Senior Commercial Manager

Description:

Are you a Commercial Manager ideally with Rolling Stock, train supply contract experience or have experience with major manufacturing & supply contracts and keen to manage a £2 billion train manufacture and supply contract for 54 High Speed Trains for HS2?

Senior Commercial Managers is required to work for the Client Organisation (High Speed Two Ltd) responsible for the New High-Speed Rail project in the UK. Working directly for the client organisation on the project you will take commercial responsibility for Rollingstock, which, includes a £2bn Rolling Stock Manufacture and Supply Contract, Rolling Stock Maintenance Contract, & £150m On Track Machine Contract. Reporting to the Head of Commercial you will manage a commercial team of 6 or 7 Commercial Managers and Assistants.

As Senior Commercial Manager you will be responsible for delivering commercial activities within the Delivery teams. The role provides leadership to HS2 commercial staff engaged in the management of the major infrastructure Rolling Stock Manufacture and Supply (MSA) and On Track Machines contracts required to deliver the HS2 vision. The role works alongside the Rolling Stock train manufacturer, On Track Machines supply chain and contractors within the delivery teams, assuring and supporting their commercial activities to provide an independent view to Head of Commercial.

The £2 billion Manufacture and Supply contract is a 50/50 joint venture between Hitachi Rail and Alstom, who are contracted to supply 54 High Speed trains. The Contract is 2.5 years old has another 10 years to run. There are a number of commercial challengers the Senior Commercial Manager will have to manage including a significant amount of change on the contract. The change will also affect the rolling stock maintenance contract, which, is very much in strategy stage and the contract for the On Track Machines is in very early-stage procurement – this is a NEC supply contract.

Progression Opportunities

HS2 already have a superb reputation for progressing from within highlighted by the fact 45% of new vacancies are filled internally. HS2 has a programme duration of another 10 years and you will have the opportunity to plan you own career path by having the freedom to move between different HS2 contracts as new opportunities come up. The next step would be Head of Commercial with salaries £120 – 140k + pkg.

Work Situation – Hybrid / Flexible working options

The office location is Birmingham Snowhill they operate a flexible hybrid working model working 2 days a week from the office. Overall, this is a very flexible modern employer who cares about delivery not where you deliver from. Highlighted by the fact after consultation with HR there are both flexi time and compressed working arrangements at the organisation.

Senior Commercial Manager Salaries:

Birmingham £85 000 - £94,047 + Pen(6/12) + 25 hols + health

London £95,000 - £108,744 + Pen(6/12) + 25 hols + health

Duties and Responsibilities

Pre-Contract

To be responsible for developing commercial works and goods information, reviewing works and goods information from other functions and drafting contract documents including pricing documents to ensure consistency and alignment with procurement plans.

To be responsible for supporting the Procurement team in the development and delivery of tender evaluation models and contract documentation including terms and conditions and associated commercial mechanisms, works, goods and site information (scope / requirements) to be consistent with strategies and procurement plans.

Procurement

To be responsible for evaluating tenders, supporting moderation for tender award reports and recommendations to achieve Contract Award.

To be responsible for developing a contract management plan and tender negotiation strategies

To be responsible for supporting contract readiness.

Post Contract

To be accountable for providing commercial assurance to Head of Commercial of all Delivery commercial activities (HS2 & Supply Chain), including:

* To be accountable for delivering commercial and contract management of the contracts to maintain effective commercial control;

* To be accountable for the administration of the obligations of the Purchaser under the Rolling Stock MSA and TSA contracts and Project / Service Manager under the NEC3 Supply Contracts, including assessment of:-

* Variations, compensation events and change management.

* contract payments

* performance, bonus incentives and damages

* management of the commercial procedures and obligations under the relevant contract

* To be accountable for managing effective cost assurance and verification;

* To be accountable for reviewing and analysing supply chain monthly reports to drive supply chain performance;

* To be accountable for delivering on input into contract level performance information into monthly MBR reports;

* To be accountable for providing final cost estimate updates;

* To be responsible for assessment, quantification and assurance of costs and time for changes and quotations for changes on contracts

* To be responsible for supporting monthly contract and programme performance reviews and other ad hoc reviews;

* To be accountable for supporting the settlement of supply chain disputes;

* To be accountable for providing day to day ad hoc contract and commercial advice to client team;

* To be responsible for supporting monthly the identification of opportunities for project savings supporting the development of associated proposals / business case for approval;

* To be responsible for supporting the development of a collaborative culture within the IPT that encourages innovation, enhances functional capability, creates consistency of performance, maximises the benefits of knowledge sharing and embeds industry best practice across the organisation;

* To be responsible for supporting the relationship and engagement with key contractors.

* To be responsible for reviewing estimates (at all stages)

Leadership

To be responsible for leading and reviewing estimates, quotations and costs for contract change

To be responsible for providing second key corporate governance approval of change and risk draw down in accordance with corporate governance requirements.

To be responsible for leading commercial resources, agreeing objectives, managing performance and development to ensure staff have the necessary skills and support to deliver in their roles.

To be responsible for providing domain knowledge in the development and maintenance of efficient and effective contract and commercial management policies, processes and procedures.

Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.

Candidate Overview

Qualfiied Commercial Manager with both pre and post contract experience, ideally from a Rolling Stiock background with experience on Manufacture and Supply contracts would consider people without Rail experience who have worked on complex large Manufacture and Supply Contracts.

Would also consider people from infrastructure capital works contracts (NEC Contracts).

All candidates will have previous line management experiene with the ability tp successfully develop, inspire and drvie a team.

Skills:

* Ability to manage and administer high value and delivery critical contracts to deliver major complex infrastructure or similar projects and programmes.

* Ability to develop commercial strategies and plans on infrastructure projects.

* Ability to deliver value driven management of commercial relationships with supply chain.

* Ability to support negotiations with both internal and external parties, and the ability to settle disputes whilst maintaining business critical commercial relationships.

* Ability to manage internal and external stakeholder parties to achieve successful project outcomes.

* Ability to develop and improve commercial policies, processes and procedures.

* Ability to support the development of commercial teams in complex organisation.

* Ability to demonstrate contract, commercial and risk management skills.

Knowledge of:

Governance, Assurance & Compliance

Strategy Development

Project Management & Planning

Estimating & Cost Planning

Procurement

UCR/PCR Application

Bespoke Third-Party Agreements

Contract Management & Administration

Negotiation

Dispute Resolution

Cost Control

Risk & Value Management

Supply Chain Management

Processes

Systems

Type of experience:

Experience of managing commercial management teams in major complex infrastructure projects and programmes from £150million up to £2billion in value to deliver value for money for the Client/Employer.

Ideally, but not essential, experience of working on contracts (fixed price, reimbursable or cost plus) for major infrastructure or Rail industry Design, Manufacturing and Supply type contracts for either Rolling Stock rail projects or experience managing other Manufacture and Supply type agreements on projects such as Crossrail, Network Rail, DLR, TfL and the like or experience working with contracts that design, build and supply large value specialist equipment on infrastructure projects such as Rolling Stock trains , On Track Rail Maintenance Machines, Trams or Light Railway systems, Automated People Carriers or Movers, Tunnel Boring machines or other Specialist Plant and Equipment on large scale projects including Automotive and or Aeronautical projects where design and manufacture or repetitive equipment and units is required.

Significant experience of managing change and variations including costs and time impacts on contracts.

Significant experience of contract management and being able to interpret contract clauses into clear obligations and actions for Commercial and Project teams to follow.

Experience and or understanding of dispute resolution procedures and principles on contracts such as negotiation, mediation, dispute boards, adjudication, arbitration.

Experience of understanding how programme and schedule impacts resulting from proposed change have on time and risk of delivery to key contract dates.

Experience of developing Tender Contract and Pricing Documents and being involved with or undertaking tender evaluation and tender / supplier award recommendations to appoint preferred tenderers and suppliers.

Experience of, but not essential, of working with or for publicly funded bodies and/or on a major publicly funded infrastructure programmes.

Experience of planning, developing and implementing high value and complex contracts and of working closely with procurement teams in tender preparation, administration and evaluation.

Experience of using commercial, contract management and reporting systems and software.

Leadership Qualities:
Inspirational Leadership, Cross-matrix influencing, Collaboration, Co-ordinating cross business teams, Business Judgement, Inspiring differentiation & Growing Talent