Job Description:

Adaptive Search is partnering with an established and highly regarded organisation to appoint a Senior Commercial Manager to join its senior leadership team.

This is a broad leadership role with particular emphasis on procurement, tendering, supply chain management and commercial performance. The successful candidate will take responsibility for the organisation’s Commercial, Procurement and Legal functions and play an important role in shaping its future strategy.

The organisation operates an extremely stable, long-term business model, delivering significant ongoing programmes across the UK. Just as importantly, it offers a genuinely welcoming, collaborative and people-focused working environment, where relationships and culture are taken seriously.

The Role

Reporting into the senior leadership team, you will take ownership of the commercial function and develop a procurement strategy that delivers value, improves margins and strengthens relationships throughout the supply chain.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Develop and deliver the organisation's overall commercial and procurement strategy
• Lead procurement activity across key categories, suppliers and contracts
• Oversee tendering, sourcing, supplier selection and commercial negotiations
• Develop strong strategic relationships with key suppliers and supply-chain partners
• Ensure competitive pricing and value are achieved across centrally purchased materials and services
• Identify opportunities to improve margin, revenue and overall commercial performance
• Work closely with operational and finance teams to improve procurement and ordering processes
• Lead and develop the Commercial, Procurement and Legal teams
• Provide senior oversight of contractual and commercial risk
• Ensure appropriate legal and contractual compliance across the organisation
• Support wider quality, compliance and accreditation requirements
• Build effective relationships across the senior leadership team and wider organisation

The original brief places particular emphasis on developing procurement strategy, managing key suppliers, protecting revenue and achieving market-leading pricing on centrally purchased materials.

About You

We are particularly interested in candidates who have developed their commercial expertise within an engineering, construction, building services, property services, infrastructure, utilities, energy, heating, insulation or installation-led environment.

Ideally, you'll bring:

• Significant experience within a senior commercial or procurement position
• Strong knowledge of procurement strategy and best practice
• Experience of tendering, contract negotiation and supplier management
• A track record of managing complex supply chains and strategic supplier relationships
• Strong commercial judgement and an ability to identify opportunities for improved value and margin
• Experience operating within an installation, engineering, construction or service-delivery environment
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing teams
• The ability to operate strategically while remaining sufficiently close to the commercial detail
• Excellent stakeholder-management and communication skills
• A collaborative, pragmatic and people-focused leadership style

A professional procurement/commercial qualification such as CIPS would be advantageous but isn't essential. The formal specification requires senior commercial experience and identifies senior procurement-strategy experience and relevant professional qualifications as desirable.

Why Consider It?

There are a few things that make this opportunity particularly attractive.

Stability – the organisation has an exceptionally stable business model, underpinned by significant long-term programmes and demand.

Influence – this isn't simply a role managing an established procurement process. You'll have scope to shape commercial and procurement strategy and make measurable improvements.

Breadth – you'll have leadership responsibility across Commercial, Procurement and Legal, giving the position genuine Director-level scope.

Culture – the working environment is welcoming, collaborative and values-led, with an emphasis on constructive leadership rather than hierarchy.

Purpose – the organisation's work ultimately contributes to improving homes, energy efficiency and sustainability.