Assistant Commercial Manager

General information

Reference

001953

Publication start date

21/07/2025

Publication end date

11/08/2025

Post Description

Assistant Commercial Manager

Closing date

11/08/2025

Vacancy location

Location

South West, Gloucestershire, Rosehill – Hybrid

Vacancy details

Job Profile

Finance and Corporate Services – Commercial

Title

Assistant Commercial Manager

Contract Type

Full Time

About us

About UCAS

UCAS is at the heart of connecting people to higher education.

UCAS is the world’s leading shared admissions service for higher education. We provide application services for UK universities and colleges as well as delivering a wide range of research, consultancy and advisory services to schools, colleges, careers services, professional bodies and employers.

We’re a successful and fast-growing organisation, which helps hundreds of thousands of people every year. We’re committed to delivering a first-class service to all of our customers — they’re at the heart of everything we do.

Business Unit description

Our Finance and Corporate Services business unit is a fusion of multiple functions — financial planning and accounting, facilities and building management, procurement, corporate governance and performance, legal and compliance. The Finance Team also defines UCAS’ financial strategy.

About the role

Contractual Hours

35.00

About the role

Partner with business leaders across the organisation establishing solutions that drive value for money for UCAS with commercial insight and acumen. The role will work with business commissioners commercial managers and significant suppliers to deliver commercial outcomes that result in contracts and relationships that support high quality delivery and performance of critical activities. Support in establishing and maintaining procurement policy, processes and controls to drive value and minimize UCAS’ exposure to risk.

Key accountabilities:

• Manage end to end tender processes and renewals for significant suppliers that support delivery of critical activities from requirements gathering, building specifications, evaluation of tenders, contract awards and commercial support to contact owners during contract duration.

• Recommend and implement continuous Category Management improvements.

• Take ownership for the development, review and implementation of appropriate sourcing strategies for medium-sized, medium-term contracts to deliver maximum value to UCAS and ensure delivery against the commercial plan and business requirements.

• Develop, manage and maintain proactive and robust relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders to drive value and minimize risks for UCAS.

Skills, qualifications, and experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a business-related subject or able to demonstrate an equivalent level of work experience.

• Holds CIPS qualification or part qualified with commitment to continue working towards.

• Significant previous experience of working in or supporting a procurement management team within a larger matrix management structure.

• Able to demonstrate detailed understanding of tendering requirements from conception through to contract delivery and award, through to effective relationship management.

• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and eProcurement tools.

• Good interpersonal, communication and organisational skills.

• Able to demonstrate experience of robust and successful negotiation skills.

• Able to work under pressure and within strict deadlines.

• Good business acumen and experience of working within commercial and policy rules.

• Possess strong influencing skills and the ability to influence and motivate others using personal rather than positional power.

Package

Salary – up to £45,000

• 30 days annual leave (plus 3 concessionary days over Christmas and your bank holidays!)

• Flexibility – UCAS positively supports Hybrid working for its employees, meaning you can work between home and the office in a way that suits you and the business and also has a comprehensive Flexible Working Policy

• A generous pension scheme

• Hundreds of high street discounts and offers with Perkbox

• Internal training and development

• Subsidised gym and café

• Be rewarded for going above and beyond with our ex-gratia bonus scheme and Celebrating U, our quarterly employee recognition scheme

• Dedicated volunteer employee networks promoting wellbeing, awareness and inclusion

Working Arrangements

Is fully remote working an option?

No

Attachments

Attachment

Assistant Commercial Manager RP June 2025_FINAL.pdf (347 Kb)