Commercial Director

ABOUT LENDABLE Lendable is on a mission to build the world's best technology to help people get credit and save money. We're building one of the world’s leading fintech companies and are off to a strong start: * One of the UK’s newest unicorns with a team of just over 700 people * Among the fastest-growing tech companies in the UK * Profitable since 2017 * Backed by top investors including Balderton Capital and Goldman Sachs * Loved by customers with the best reviews in the market (4.9 across 10,000s of reviews on Trustpilot) So far, we’ve rebuilt the Big Three consumer finance products from scratch: loans, credit cards and car finance. We get money into our customers’ hands in minutes instead of days. We’re growing fast, and there’s a lot more to do: we’re going after the two biggest Western markets (UK and US) where trillions worth of financial products are held by big banks with dated systems and painful processes. JOIN US IF YOU WANT TO 1. Take ownership across a broad remit. You are trusted to make decisions that drive a material impact on the direction and success of Lendable from day 1 2. Work in small teams of exceptional people, who are relentlessly resourceful to solve problems and find smarter solutions than the status quo 3. Build the best technology in-house, using new data sources, machine learning and AI to make machines do the heavy lifting About the role As our credit risk capabilities scale across multiple markets and products, the strategic management of our vendor relationships has never been more critical. We're looking for a Vendor Manager to own our relationships with a broad portfolio of vendors - with particular depth in credit bureaus and data providers - ensuring we extract maximum value from these partnerships while managing costs, performance, and innovation. Reporting to a Commercial Director, you'll be the central point of contact for our most important vendors. Your portfolio will span credit bureaus such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, alternative data providers, along with a selection of other technology and service partners. You'll own contract negotiations, performance management, product roadmaps, and cross-functional coordination to ensure Lendable has access to the best products and data at the right cost. This role sits at the intersection of risk, product, engineering, finance and legal. You'll need to understand credit data deeply, think commercially across a range of vendor categories, and build trusted relationships both internally and with senior stakeholders at our partners. What we're looking for: Essential: * 2+ years in vendor management, strategic partnerships, or procurement roles in financial services * Experience managing credit bureau relationships and/or other mission-critical vendors * Strong commercial acumen with contract negotiation and cost management experience * Deep understanding of credit data products, bureau outputs, and risk decisioning Ability to work cross-functionally with risk, product, engineering, finance and legal teams * Strong stakeholder management skills, comfortable influencing senior internal and external stakeholders * Analytical mindset with the ability to assess vendor performance and ROI Desirable: * Experience in fintech or consumer lending businessesTechnical understanding of API integrations and data flow * Experience with alternative credit data sources and emerging providers * Track record of driving vendor innovation and product enhancements * Experience managing vendor relationships across multiple geographies (UK/US) * Project management experience implementing new data sources or products You're a good fit if you're: * A skilled negotiator who balances cost, quality and innovation in vendor relationships * Commercially minded with a strong grasp of unit economics and data ROI * A natural relationship builder, equally comfortable with external vendors and internal stakeholders * Detail-oriented and process-driven, you ensure contracts, SLAs and governance are watertight * Strategic but hands-on, you can think big picture while managing the day-to-day * Curious about new data sources and how they can improve credit decisioning * Proactive and resourceful, you spot issues early and drive solutions What you'll be doing Vendor Relationship Management: * Own strategic relationships across a diverse vendor portfolio, with particular depth in credit bureaus and data providers * Act as the primary point of contact for key vendors, managing escalations and strategic discussions * Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders at bureau partners * Conduct regular business reviews to assess performance, roadmap, and innovation opportunities * Manage vendor onboarding, integration planning, and ongoing support Commercial & Contract Management: * Lead contract negotiations and renewals, driving optimal commercial terms * Manage vendor budgets, forecasts and cost optimisation initiatives * Ensure compliance with contractual terms, SLAs and data governance requirements * Work with finance and legal on vendor due diligence, contracts, and payment terms * Track and report on vendor spend, utilisation and ROI Performance & Innovation: * Monitor vendor performance against SLAs and quality metrics * Drive continuous improvement in data quality, coverage, and timeliness * Identify and evaluate new data sources and products to enhance credit decisioning * Partner with risk and product teams to define requirements for new data capabilities * Build business cases for new vendor products or alternative data sources Cross-functional Coordination: * Partner with engineering on API integrations, data feeds, and technical issues * Work with credit risk on data requirements, model inputs, and decisioning logic * Coordinate with legal and compliance on vendor risk management and data privacy * Collaborate with finance on budgeting, forecasting and cost allocation * Support product teams with data availability for new features and markets LIFE AT LENDABLE * Winning team: the opportunity to scale up one of the world’s most successful fintech companies * Flexible working: flexible approach tailored to each role. Hybrid roles require three days in-office weekly; fully remote roles include regular opportunities for in-person connection through socials and off-sites * Socials & connection: opportunities and events to come together, socialise, and get to know each other beyond the office walls * Health coverage: support for your physical and mental wellbeing, including private health cover * Retirement & savings: long-term financial wellbeing through retirement savings plans * Employee referral programme: earn a competitive bonus when you refer successful new team members * Office meals & snacks: enjoy a fully stocked kitchen, plus complimentary lunches prepared by in-house chefs on in-office days at select locations * Sustainable commuting: cycle-to-work and electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes available in select locations Please note: The availability and details of specific benefits vary by location and role. For more information, please speak to your Talent Partner. Check out our blog!

Are you a Commercial Manager that is a bit tired of the standard old-fashioned way of doing things in the construction industry?    Do you get deep satisfaction from making things run more efficiently using a good dose of common sense and maybe a bit of technology?      Do you crave the freedom, power, and support to bring fresh ideas to how work is delivered, so client expectations are not just met, but smashed?      Have you ever wanted to work a bit more flexibly but still be hands-on in construction, improving the industry?     Sounds like a dream. Well, it isn’t, it is quite real!    Read on!    _____________________________________________________________________________________  We are Laminar Projects!    If you’ve already heard about us, you’re probably reading this because you’re tired of the typical, chaotic ways of doing things in construction. But in case you haven’t, we’re a high-end project management consultancy and tech developer with a focus on upgrading the way construction projects are delivered. Improving construction strengthens the very foundation of human civilisation. (Check out our short film about it.)    We bring transparency and control to projects through a pragmatic mix of the latest tech, our own processes, and a big dose of common sense. We then take our deep understanding of these projects and we invest heavily into developing the digital solutions that anyone can use to deliver their projects better. (Check out Shape, our construction management tech, to see what we’re doing.)    The core of all this is our true secret sauce: our people. We only recruit the very best, both in capability and personality. We’re deeply focused on designing a new type of organisation that’s optimised for the flourishing of the people in the team first and foremost. People who join us develop fast as a whole person in ways they never imagined. (Read more about our vision and missions.)    This approach has allowed us to grow from just two people in 2017 to over 220 today. We have a stable, repeat client base across data centres, major infrastructure schemes, and complex building projects in the UK and internationally, and we’re still growing fast. Joining us isn’t just some “job”. It’s a transformative educational experience. We challenge you to be your best self in all aspects of life. There are many diverse and interesting challenges available. It’s up to you to guide yourself into whichever areas you’re most interested – we’ll enable it.     (Get to know us better by watching a few more of our videos.)    Core values for a good life    A life of human flourishing is all about meaningful relationships and challenging yourself to create a positive impact, so our values reflect the four levels of relationships that each of us has:    - Grow yourself – your relationship with yourself   - Care about people – your relationship with others around you   - Execute to greatness – your relationship with your team   - Build civilisation – your relationship with humanity and the world      We enshrined our values in our vision:    We exist so that everyone in our team can flourish in a high-impact community that:    - Connects us with meaningful relationships   - Inspires us to develop ourselves to become better humans   - Empowers us to pursue our own learning adventures      By first doing this, we can achieve the highest levels of value for the world.    And enable the achievement of our vision through our two missions:    - To fully digitalise the construction of human civilisation   - To create a new type of organisation that enables human flourishing while delivering a huge positive impact on society  _____________________________________________________________________________________    The Role  Purpose of the role     - Supercharge client service: Deliver cutting-edge commercial management powered by digital tools, moving beyond static reporting to dynamic project insight.  - Cradle-to-grave expertise: Oversee every commercial aspect of projects, from initial concepts through to close-out.  - Champion collaboration: Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, particularly with project managers, planners, and design teams, to ensure timely, on-budget, and high-quality project delivery. - Innovate fearlessly: Bring fresh ideas to the table, design new processes, and exceed industry expectations with progressive thinking.   - Embrace digital transformation: Lead the integration of project management elements through Laminar's project controls-centric delivery, streamlining workflows, and maximising control.   - Think outside spreadsheets: We aren't looking for Excel-only users. We want professionals who embrace a digitally enhanced approach to commercial management.    Team   This role is part of our Project Management Consultancy which focuses on:   - Understanding what the real problems of projects are.    - Implementing the best solutions to those problems.    - Developing scalable best practices, tools, and technology.   More specifically you will be part of our Cost and Commercial Services Team. Your leader will be our Commercial Director.     Your top three objectives:  1. To make construction projects deliver to near perfection   2. To create scalable and repeatable solutions to common problems   3. To develop yourself and everyone around you     1. Own the cost: You may work with cost engineers it or may full under your remit - project dependent. Overall and/or manage the project costs through all stage gates, integrating QCRA and risk-adjusted forecasting to provide a "no surprises" financial environment.  2. Own the outcome: Lead pre-construction estimating (when within our scope) and post-contract live cost management. This includes managing complex change orders with deep-dive cost analysis to protect the client’s interests.  3. Report and inform: Provide simple actionable reports to stakeholders at all levels that help them deliver their part of the project, more efficiently and effectively (Laminar’s existing infrastructure will support this).   4. Make scalable solutions: Develop scalable and repeatable best practices and tools in collaboration with the team, to enhance Laminar's long-term impact. 5. Develop everyone: Maximise the development of your team personally and professionally, whilst supporting our clients to improve as well.     Your capabilities:  You will be a seasoned Commercial Manager, with extensive experience working directly with clients, ideally with some stints working for Tier 1 or 2 Contractors as well, to provide the well-rounded experience that is hugely valuable as a consultant. You understand that successful commercial management, is reliant on creating a collaborative working environment with all disciplines.     You must have:   - Mastery: Commercial Management background with at least 10+ years of experience on construction projects. - Communication: Proficient in written and spoken English communication skills. Additional language abilities are appreciated. - Leadership: A relentless approach to dealing with people.   - Impact: A track record of making projects and organisations better beyond just doing the basics.  - Location: A UK location is most likely, with willingness to travel every other week to support our regional operations. European travel is available for those willing to travel further afield, as and when opportunities arise.   Data Centre Experience (Desirable):   - Prior experience in Data Centres or high-tech industrial projects is highly valued.  - Proven ability to develop comprehensive commercial strategies for complex construction projects, encompassing budgeting, forecasting, risk management, and cost control, from initiation to close-out and handover.   - Demonstrated success in leading negotiations with clients, contractors, and stakeholders to secure optimal terms and favourable outcomes in fast-paced environments.     Laminar isn’t the place for you if any of the following is true:   - You want an easy, chilled-out role without much challenge   - You like to be the smartest person in the room   - You don’t like regularly receiving structured and honest feedback to support your development - You prefer to do your own thing rather than work with a team   _____________________________________________________________________________________  Frequently Asked Questions     What kinds of projects would I be working on?  It’s common for people to be exposed to several projects in their first year with us. You’ll work on some of the most complex and interesting schemes in the world. We’ve delivered over 100 data centres internationally, many of them fast-tracked and multi-package. Our teams have supported flagship infrastructure programmes like HS2 through integrated planning and digital delivery, contributed to over $30bn in power generation and transmission projects, and played a key role in the development of high-containment labs and R&D campuses for some of the world’s most advanced industrial and life sciences clients. You might find yourself working in sectors such as data centres, infrastructure (including defense, rail, nuclear, and highways), high tech (such as advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors), or complex building projects. These aren’t hands-off assignments. They’re dynamic, hands-on environments designed for people who want to be challenged. We bring back the lessons from every project to help our team grow and deliver the highest levels of value. (Check out our case stories.)      Who are our clients?  Major owners/operators and main contractors with project values between £1m and £1bn+ globally.      Where would I be working?  One week you might be working from home. The next, you might travel to the site to meet the construction teams and help organise them. Maybe you’ll pop into our London office for a workshop or a beer. Maybe you’ll fly out to exotic (and sometimes not!) locations in Europe to visit clients. It really depends on what you want to get involved in and what fits with your life. We are very considerate of everyone's personal life, and work with you to secure working arrangements that support a healthy work/life balance.     How does what I do connect with the long-term impact on the construction industry?   You’re tasked with understanding and solving common problems. We don’t want to reinvent the wheel every time, so you’ll be responsible for documenting new solutions and evolving ones we’ve developed. This goes into our knowledge repository, which we’re going to open source to the industry.     The knowledge you capture will be used by us to build new products. You’ll constantly test those products in the field, so we can rapidly iterate and improve them for anyone in the industry to use.  _____________________________________________________________________________________  Benefits    The standard stuff:     - Health Insurance Scheme. Comprehensive private health coverage – for you and your family. Because your well-being is our priority   - Pension Scheme. A competitive plan to help you plan for the long term – plus salary sacrifice options available to maximize your savings   - Bonus Scheme. As a permanent member of the team, you’ll share in our success. Our annual bonus is designed to reward both the now and the future – with a flexible mix of cash and high-growth equity that you choose. Bonuses are discretionary and based on performance   - Professional body membership. One fee covered per year – so you can stay connected to your field and develop your craft   - Cycle to Work Scheme. A tax-efficient way to get wheels – and do your bit for the environment     The life-changing stuff:    - In-house coaching. Regular 1:1 coaching sessions, fully confidential, to help you navigate challenges, build self-awareness, and grow intentionally – professionally and as a human being  - Equity upside. As we grow, you grow. Our generous equity scheme is especially powerful for those who stay with us on our journey. You help us build the future – and own a piece of it  - Flexible working. Work where it makes sense – most of our team works from home, visiting sites or clients regularly. We care about outcomes, not clock-ins  - Relentless development. Our goal is for every year here to be worth five years of development anywhere else. You’ll get a coach, a mentor, honest feedback, and a culture that challenges you to keep levelling up  _____________________________________________________________________________________  Important! Applying properly    We get thousands of applications so please write us a letter as part of your application explaining:    - Why you want to join us   - What you’ll bring to the team     We aren't a giant, faceless corporation; we really care about the people who want to join our team, so your letter will be read carefully. After that, we’ll reach out to you to schedule a casual conversation to help you get to know us a bit better and tell us a bit about yourself. A couple of technical and personal assessments follow to understand your capability based on our own development matrix.      This is to ensure that when you join, you’re starting at the right level of responsibility.