Commercial Lead

Job Description

Role: Commercial & Legal Workstream Coordinator

Reporting to: Head of Procurement

Overall Purpose

Provide coordination and direction to the Commercial and Legal Workstream of the Programme. This involves leading day-to-day negotiations, coordinating with multiple stakeholders and suppliers, and ensuring all associated activities are delivered in a structured, timely, and cost-effective manner. All efforts should align with the programme's overall commercial and legal objectives.

Role Description / Principal Accountabilities

Reporting to the Head of Procurement, the role involves leading and executing negotiations with the preferred suppliers to secure favourable legal and commercial terms. Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as the principal point of interaction for all relevant stakeholders and external suppliers providing expert legal and contractual advice.
• Coordinating and aligning all key legal, contractual, and commercial activities, including input and output dependencies.
• Collaborating across business functions to define and agree on key service levels (SLAs), KPIs, and associated service credit regimes. Negotiating and contracting these terms with approved suppliers to protect the organisation's position.
• Leading day-to-day negotiations with suppliers for in-scope services and contracts.
• Developing negotiation strategies in conjunction with the Head of Procurement that align with financial and operational goals.
• Analysing supplier commercial proposals to ensure optimal outcomes on cost, quality, and delivery terms. Providing regular updates to the Head of Procurement and other stakeholders, including recommendations for next steps.
• Ensuring all procurement activities comply with ethical, legal, and regulatory standards.
• Writing contracts that can be effectively managed, and developing processes and tools to manage commercial outcomes.

Coordination and Delivery

Working closely with the Procurement, Compliance, and Programme teams, responsibilities include:

• Assessing and managing progress, resource needs, stakeholder/supplier management requirements, risks, and dependencies.
• Submitting workstream documentation and reports in coordination with PMO support, ensuring all stakeholders are aware of progress, concerns, and recovery plans.
• Assisting in the consolidation and formal acceptance of workstream objectives, goals, and target timescales with internal and external stakeholders.
• Confirming the workstream budget and ensuring activities and outcomes are delivered within the agreed budget. Controlling forecast and actual costs, and providing accurate reporting.

Note: This job description is a summary of the typical functions of the role. It is not exhaustive or comprehensive and is subject to review based on business needs.

Experience and Skills Required

• Outsourcing and Negotiation Expertise: Proven experience in outsourcing negotiations and pricing models, working closely with key service line owners, legal teams, and BPO firms.
• Negotiation Skills: Track record of success in high-level negotiations, achieving favorable outcomes in terms of pricing, quality, and terms.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyze supplier proposals, market conditions, and procurement data to make informed decisions.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Strong skills in building and maintaining long-term relationships with strategic suppliers.
• Contract Management: Expertise in working with legal firms to draft, negotiate, and manage contracts with complex terms and conditions.
• Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of procurement-related financial metrics, such as total cost of ownership, return on investment, and cost-saving strategies.
• Risk Management: Ability to identify and mitigate risks in supplier agreements and procurement processes.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective stakeholder management.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to resolve conflicts, negotiate discrepancies, and ensure smooth procurement operations.
• Project Lifecycle Knowledge: Understanding of the full project lifecycle, with experience in complex project environments.