Trainee Business Development & Commercial Operations Associate
- rochester, england, United Kingdom
- Temporary·On-site
Job Description
Grain LNG, Isle of Grain, Rochester, Kent, ME3 0AB United Kingdom
Trainee Business Development & Commercial Operations Associate
You’ll join a commercial team within the global oil & gas / energy sector, specialising in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal services and capacity. The team focuses on building customer relationships, progressing commercial opportunities, shaping regulatory policy and continuously improving how we manage proposals, agreements, and performance reporting. It’s a collaborative environment where you’ll get real ownership, exposure to stakeholders across commercial and operations, and the chance to build a strong foundation in business development and commercial operations.
Start your career where commercial strategy meets day-to-day execution in the global energy sector. This is a trainee role designed to develop the skills and knowledge required to perform at Entry level, with an expected training and development period of 12–18 months before reaching full competence. As a Business Development & Commercial Operations Associate, you’ll support the team responsible for selling and managing terminal capacity services —helping progress opportunities, build high-quality proposals, keep CRM and reporting accurate, and ensure strong handovers from commercial agreement through to operational delivery in an LNG-focused environment. You’ll also have the chance to support new business development projects across the wider energy landscape, including Carbon Capture, Power, LNG Storage, Wind and Solar.
What You Will Learn
- How business development works in practice—from first enquiry through proposal, negotiation, and handover—specifically for LNG terminal services and capacity.
- Exposure to growth projects beyond core LNG capacity—supporting opportunities in Carbon Capture, Power, LNG Storage, Wind and Solar.
- Commercial operations fundamentals: CRM hygiene, pipeline governance, and the routines that keep revenue teams effective.
- How commercial terms (services, capacity allocations, key dates) translate into operational delivery and stakeholder coordination.
- How to create clear, professional customer-facing materials (proposals, commercial summaries, meeting notes) and communicate with confidence with internal and external stakeholders.
- Practical reporting and analysis skills—turning data into insights using Excel (and potentially Power BI) to support decisions.
- A deeper understanding of the UK energy regulatory environment.
Key Accountabilities
- Support the opportunity pipeline for terminal services/capacity: qualify enquiries, help shape customer requirements (e.g., volumes, timing, service needs), and progress opportunities through each stage.
- Maintain CRM data quality (e.g., contacts, accounts, opportunities, activities) so reporting and forecasting are accurate.
- Coordinate proposals and tender submissions for LNG terminal services and capacity—pulling together inputs, drafting content, and ensuring submissions are clear, compliant, and on time.
- Support commercial planning: track pipeline value, probability and key milestones (e.g., contracting, capacity allocation), and contribute to weekly/monthly performance updates.
- Assist with pricing and deal support by collating inputs, checking assumptions, and maintaining pricing/offer trackers for terminal services (with guidance).
- Support the commercial administration around agreements for terminal services/capacity: maintaining templates, tracking approvals and key dates, and helping keep contract packs and obligations organised.
- Join internal and customer meetings (commercial, capacity planning, and service delivery), capture actions/decisions, and follow up to keep momentum across stakeholders.
- Support handovers from “deal” to “delivered” by organising documentation and capturing key commercial details (services, capacity, timelines, contacts) so operational teams can execute smoothly.
- Support new business development projects (e.g., Carbon Capture, Power, LNG Storage, Wind and Solar) by researching markets and customers, coordinating internal inputs, and helping shape early-stage propositions.
Knowledge, Experience & Technical Know How
You’re either a new (or soon-to-be) business graduate or a post-graduate who enjoys working with people and data—spotting patterns, asking smart questions, and helping teams stay organised and focused on outcomes. You’re comfortable juggling priorities, you communicate clearly, and you’re keen to build your commercial confidence in a role that’s both operational and customer-facing.
Required Knowledge / Experience
- Degree (or equivalent) in Business, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Management, or a related subject. Desirable Knowledge / Experience
- Placement/internship experience in sales, account management, commercial operations, marketing, or a customer-facing environment.
- Exposure to CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics, HubSpot) and/or proposal or bid processes.
- Power BI (or similar) and confidence working with data to build simple dashboards and performance reports. Capability Requirements:
- A proactive, curious, can-do mindset and ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills, with an eye for detail and accuracy.
- Clear communication—able to write concise notes and emails and contribute in meetings.
- Confident using Microsoft Office Suite; comfortable learning new systems.