Business Manager

Business Manager
£55,000 - £65,000 or £45.00 P/ hr + Car allowance
08:30-17:15 Mon-Thu and 08:30-13:00 Friday
Hybrid potential
12 month contract - probable extension - likely permanent

Are you an experienced Commercial Manager, Programme Commercial Manager or Key Account Manager from an automotive manufacturing or Tier 1 supplier background? Do you have experience managing customer relationships, quotations, pricing, programme profitability and commercial negotiations? If so, we'd like to hear from you.

Business Manager main purpose of the job:

Construct Customer quotations in-line with business standard metrics and documentation for all design changes, both Customer and Company driven.
Generation and maintenance of the Company Cost & Price System (spreadsheet based) for all changes post nomination/business award level.
Working with the Programme Development Team (PDT) through the programme introduction life-cycle to ensure Customer expectations are met and managed.
Attends and leads regular and frequent program meetings with the Customer(s), both on and off-site.
Reports the financial position of programmes within the Company's product portfolio.
Maintains the Company's operating systems relevant to owned actions.
Supports the commercial aspects of development and implementation of VA/VE ideas to support requirements.
Supports the sales / programme management on the response to new business acquisition RFQ's and programme related RFQ packages.
Engenders a philosophy of 'managed' change control through all aspects of the organisation associated with (project and) programme management.

Business Manager responsibilities:

Primary cross-functional interface for the customer(s) and the Company's PDT(s) for financial negotiations in order to define the full scope of the programme(s). Actively foster collaborative working across commercial, programme, finance and engineering teams, ensuring shared understanding and empowerment to deliver programme outcomes.
Negotiation with the Customer to surpass Company's metrics whilst achieving Customer's pricing expectations.
Is directly accountable to the Lead Business Manager / Commercial Manager / Business Management Director for the related customer(s) at a core functional level for the successful financial status of all relevant programmes ensuring all agreed Company standard metrics are achieved.
Support the development of commercial capability within the programme team
Utilising standard company formats and costing data, responsible for the development of pricing estimates, including part piece price; tooling and capex, whilst maintaining Company metrics.
Presentation and support of financial status to senior management and/or customer representatives will be routine.
Apply structured problem‑solving methods to assess cost/price gaps and resolve commercial issues quickly.
Supports all necessary regular cross-functional meetings to ensure a sufficiently detailed level of cost communication is maintained.
Manages, maintains and communicates the programme(s) financial status reporting within company frameworks such as:
Attendance of the regular programme status PDT meetings.
Monthly Programme reviews with the appropriate management teams.
GDLS Phase Management Gateway Review Fresh Eyes reviews.
GDLS Phase Management Gateway Review Sign Off.
Monthly Operating Report (MOR).
Financial Reporting.
Identify and implement opportunities to improve costing/quotation processes and enhance commercial insights

Business Manager preferred skills and experience:

Substantial experience in the automotive industry in a Commercial/Account Management/Costing role within a regional or global organisation
An Engineering background would be considered an advantage.
Demonstrable experience in working with, or curiosity to, new commercial methodologies, data tools and market trends
Able to work independently as well as within the Team to achieve Department and Business goals.
Advanced skills in Excel required.
Ability to effectively communicate with all levels of the Customer and within the Company.
Adaptability in the location of work including business travel.
Flexibility to change priorities in response to changing programme / project / management demands.