Commercial Portfolio Lead

Warrington, Cheshire
United Utilities

Role details

“Salary – Competitive Salary

Work Type – Hybrid

Job Location – Lingley Mere (UU), Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP

Role Type – Permanent

Employment Type – Full Time

Working Hours –

United Utilities’ (UU) purpose is to deliver great water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society.

We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.

We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.

We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution.”

Benefits

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
• Up to 7.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
• MyGymDiscounts – gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
• Best Doctors
• Salary Finance
• Wealth at Work courses
• Deals and discounts
• EVolve Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Mental health first aiders
• ShareBuy
• MORE Choices flexible benefits
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Job Purpose

UU has a strong track record for working with suppliers on breakthrough and incremental innovation – and this relies on UU finding suppliers, learning about their ideas, providing advice and feedback – and maybe agreeing contracts with suppliers – possibly to co-create a new idea.

Our UU promise to innovation suppliers is that UU will “act with speed” – when giving feedback on ideas, agreeing contracts and streamlining bureaucracy and payments administration. Going fast means we have “first mover advantage” – which is vital in Ofwat PR24 / Our Future Plan – comparisons.

A need for innovation is growing – from increasing Ofwat drivers to solve customer problems; much of UU’s “highly disruptive” supplier-related innovation interaction is led by Innovation Team – but not all. UU needs lots of commercial effort; Inn team need contracts to:-

• Secure suppliers in appropriate contracts to learn about their idea, test their ideas and then roll-out / exploit
• Enabling contracts to run the Inn team – workshops, conferences, venues, consultants, service providers, idea scouts, advisory services, team management (external training etc.)
• Work with other water companies and supplier innovators on complex leveraged fund projects – mostly Ofwat Competitions

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Sufficient authority on contractual matters and advice –

• Lead on all commercial matters – especially supporting innovation portfolios across and CEO challenge initiatives.
• Co-ordinate UU teams to get contracts agreed – legal, technical experts scope / roll-out and ensure we have unimpeded access to the relevant information we need to administer contracts and manage supplier relationships
• A range of commercial documents including NDA, trial contracts, innovation partnership procedure, roll-out contracts including innovation partnerships and ongoing trialling and revenue share deals.
• Contracts may involve single innovators or multiples including water companies and priority stakeholders such as regulators and high profile academia and North West / national bodies – high profile
• A growing requirement for working within leveraged funding agreements such as Ofwat and Carbon Trust or similar.
• Speed: Helping suppliers and the Innovation Team navigate their way through external procurement regulations and UU internal controls such as SAP payments is needed
• SRM: Supporting current suppliers to offer more innovation
• General: Suggest ways that our teams can work closer and therefore better together
• Find ways to connect innovation into relevant Commercial contracts and create dynamic markets in accordance with PA23
• Risk Management – ensuring all risks are captured, mitigated in accordance with delivery and business requirements.

Technical Skills & Experience

High technical / commercial skill is a base demand

• Innovation suppliers are not to be treated as “transactional suppliers” An ability to meet a new supplier and build trust quickly – and be able to reach agreement and maintain a working relationship is paramount
• An attitude of working at speed, pragmatism and “let’s make it work” is needed
• Knowledge and experience of regulated commercial and procurement activities
• Significant relevant experience in Supply Chain Management / Commercial fields
• Significant collaboration and business partnering experience with senior stakeholders
• Demonstrable levels of experience in supplier management / collaboration
• Experience of supplier collaboration strategic thinking
• Outstanding influencing skills
• Demonstrable experience of communicating complex business matters with simplicity
• Excellent verbal communication and writing skills
• Strong team player
• An enthusiastic and proactive attitude to work and the ability to solve problems to deliver successful outcomes
• Excellent planning and organisational skills
• Detailed knowledge of the Utilities market sector.
• People and team management experience

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant discipline or with equivalent relevant experience within a commercial and supply chain environment.

Other