Commercial Manager- Learning

Leeds, Yorkshire
McCabe & Barton

The Client

Our client, a Big 4 consultancy, offers an end-to-end learning service that combines advisory, specialist content, and learning delivery, building on the capability developed for its clients.

This is an emerging, but integral part of their Consultancy practice and brings together the breadth and depth of subject matter expertise with their learning design and technology skills and capabilities to help improve individual and organisational performance. It is an exciting capability area that seeks to tackle the full breadth of clients’ learning needs.

Job Summary

The Commercial Manager is primarily responsible for managing the operational relationship with suppliers and driving the commercial outcomes of particular supplier partnerships through effective procurement and relationship management. As a Commercial Manager, you will be part of a Commercial team who is responsible for managing day-to-day supplier relationships while ensuring that supply chain activities are undertaken in accordance with the firm’s policies and procedures, risks are managed, and third-party spending is contained and profitability targets are met.

The Commercial Manager will have demonstrated knowledge of procurement and contract law, strong communication and negotiation skills, and an ability to drive team performance under tight deadlines. Strong management, delegation, and mentorship skills and a keen eye for detail are essential. A key strength required for this position is someone who is a strong stakeholder manager and thrives on developing and maintaining relationships with suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Commercial, manage commercial activity to support particular contracts and escalate issues, and manage upward effectively
• Horizon scanning on the learning marketplace and development and stakeholder management of relationships with particular contract supplier chain
• Ensure that all supply chain activity is in accordance with the firm’s policies and procedures
• Sourcing, onboarding of new suppliers and day-to-day management of existing ones to support business needs
• Manage conflicts of interest and risk appropriately in order to protect the firm
• Work to support the Head of Commercial in driving to keep third-party spend to a minimum, whilst meeting KPIs, distributing work fairly and safeguarding the quality of learning
• Managing the relationship and performance management of some of the 150+ suppliers engaged to design and deliver the core curriculum topics and a growing pipeline of new curriculum/programme opportunities sold to specific departments
• Manage day-to-day learning supply chain relationship responsibilities
• Manage internal interfaces with the wider operational team including Finance, Project Operations, Curriculum, Engagement team, Communications, Service Centre, Finance, Security and areas of the wider firm: Quality and Risk Management and Contracts Unit
• Prioritise the workload of the team to support and meet the strategic objectives set by the Head of Commercial
• Lead and manage procurements in line with OJEU requirements
• Regularly manages risk and supervises junior team to ensure that risk is being managed carefully
• Manage external relationships with the client commercial teams

Knowledge/Skills/Experience Required

• Strong commercial acumen, ideally supported with formal procurement or supplier management qualification
• Knowledgeable in contract law and Intellectual Property law
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Can demonstrate significant success in negotiations and a track record of creating profit for organisations
• Able to work at pace to tight client deadlines while remaining focused on the commercial goal
• Extensive knowledge of working with Suppliers
• Able to work effectively in a consulting environment and in a Matrix-type governance structure
• Leadership skills and Management skills: able to manage a team of junior colleagues, delegate appropriately and prioritise workload in accordance with priorities as set out by the Head of Commercial
• Strong numerical skills and ability to understand pricing of products and pricing strategies