Main purpose of job:

Within the SSRM team, we are seeking an effective Strategic Relationship Manager who will be responsible for managing a number of relationships between FCDO and its mid-tier supply partners. This is an exciting opportunity, which will enable the successful applicant to build and manage supply partner relationships, whilst enhancing their wider Commercial experience.

This is a key role with significant responsibility for maximising FCDO’s relationship & operational effectiveness of high impact suppliers.  The core purpose of the SSRM role is to increase the value of suppler relationships with the FCDO.

This role requires an experienced all round commercial professional with a good functional background, excellent relationship management skills, commercial  experience, project management skills and the ability to drive change and deliver business benefits.

Individuals will be required to understand stakeholder and partner needs, influence effectively, have the ability to foster innovation and create synergies across portfolios – working autonomously and with discretion. 

This will require effective stakeholder management at senior levels, and the individual will contribute to and work within the Commercial and wider FCDO governance framework processes and procedures. 

This role is business critical for FCDO in developing our supplier relationship management capability.  With a total contractual spend approaching £3billion, the effective performance management of the Department’s complex international portfolios is critical to achieving the FCDO strategic objectives.

• Resilience to manage multiple projects concurrently, with the ability to research, benchmark, scope, design, implement and evaluate project delivery to tight deadlines
• Track record in project delivery to deadlines and targets, with particular understanding of the implications of decisions across the full life cycle of a project or commercial arrangement
• Strategic sourcing, category or client management experience
• Strong interpersonal skills, including influencing skills, assertiveness and the ability to have difficult conversations
• Proven track record in managing multiple stakeholders and partners each with competing deadlines
• Self-starter with the ability to work cross-sites, contributing to the development of a multi-location Supply Chain Management Team
• Collaborative in their approach, effectively engaging with the wider Supply Chain Management team and other key stakeholders to better understand particular markets
• A proactive approach and a focus on continuous improvement of self and service, with an appetite to work with others to simplify processes and improve efficiency.