Operations & Commercial Coordinator

About the company

• Granite & Marble International (GMI) – an established natural stone manufacturing and installation business
• A small property portfolio
• NucleusXP – a B2B operations software business

Your tasks

We are looking for a bright, commercially minded and highly organised Operations & Commercial Coordinator to work directly with senior management across three business areas:

The successful candidate will initially support a relatively small number of operational and commercial activities. As they demonstrate initiative, judgement and reliability, the role will grow.

What you will be doingGMI – Procurement & Operations*

You will assist with

• Researching materials, products and suppliers
• Obtaining and comparing quotations
• Negotiating prices and commercial terms
• Purchasing building and manufacturing materials
• Checking specifications, availability and delivery
• Following orders through to completion
• Researching alternative suppliers
• Identifying opportunities to reduce cost while maintaining quality
• Researching vehicles and transport requirements

You will be expected to consider price, quality, specification, reliability, service and delivery, rather than simply selecting the cheapest quotation.

GMI – Fleet You will help manage the company vehicle fleet, including:

• Servicing and maintenance
• Repairs
• MOTs
• Insurance
• Garage quotations
• Vehicle records
• Researching replacement vehicles where required

You will assist with

• Arranging maintenance and repairs
• Dealing with builders, plumbers, electricians and other contractors
• Obtaining and comparing quotations
• Following works through to completion
• Insurance renewals
• Utility bills and contracts
• Challenging incorrect or excessive charges
• Compliance records and renewal dates

You will

• Research venture capital firms and other potential investors
• Determine whether they are genuinely relevant to NucleusXP
• Identify appropriate individuals within those firms
• Maintain accurate contact and follow-up records
• Assist with investor applications and outreach

You will also

• Research potential customers
• Identify relevant decision-makers
• Build and maintain prospect lists
• Support sales outreach and follow-up
• Maintain accurate records of activity and responses

You will also carry out a short weekly review of the NucleusXP platform to identify where agreed internal processes are not being followed and report exceptions to management.

What taking ownership means If an insurance policy is due for renewal, we do not want someone who simply tells management that it is expiring.

We want someone who progressively becomes capable of understanding the existing position, obtaining alternatives, comparing them, negotiating where appropriate and presenting a recommendation.

If a supplier quotation appears high, we expect the person to investigate rather than simply process it.

If they are asked to research an unfamiliar subject, we expect them to work out where to start, ask sensible questions and distinguish useful information from noise.

The successful candidate should increasingly be able to come to management and say:

“This is the problem, these are the options, and this is what I recommend.”

Requirements

We are looking for someone at an early stage of their career who has the potential to take on significantly greater responsibility over time.

We are much more interested in ability, curiosity, work ethic and potential than finding someone who has already done every aspect of the job.

Previous investment experience is not required.

Who we are looking for You will probably have around 1–3 years' work experience, perhaps in:

• Operations
• Procurement or purchasing
• Construction
• Property or facilities
• Commercial administration
• Project coordination
• Business support
• Buying
• Junior project management

You do not need experience in all these areas.

A university degree is welcome but not essential.

We are particularly interested in someone who

• Takes initiative
• Is naturally curious
• Enjoys solving problems
• Is commercially aware
• Is comfortable dealing with suppliers and contractors
• Is willing to negotiate
• Is persistent when something needs chasing
• Can research unfamiliar subjects independently
• Is numerically comfortable
• Communicates clearly
• Is well organised
• Learns quickly
• Takes responsibility for mistakes as well as successes
• Wants greater responsibility as their capability develops

Good Excel, Word, Outlook and general digital skills are expected.

A full UK driving licence would be advantageous.

What we offer

Career development The role is deliberately designed to grow with the right person.

Initially, you will be given relatively contained responsibilities while you learn the businesses and demonstrate your ability.

As your judgement and reliability develop, you will be given greater autonomy and responsibility across operations, procurement, commercial projects, property, business development and potentially management.

We are looking for someone who wants to build a career, not simply perform a fixed list of administrative duties.

How to apply

Selection process We are interested in genuine ability and potential rather than polished interview technique.

Shortlisted candidates will complete a short problem-solving assessment and will be asked to explain their reasoning during interview.

Candidates reaching the final stage will complete a supervised practical exercise.

Other

This is not a conventional PA or purely administrative role.