Principal Commercial Officer

Proven experience in commercial contract management or a similar procurement/commercial role.

A leading organisation within the defence sector is currently recruiting for a Principal Commercial Officer on a full-time, permanent basis in Stevenage.

Role: Principal Commercial Officer
Type: Permanent
Location: Stevenage (Hybrid working: 2 - 3 days on-site)
Salary: Circa £50,000 + benefits

Key responsibilities for the Principal Commercial Officer will include and will not be limited to:

• Manage contracts from start to finish, including bids, negotiation, delivery, and closure.
• Help win new business by supporting bids, writing and reviewing contracts, and protecting company interests.
• Take part in negotiations to agree contract terms.
• Oversee contracts day-to-day, including changes, issues, and admin.
• Identify risks and opportunities and work with teams to manage them.
• Build strong relationships with customers and partners.
• Support project teams with commercial advice.
• Communicate updates clearly to stakeholders and senior management.
• Represent the commercial team in meetings and reviews.
• Keep systems and data up to date (e.g. SAP).
• Promote best practice and support junior team members.
• Work to deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Key skills and experience required for the Principal Commercial Officer role will include and will not be limited to:

• Strong experience in contract management across the full lifecycle.
• Confident in negotiation and working with stakeholders.
• Experience managing complex, high-value contracts.
• Good understanding of contract law, risk, and liabilities.
• Able to draft and negotiate contract terms and conditions.
• Knowledge of pricing and costing.
• Awareness of intellectual property and how to protect it.
• Understanding of import/export rules and licences.
• Good process and change management skills.
• Strong teamwork and influencing abilities.
• Good commercial awareness across customers and suppliers.
• Comfortable using IT systems and tools such as SAP.

To apply for this Principal Commercial Officer / Commercial Manager / Contracts Officer / Commercial Contracts Specialist role, candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and meet security clearance requirements.