Commercial Manager - Procurement

Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon-free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA leads the way in realizing fusion energy, partnering with industry and research organisations to achieve ground breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them. 

As Commercial Manager, you will support the Commercial Lead and Department Heads, with a particular focus on ICT procurement. You will provide expert commercial advice and lead major procurements across UKAEA’s growing R&D portfolio, while mentoring and developing members of the commercial team to deliver a high-quality procurement service. You will ensure compliance with UK public sector procurement regulations and support the organisation in achieving its milestones.

Your core responsibilities:

• Coordinate procurement support to enable the delivery of major projects, ensuring timely input aligned to project milestones and targets, and defining project scope in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023.
• Lead contractor pre-qualification, tender evaluation, bidder interviews, and contract negotiations as required.
• Manage, monitor, and control contractual performance, ensuring adherence to agreed terms across time, cost, and quality.
• Identify improvement opportunities and propose evidence-based solutions, making recommendations that support continuous improvement across UKAEA.
• Support the development, implementation, and application of site-level procurement strategies.
• Provide commercial and procurement advice to line and senior management, contributing to specific initiatives where appropriate.
• Build, influence, and negotiate effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and colleagues.
• Provide procurement leadership on large-scale or complex procurement projects.

• Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) qualified.
• Proven experience in public sector procurement, with strong knowledge of OJEU and regulated procurement environments.
• Broad technical understanding of multiple procurement categories and strong procurement strategy expertise.
• Commercially astute and customer-focused, with the ability to negotiate effectively at senior supplier levels, including experience with NEC forms of contract.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/ but highlights include: 

• £55,311 base salary 
• Final salary defined benefit scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution 
• 25 days annual leave, plus 3 days Christmas closure, 2.5 privilege day and 8 Bank holidays 
• Flexible and hybrid working options 

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit. Further information can be found here. UKAEA is committed to being accessible. Please email [email protected] if you require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis.