Job Title:
Commercial
Manager
– Future Products (Autonomy)
Location:
Portsmouth Broad Oak – Hybrid, 3 days per week
We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements – please
speak
to your recruiter about the options for this particular role
Salary:
Competitive
Who we are:
Join BAE Systems and you’ll be part of something bigger. As a valued member of our global colleague network, you’ll bring your unique skills and perspectives to help pioneer progress and protect what matters most. You’ll be trusted to play your part in delivering the advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions of tomorrow, shaping a safer future, for all of us.
From the depths of the ocean, to the far reaches of space, there’s no limit to where a career at BAE Systems could take you.
Job Description:
As a member of the Future Products team, you will play a pivotal role in supporting the Senior Commercial
Manager
in the shaping and securing of the next generation of
autonomous
and future defence capabilities.
This is not a traditional contracts or post-award commercial role. Instead, this position sits at the front end of innovation, supporting business winning, fast-paced bidding, and early customer engagement across emerging technologies where pace, agility and creativity are critical to success. You will be
managing
a portfolio of bids and opportunities to a range of domestic and international customers, operating in environments where precedent may not exist, typical processes may not apply, and where
confidence, judgement and influence are essential, particularly when engaging with senior
leadership
and external stakeholders.
If you are a commercial professional who thrives in fast-paced environments, future-focused work and who is comfortable forging new paths rather than following old ones, we’d like to hear from you.
Core duties:
You will support the shaping of the commercial strategy for Future Products, from concept through to contract award
You will
lead
business winning activities, including
competitive
and rapid-turn bids, demonstrations, prototypes, and early customer engagement
You will develop innovative commercial approaches, including alternative contracting models, partnerships, and frameworks tailored to agile development and rapid delivery
You will
challenge
traditional thinking to enable speed, flexibility and risk-managed innovation in line with customer demand
You will work closely with project, engineering, strategy, finance and business development teams to align commercial solutions with technical and operational realities
You will engage confidently with senior
leadership, providing clear commercial recommendations even when proposals may
challenge
established norms or standard processes, this will help to showcase your ability as a trusted advisor
Essential Skills:
You will have a
proven
commercial background, with a clear focus on pre-contract activity, bidding and deal shaping, whilst demonstrating ability to subsequently
manage
contracts that are won
You will bring experience within
complex
environments to
the role, ideally alongside a business degree
You will be experienced in non-standard or innovative contracting approaches, which will be showcased in your ability to influence stakeholders to drive desired outcomes
You will have good awareness of various functions and
the role
they play as a part of an integrated project/bid team. This will be shown in your
confidence
of operating in fast-moving and ambiguous environments and excellent communication/presentation skills
The Manufacturing team:
You will be playing a key role in shaping future defence capabilities, rather than maintaining legacy contracts, within the wider products team. This is an opportunity for you to influence how the business wins, structures and delivers
cutting-edge
programmes.
In a high visibility role, you will make an impact through exposure to senior
decision
makers. This will be achieved through your
leadership
skills, which will showcase your creativity, curiosity and commercial courage.
Why BAE Systems?
Here you’ll build a career with purpose and limitless possibilities. With lifelong learning and meaningful work, this is a place where you can grow your career with
confidence
and be empowered to be your best. You’ll be recognised for your contribution and enjoy rewards tailored to what’s most important to you and your family, support for your financial and personal wellbeing, as well as a balanced lifestyle. In an environment embracing sustainable ways of working and with a
strong
sense of shared purpose, our supportive culture is a place you can feel you belong and proud of the difference you make.
A place where everyone can thrive:
We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We know that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences strengthens our teams and is vital to the work we do.
Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export
control
restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict
the roles
you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All
applicants
must
as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where
applicants
must
typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for
the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.
Closing Date:
15th May 2026
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for
the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
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