Take on a Commercial Manager role at MBDA in Stevenage, managing full-lifecycle domestic commercial contracts in a hybrid work arrangement (2-3 days per week on-site). This permanent position offers a salary of £62,000 to £70,000 per year, complemented by a bonus of up to 21% and strong pension contributions. Candidates must hold British citizenship or be dual UK nationals.
Requirements
Proven commercial management experience within a defence environment.
Experience in drafting, negotiating, and agreeing contracts and agreements.
Leadership and line management experience.
Familiarity with MoD contracting structures (DEFCONs and QDCs) is preferred.
Security clearance requirement: British Citizen or Dual UK national with British citizenship and ability to pass BPSS checks.
Skills & Responsibilities
Commercial Management & Negotiation: Lead the negotiation and end-to-end management of domestic commercial contracts, ensuring compliance and alignment with company objectives.
Business Winning & Bidding: Drive the bidding process by drafting and reviewing proposals, terms, conditions, pricing strategies, and contracts.
Risk & Compliance Management: Identify risks and ensure all contracts comply with applicable laws, regulations, ITAR, EAR, and defence industry standards.
Leadership & Communication: Engage with senior management, act as the primary customer-facing commercial point of contact, and provide line management to junior team members.
Potential transition routes: People from senior contract specialist or procurement management roles may bring strong contract negotiation and stakeholder management skills, alongside meeting the required defence sector experience.
Job description
As a Commercial Manager, you are responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of Domestic Commercial contracts, from bidding and negotiation to execution, and closure
Salary: Circa £62,000 - £70,000 depending on experience
Dynamic (hybrid) working: 2-3 days per week on-site due to workload classification
Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship
Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.
What we can offer you:
Company Bonus: Bonus of up to 21% of base salary
Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments
Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…
The opportunity:
Management – engagement at senior management levels in the business and line management responsibility for more junior members of the team.
You will have the opportunity to work within various multi-functional Project teams contributing to the overall company business plan, safeguarding MBDA’s business interests and knowing that you are making a real difference.
Business Winning - Responsible for the full Route to Contract, including being the driving force during the Bidding process, taking responsibility for all the commercial aspects and ensuring cross functional working to deliver robust and timely bids. This will include the drafting and reviewing of proposals, terms and conditions and Contracts and pricing/pricing strategy.
Contract Negotiation - Lead the negotiation of all Contracts, agreements and commercial issues ensuring alignment with company objectives and ensuring contractual compliance
Contract Management – Being a vital part of the delivery chain that ensures MBDA meets its promises to our customers. Oversee the commercial management of Contracts throughout their life cycle ensuring all contractual obligations are met. This will include contract amendments, reviewing contract deliverables, document marking and contract closure.
Compliance - Ensure that all contracts comply with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies and governance, including ITAR, EAR, and other relevant defence industry standards.
Risk and Opportunity Management: Identify potential risks and opportunities associated with bids and contracts and work with various departments to develop mitigation strategies.
Stakeholder Communication: Customer facing and serving as the primary point of contact for Commercial matters, providing guidance to internal stakeholders and liaising with external clients and partners to agree and resolve any Commercial issues.
Reporting: Provide regular updates and reports to senior management on bids, contract status, key risks, and any significant issues that could impact the business.
Contract Dispute Resolution: Manage and resolve contract-related disputes in collaboration with legal and other relevant departments, ensuring swift and effective resolution.
What we're looking for from you:
Proven experience of Commercial, within a defence environment.
Experience of drafting, negotiating and agreeing contracts and agreements.
Excellent attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
Ability to manage multiple contracts simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
A Strategic thinker, supporting the overall business objectives for growth and innovation (UK and International)
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams
An accountable self-starter. Modelling the MBDA values and leading others to be accountable
Leadership and line management experience
Familiarity with MoD contracting structure, including DEFCONs and QDCs, would be preferred.
Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given
MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.
We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity and more…
We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.
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