Job Details
Job title: Commercial Support Team Manager
Salary/Grade: Grade 4
Service: Operations
Reports to: Contract and Projects Manager
Manages/Supervises: 2 x Commercial Sales Assistants & 1 x Markets Officer
Job purpose
- Responsible for developing and managing the Commercial Sales Team and Markets Officer, ensuring services deliver exceptional customer outcomes, maximise commercial income and support the Council's wider economic and growth ambitions.
- To manage and direct these areas of work ensuring the provision of high-quality customer focused services that are responsive to change and embrace best practice in terms of efficiency and high performance.
- To support the Contracts and Projects Manager in the development, growth and delivery of commercially focused services within Operations.
- Support the identification, development and delivery of new commercial opportunities across the district, undertaking market analysis, customer engagement and business case development to maximise income generation and support the Council's strategic objectives.
- To support the Contracts and Projects Manager with building and nurturing partnerships with other organisations and deputise at partnership meetings.
- To prepare information for Operations Senior Management Team for use in drafting reports for presentations to Members and Management Board including Committee meetings and Portfolio Briefings, ensuring the highest accuracy and quality of information.
Principal Accountabilities
- Manage and develop the Commercial Support Team, managing performance, workloads and staff wellbeing to deliver high-quality, customer-focused services and achieve service objectives.
- Foster a high-performing, commercially aware culture through coaching, training, succession planning and continuous improvement, while overseeing employee performance and conduct matters.
- Drive the development and delivery of innovative commercial initiatives, identifying opportunities to enhance services, increase market presence and improve customer outcomes in line with the Council's strategic objectives.
- Support the development and implementation of commercial opportunities, using market insight and customer intelligence to grow income streams, strengthen customer retention and enhance the Council's commercial offer.
- Analyse market trends, competitor activity, customer behaviour and emerging opportunities to shape commercial strategy, inform service development and maintain a competitive position.
- Contribute to robust business cases, feasibility assessments and investment proposals to support service innovation, commercial growth and evidence-based decision making.
- Drive customer acquisition, retention and account growth through targeted business development activity, relationship management and the continuous enhancement of commercial services.
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with businesses, developers, landlords, agents and key stakeholders to identify opportunities, generate leads and support commercial expansion.
- Work collaboratively across internal and external networks to identify new markets, develop commercial propositions and promote sustainable economic and commercial growth across the district.
- Use financial and commercial performance data to monitor income generation, forecast growth opportunities and identify initiatives that improve profitability and long-term sustainability.
- Develop and utilise commercial performance metrics, customer insights and sales analysis to evaluate effectiveness, identify trends and drive continuous service improvement and growth.
- Provide accurate performance management information within Operations and hold responsibility for approving Pentana updates, including KPIs, on a monthly and quarterly basis and/or as required.
- Ensure all areas of the service are compliant and that all new commercial customers are appropriately regulated prior to commencement of any service.
- Ensure corporate governance, processes and practices are fully adhered to in respect of all commercial activities within the Operations department.
- Work with the Operations Waste team to provide technical advice and guidance in respect of all commercial planning applications, aligning with government requirements for non-domestic waste collections.
Corporate Accountabilities
- To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance.
- To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
- To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
- Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or their representative.
- To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
- Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business
continuity and during civil emergencies. - To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
(Tested at application and interview stage)
Experience and Qualifications
- Experience in managing teams with effective results and development
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels
- Experience in ability to work autonomously and part of a team, using own initiative
- Experience of managing Commercial Waste and Waste Collection service in a controlled way (Desirable)
- Experience of establishing and maintaining excellent customer relationships and negotiated solutions to problems.
- Experience in securing new customers and developing existing customer arrangements
Skills and Knowledge
- Knowledge and experience of Collective or similar in cab technology.
- Excellent ICT skills, including the ability to analyse commercial performance data and identify opportunities for service improvement.
- Strong presentation skills and able to project the appropriate image in all situations.
- Knowledge of the local government sector and challenges it faces.
- Ability to negotiate and influence others positively in order to achieve satisfactory outcomes relevant to the role.
Competencies
(We test this at interview stage)
Communicating Effectively
Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation:
- Communicate with staff and colleagues in a manner which is clear, fluent, accurate and concise.
- Listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions, or making assumptions.
- Ensure two-way communication is in place for staff, providing opportunities for staff to receive and give feedback.
- Hold regular face-to-face, group and individual meetings to update staff and to exchange information, learning and ideas, etc.
- Ensure that all communications adhere to organisational and legislative requirements such as data protection, DDA, BDC standards, etc.
Performing efficiently and effectively
Promote good performance, developing clear, structured, and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results. Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems:
- Ensure that all work carried out by you and your staff is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambitions of the Council.
- Encourage staff and teams to focus on performance.
- Provide opportunities for staff to contribute to planning and improvement of services.
- Use a project management approach to the achievement of key objectives, targets and projects.
- Encourage the use of learning and development as a means of improving service and people performance.
Using and managing resources efficiently and effectively
Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.
- Ensure the efficient use of staff time and skills, deploying staff effectively and monitoring staff related budgets.
- Ensure the efficient use of accommodation, materials and equipment, to maximise cost effectiveness and efficiencies, while maintaining standards of health and safety and risk management.
- Ensure that systems of good housekeeping are in place for the management of equipment, accommodation, data etc. for yourself and your staff.
- Update yourself regularly on resource issues including budget expenditure.
- Ensure that procurement plans are in place for relevant activity.
Engaging with the customer
Understand the needs and requirements of your customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services:
- Ensure that your staff work to customer service standards.
- Seek out and listen to the needs and views of a wide range of customers.
- Ensure that the design and development of services have been shaped by customer needs and expectations.
- Ensure the delivery of services is mindful of the needs and requirements of the full range of customers and does not exclude any part of the customer base both internal and externally.
- Ensure that regular customer feedback is sought, analysed, and acted upon.
Working well together
Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition:
- Co-operate and work well with team members, peers, senior managers, and external partners in the pursuit of goals and objectives.
- Establish and maintain constructive and open relationships across the range of people you work with, achieving positive outcomes and sharing feedback with others.
- Establish a culture of teamwork and co-operation for your staff.
- Encourage problem solving.
Other conditions
- This post doesn't require a DBS check
- This post isn't politically restricted
- This post doesn't entitle you to a lease car
- This post doesn't entitle you to a casual car allowance
- Ability to work outside normal office hours to attend meetings, events, markets and commercial stakeholder engagements when required
- Car owner/driver required (or ability to travel) due to extensive travel across the Braintree District.
Job profile updated
August 2026
Values and behaviours
Our values and behaviours are an integral part of who we are; they are the guiding principles that should inform how we work together, support each other and make decisions.
Our organisation thrives on the dedication and passion of its people and it’s important that we embody these values and behaviours and they become a part of our organisational DNA.
Our vision
We will be ambitious, support each other and work together in new ways to achieve outstanding results
Our core values
We value everyone
- We respect, recognise and support our people, residents and businesses
- We listen to each other, understand and treat everyone fairly
- We care about our people and appreciate the unique qualities in us all
We work together
- We respect, recognise and support our people, residents and businesses
- We work as one team, recognising everyone's contribution
- We build strong relationships and partnerships to deliver better outcomes
We are flexible
- We embrace change and new ways of working
- We are adaptable, open to new ideas and focus on solutions
- We aim to constantly improve, and we are not afraid to challenge the status quo
