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)
