Lead engagement with Tier 1 suppliers, including the management of complex issues and disputes.
- Influence and advise senior internal stakeholders, bringing clarity to complex commercial decisions.
- Lead, develop and mentor commercial management professionals, building capability and confidence across teams.
- Draft, review and negotiate complex contractual arrangements.
- Support the wider business through shared learning for continuous improvement.
- Support the organisation with future business planning of capital spend.
This role is focused on commercial management and client side leadership, working alongside procurement colleagues where required.
What success looks like in this role: We are looking for people who can consistently demonstrate the following:
- Making effective decisions.
- Exercises strong commercial judgement in complex, uncertain and high-risk situations.
- Balances assurance, risk and pace to support delivery rather than defaulting to process.
- Takes ownership of decisions and is comfortable being accountable for outcomes.
- Seeing the big picture.
- Understands how individual contracts contribute to wider programme and organisational objectives.
- Anticipates future risks and issues rather than reacting when they crystallise.
- Thinks strategically about contract structure, incentives and behaviours, not just compliance.
- Communicating and influencing.
- Influences senior stakeholders and suppliers with credibility and confidence.
- Explains complex contractual issues clearly, pragmatically and without unnecessary jargon.
- Handles challenge, disagreement and dispute constructively and professionally.
- Leadership.
- Sets clear expectations and standards for commercial management practice.
- Develops others through coaching, mentoring and role modelling good judgement.
- Creates a culture of trust, accountability and continuous improvement.
Experience we are looking for: We are interested in what you have done and how you operate, not just your formal qualifications. You are likely to have significant experience in areas such as:
- Managing large, complex infrastructure or engineering contracts through delivery.
- Acting as the client-side commercial lead in regulated or safety-critical environments.
- Managing contractual change, performance, risk and disputes.
- Working with senior stakeholders across organisational boundaries.
- Leading and developing people in matrix or multidisciplinary teams.
- Pricing arrangements and commercial models e.g. target cost incentive fee.
- Earned value management.
- Supporting the development of tender packages.
- Support the drafting and review of contract scope.
- Experience of NEC contracts, target cost/incentive mechanisms, or tools such as CEMAR is helpful, but not essential. Transferable experience and sound judgement are more important than familiarity with specific forms or systems.
Background and qualifications: If you have the experience, judgement and behaviours needed to operate at this level, Principal Commercial Manager, we want to hear from you - regardless of your formal qualifications. We would be particularly interested to hear from you if you have any of the following:
- 10 years relevant commercial management experience.
- A bachelor's degree in commercial management, quantity surveying, economics, business, law, or a similar discipline or equivalent experience.
- A member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES), or similar.
If you have any other experience, qualifications or professional membership that you consider makes you a great fit for AWE, please share as they will be considered as part of the selection process.
Our commitment: We actively encourage applications from people with diverse professional backgrounds and career paths. If this role excites you but you are unsure whether you meet every requirement, we would still strongly encourage you to apply.
Work hard, be rewarded: We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:
- 9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
- Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
- Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
- Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
- Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
- Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
- Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
- Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.
- Hybrid working is available on a non-contractual basis (typically 3 days onsite or in the office per week).
Principal Commercial Manager - Reading employer: What Jobs
AWE is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to national safety and security while enjoying a supportive work culture in Reading. With a 9-day working fortnight, flexible working options, and a commitment to employee development, AWE fosters a collaborative environment where you can thrive professionally and personally. The comprehensive benefits package, including generous leave policies and a market-leading pension scheme, further enhances the rewarding experience of being part of this vital organisation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Commercial Manager - Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend events, and engage on platforms like 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 its projects. Understand their values and how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain your experience and how it relates to the Principal Commercial Manager role. Keep it concise but impactful, highlighting your leadership skills and commercial judgement.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Commercial Manager - Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Principal Commercial Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in managing large contracts and leading teams, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:We want to see how you've led teams and managed complex commercial challenges in the past. Share specific examples that demonstrate your ability to influence stakeholders and make effective decisions under pressure.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to explain your experience and avoid jargon. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point!
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to submit your application through our website! This ensures we receive all the necessary information and helps us process your application smoothly. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at What Jobs
✨Know Your Contracts Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the types of contracts you'll be dealing with. Brush up on NEC contracts and any relevant commercial models. Being able to discuss specific examples from your experience will show that you're not just familiar with the theory but can apply it in practice.
✨Demonstrate Your Leadership Skills
As a Principal Commercial Manager, you'll need to lead and mentor a team. Prepare to share examples of how you've developed others in previous roles. Think about specific situations where you set clear expectations or created a culture of trust and accountability.
✨Showcase Your Decision-Making Ability
This role requires strong commercial judgement, especially in high-risk situations. Be ready to discuss times when you had to make tough decisions and how you balanced risk with delivery. Highlight your ability to see the big picture and anticipate future risks.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
You’ll need to influence senior stakeholders and suppliers, so practice explaining complex contractual issues in a straightforward manner. Prepare for potential challenges during the interview and think about how you would handle disagreements professionally.
