Are you looking for a new challenge and want to join a successful and rapidly growing organisation? Do you have a passion for exploring new ways to change people's lives at a national scale through government policy? If so, we want to hear from you.

What does a Commercial Business Partner do?

Reporting to the Business Manager, this role will work closely with the Director of the cluster to manage all facets of the cluster’s commercial and operational performance.

Key responsibilities

• Resource planning and management - chairing resourcing meetings, identifying and coordinating solutions to resourcing clashes, allocating resources to projects, seeking support from other clusters, productivity (utilisation) monitoring and reporting, escalating issues to cluster Directors where required.

• Financial performance management - cluster budgeting and forecasting; monitoring of cluster financial performance (through use of MI files and further analysis) and advising on appropriate response; QA and sign off of proposal costings; maintaining / QA-ing pipeline list of sales opportunities; supporting cluster Directors with the development of BD strategy

• Project performance tracking - Tracking of project overs/unders - working with project managers to ensure projects are delivered within budget and highlighting as soon as possible when projects appear to be deviating from budget; QA of project resource plan data

• Team management: Work closely with the cluster’s director to ensure the team runs smoothly and effectively.

• Project management leadership - advising other project managers, further developing best practice tools, processes, guidance and training.

What makes a great Commercial Business Partner at BIT?

We are looking for people who understand what we do, share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. We are looking for candidates with the skills listed below. We expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• Data driven commercial decision making. You use the company’s management information and run your own analysis to understand how your team is performing and where it could do better. You share this information with your director and the wider team.

• Improving process. You can analyse, prioritise and redesign BIT’s internal processes. You are always seeking ways to simplify, automate and reduce workload for your colleagues. You can implement and communicate changes, securing buy in from others.

• Clear and convincing communications. You can manage an active email inbox, instant messages and a busy meeting schedule. When communicating with colleagues you are always friendly, professional, and solution-oriented. 

• Managing and developing yourself at work. You demonstrate high self-awareness and regularly self-reflect. You are aware of the impact that your actions and words have on those around you. You are resilient and accept responsibility for decisions whether they achieve the desired outcome or not.

• Supporting and developing others. Whether you are line managing a project coordinator, or thinking about the development of junior consultants in your team, you care about the success, development and wellbeing of others and can have meaningful (and sometimes difficult!) conversations.

• Managing the business development pipeline and winning work. You know your team’s pipeline and have a good sense of how busy and profitable the team will be over the next 6 months. You can support bids by offering ad hoc support, or by managing more complex and high priority opportunities if needed.

Who are we and what can we offer you?

The Behavioural Insights Team is the world leader in applying behavioural science to public policy challenges in order to strengthen communities and improve lives. 

We design and rigorously test new ideas across a range of areas such as health, crime and education, to establish what works and what doesn’t. We have helped Tuberculosis patients take their medicine; reduced police susceptibility to cyberattacks; and helped organisations close their gender pay gap.

We are looking for a passionate and imaginative individual who understands behavioural science and shares our thirst for evidence-based solutions to join our dynamic and growing team.

BIT really is a great place to work:

• We encourage flexible working and have a culture which enables this; for example flexible start and finish times and an IT set up which allows for easy working from home options

• We have regular team lunches with inspirational guest speakers. 

• We have a flexible benefits programme which currently includes things like gym memberships, cycle to work schemes and the ability to buy extra annual leave at the start of the year.

• We’re a social bunch and have a variety of interest groups including Film Club, BIT Kids for our parents & 5-a-side team to name a few.

• We have a great office in Westminster, which has an amazing coffee machine and fridges stocked full of soft drinks!

How to apply

We use a great platform called Applied. You will need to answer a few work-based questions which will be anonymously marked by members of our team. Our selection is based on performance in these questions, combined with looking at your CV after this initial blinded process had been completed. 

Candidates with the top scoring answers will be invited to a structured interview where you get to meet some of the team. At the interview stage you will be asked questions that reflect the role and also to complete a work-based task, so you have the chance to demonstrate your skills. We always give all applicants feedback, no matter what stage your application reaches.

Please be aware that we are also recruiting for a Project Coordinator to join our team. We may consider your application for both roles, should your skills and experience be suitable.

Key Dates:

• Role closes: 14 February 2022 at Midday

• First round interviews: w/c 28 February 2022

• If required, second round interviews: w/c 7 March 2022

All dates are subject to change (but we'll try our best to not change them!)

Please note:

You will need to have the right to work in the UK in order to be able to undertake this role. We will ask all applicants short-listed for an interview to provide evidence of their right to work during the recruitment process.  If you do not have the right to work for BIT but are the most suitable person for the role we will explore with you whether sponsorship may be an option. However, this may not be possible for all roles.

Some of the personal data you provide to Applied when you apply for a role with The Behavioural Insights Team will be passed on to The Behavioural Insights Team for the purposes of (a) reviewing your application; (b) inviting you for interview; and/or (c) offering you a job and getting you set up as an employee/contractor. For full details on how BIT collects and uses your personal data please visit our website - https://www.bi.team/bit-global-recruitment-privacy-notice/ 

If your application is not successful, any personal data provided to us by Applied (including any personal data relating to equal opportunities monitoring as set out above) will be retained by The Behavioural Insights Team for no longer than 6 months after the application deadline has passed (other than in exceptional circumstances where we may need to retain your personal data for longer), at which point your personal data will be securely deleted. We only keep your information for that period in order to allow us to comply with relevant legal obligations.