Head of Procurement and Commercial Management
Possible
Sponsorship likelihood
This employer issued few or no visas recently
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£54,700
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 1134 (91% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £54,700, and SOVEREIGN AI OPERATIONS LIMITED is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1134 Purchasing managers and directors Most likely code | £38,300 | £43,800 | £49,300 | £54,700 |
3551 Buyers and procurement officers Also possible | £33,400 | £41,700 | £41,700 | £41,700 |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
About Rhaelm
RHAELM is the sovereign AI cloud built to accelerate AI deployment at scale. Solving the defining constraint of power availability, RHAELM delivers gigawatt-scale AI infrastructure pipelines across Europe and APAC – providing ring-fenced compute, networking, and storage optimised for high-performance AI workloads.
Sovereignty is RHAELM's core operating model. Every deployment operates in-country with local personnel, giving enterprise and public-sector organisations operational control without compromising on cutting-edge technology. From bare metal and Kubernetes to AI as a Service, RHAELM puts power, infrastructure, and platform capability under the customer’s command.
This Role
As Head of Procurement and Commercial Management, you will lead procurement strategy and commercial governance across our infrastructure portfolio, ensuring contracts, suppliers, and cost positions are managed to the standard required in government, defence, and critical infrastructure delivery. You'll protect Sovereign AI commercially while enabling supplier partnerships that deliver complex, security-sensitive programmes at pace.
You will own the end-to-end commercial lifecycle, from procurement strategy through contract negotiation to performance management.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and embed procurement and commercial strategies for major infrastructure programmes, aligned to UK public procurement regulations where applicable
Lead end-to-end contract management, including negotiation, mobilisation, and ongoing supplier performance governance
Own commercial governance, ensuring all contracts meet regulatory, legal, and sector-specific requirements
Champion robust cost assurance, ensuring the portfolio operates with commercial discipline
Manage commercial risk across the supply chain, including change control, claims, and dispute resolution
Build and lead a high-performing procurement and commercial team
Forge and manage long-term strategic supplier relationships, embedding contract terms that drive performance
Partner with Legal, Finance, and Risk to ensure commercial positions are defensible and audit-ready
Provide commercial input to bids, proposals, and client negotiations
Experience
Substantial senior experience leading procurement and commercial functions on complex infrastructure, defence, or government programmes
Strong working knowledge of UK public procurement regulations and standard forms of contract (NEC3/4 essential)
Track record negotiating and managing high-value, multi-million-pound supplier contracts
Experience building and leading a commercial or procurement team
Demonstrated ability to manage commercial risk and drive improved contract performance
Experience providing commercial input to bids and client negotiations in regulated or security-sensitive sectors
Skills
Deep expertise in commercial models, including NEC3/4, target cost, and alliancing arrangements
Strong negotiation skills, able to secure commercially sound outcomes while sustaining supplier relationships
Excellent stakeholder management, with the impact and gravitas to influence at Board and client executive level
Sound analytical and financial judgement, able to interrogate cost data and identify commercial risk
Strong people leadership skills, with a track record of building capable commercial teams
Clear, precise communication suited to contractual and governance contexts
Qualifications
Degree in commercial management, quantity surveying, law, or a related discipline
MCIPS, or equivalent chartered commercial/procurement accreditation, essential
Eligible to obtain and hold UK security clearance (SC); existing clearance advantageous
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with SOVEREIGN AI OPERATIONS LIMITED, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Purchasing managers and directors (SOC 1134) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~60k in sample- Middle half £45,604–78,624
- Median £59,800
- Going rate £54,700
- Threshold £41,700
- New entrant £38,300–49,300
Similar sponsored roles
See all UK visa jobsNo close matches live right now.
Browse more sponsored jobs at SOVEREIGN AI OPERATIONS LIMITEDAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. SOVEREIGN AI OPERATIONS LIMITED holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 1134 going rate of £54,700. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.