Commercial Manager United Kingdom

About us:

We are one of the top three automotive retailers in the UK, proudly representing 32 manufacturer brands, selling a huge range of new and used vehicles from over 150 dealerships across the UK and Ireland.

We believe our people are our greatest asset, and we’re committed to recognising the valuable contribution each person makes. That’s why we continue to invest in a leading rewards and benefits package designed to support your career, wellbeing, and life outside of work.

Hybrid – with travel as required

Salary – Competitive (plus bonus and benefits – including a company car)

Contract:

Permanent, Full‑Time

This is a newly created role at the heart of our commercial transformation. We are implementing a group‑wide spend control and procure‑to‑pay platform across all 150+ sites, and this role is central to making it land well, ensuring the right suppliers, commercial terms, and category strategies are in place to realise significant savings and drive lasting procurement discipline across the network.

The role has two clear phases. In the near term, you will focus on preparing our supply base for go‑live: rationalising suppliers, developing category strategies, and leading commercial negotiations with key partners. Once live, you will step into a permanent BAU remit as our group Category Manager, owning strategic sourcing and supplier performance across our key spend categories.

It is a broad and high‑profile role, with direct exposure to the CFO and senior operational leadership across the group. If you are an experienced procurement professional looking for a role where you can make a tangible commercial difference at scale, this is it.

During the deployment phase, your focus will be on getting the commercial foundations right ahead of go‑live.

• Analyse group‑wide spend data to identify trends, leakage, consolidation opportunities, and quick wins
• Categorise and tier suppliers to support supplier enablement across the platform
• Identify and prioritise suppliers for rationalisation and consolidation
• Work with operations to understand site‑level demand and flag legacy or duplicate supplier relationships

• Develop high‑level category strategies across key spend areas ahead of go‑live
• Identify and agree preferred suppliers; propose appropriate buying channels for each category
• Lead commercial negotiations with priority suppliers to secure improved terms, pricing, and rebate structures
• Agree heads of terms with suppliers and work closely with our Commercial Contracts Manager to progress formal contract execution

• Communicate category proposals and buying channel recommendations to operational stakeholders
• Work with dealership general managers, service managers, and parts managers to validate requirements and build buy‑in
• Support the change programme by helping operational leaders understand procurement policy and preferred supplier rationale

Following go‑live, you will take on full ownership of category management for the group across five areas.

• Develop and implement category strategies across key spend areas, including aftersales (parts, tyres, lubricants), facilities management, marketing and digital services, and fleet and vehicle logistics
• Conduct market analysis, supplier benchmarking, and industry trend assessments
• Define category objectives, KPIs, and risk management plans
• Identify opportunities for cost savings, rebates, and value‑added services
• Standardise products and services across dealership sites where appropriate
• Collaborate with operations to forecast demand and align procurement strategy

• Lead regular category reviews (monthly/quarterly) across the dealership network
• Track and report KPIs including cost savings, rebate income, supplier service levels, and spend compliance
• Analyse spend data to identify ongoing leakage, consolidation opportunities, and performance gaps
• Present category insights and recommendations to the CFO and VP Corporate Services
• Continuously…