Commercial Manager - Northern Ireland

Commercial Manager jobs

Winning clients and keeping hold of them all goes towards the commercial success of a logistics business. This can’t be left to chance as clients might be constantly looking for better deals elsewhere, and if your company is not offering the best deal while maximising your own profits, management and shareholders will start to get nervous.

The commercial manager is in charge of exactly this area of logistics – seeking out new leads, following them up and gathering important data on companies even if you’re not successful – this time. While there are elements of sales in the role of the commercial manager, there are also aspects of account management and customer relations, as it is the personal relationships and trust-building that will keep clients happy and alert you to threats or rumblings of dissatisfaction.

The commercial manager of a larger company will probably oversee or partner account management or sales departments, and might report to a commercial director who in turn will have the ear of general management, so with the job comes a good deal of responsibility – you might well be in charge of a tightly monitored budget to spend on chasing up leads, with strict targets to meet. Rewards can be great, however, for good commercial managers, as they have a real hand in the company’s profitability.

The skills required

Without doubt the key skill of the commercial manager is communication. As well as selling your employer’s services to clients, you’ll also be communicating commercial details to the echelons above and below you, in an environment that could well be high pressure due to targets.

Successful applicants will be able to thrive on such pressure and continue seeking out new leads and developing existing ones calmly, even when luck does not seem to be on your side. In the digital age, communication will be over all modern channels, as will seeking out leads, so great online and offline networking skills and familiarity with standard office software solutions will be advantageous.

Commercial Manager Jobs in Northern Ireland

The smallest country in the UK, Northern Ireland has traditionally been associated with industries like shipping, rope making and textile manufacture. In fact, during the American Civil War, the supply of cotton from the States was cut and Belfast gained the nickname Linenopolis, as Irish linen helped to alleviate problems caused by the shortage.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Belfast was home to many of the world's top shipbuilders, including Harland and Wolff, the firm that went on to build the RMS Titanic, her sisters the Britannic and Olympic and other vessels like the HMS Belfast during the early 20th century.

Northern Ireland has also seen its share of violence and civil unrest, during a period known as the Troubles, which lasted from the late 1960s until the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Since then, the country has grown more stable and a number of redevelopment projects have helped to turn Northern Ireland into a thriving place with an economy based mainly in the service sector - although many of the older business are still in operation. What's more, there are plenty of opportunities for those seeking Commercial Manager vacancies.

Just some of the companies with regional headquarters or other facilities in the region include DuPont and Caterpillar. In addition, Short Brothers, one of the first companies in the world to produce aircraft, moved to Northern Ireland in 1948 - today it owned by Bombardier Aerospace and produces flight control systems and other components.

Popular locations

Cast UK’s logistics opportunities

Cast UK was founded by people who came from the logistics, procurement and supply chain backgrounds, and all our own staff are from the same fields, so we know what employers and candidates are seeking. Our ongoing success depends on our filling management and executive positions with the very best people, so we have a vested interest in making sure we know both our candidates and the employers well.

People look for a new job for many reasons: moving house, seeking more fulfilment or looking for a promotion. Cast UK is the consultancy that many employers and candidates come to first, so if you’re looking for a career change in, or to, logistics, we’re sure to have the perfect job for you now or in the near future.

We have jobs and representatives covering the whole of the UK, so please check out what’s available. If you’ve seen something you’re interested in, do get in touch – it could be the start of an exciting phase in your career!

To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Commercial Manager for your business or find you a job as a Commercial Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.

Contact us