Commercial Director

Commercial Director

Reference: CDMAJPRO
Type: Contract
Location: Essex, England
Industry: Engineering
Salary: £700 - £800 per day + Inside IR35

Job Title: Commercial Director – Major complex project

Role Purpose

The Commercial Director will lead all commercial, contractual, and procurement activities across a major complex programme. This role is critical in ensuring robust commercial governance, effective risk management, and value optimisation across one of the UK’s most complex infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Commercial Leadership

• Develop and implement the overarching commercial strategy aligned with programme objectives.
• Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, advising on commercial risk, opportunities, and market conditions.
• Lead commercial input into business case development, funding approvals, and stakeholder reporting.

Contract & Procurement Management

• Oversee procurement strategy and execution for major works packages (e.g. tunnelling, highways, structures, enabling works).
• Lead negotiations for high-value, complex contracts (e.g. NEC, FIDIC or bespoke forms).
• Ensure appropriate contracting models are adopted to manage risk and drive performance.

Complex Works & Delivery

• Provide commercial leadership across technically complex packages such as:
  • Major tunnelling works
  • River crossings and structures
  • Interfaces with live highways and utilities
• Manage interfaces between multiple contractors, JV partners, and stakeholders.
• Ensure commercial alignment across integrated delivery teams.

Cost & Risk Management

• Establish and maintain cost control frameworks for a multi-billion-pound programme.
• Lead risk management processes, including identification, quantification, and mitigation of commercial risks.
• Oversee change control, claims management, and dispute resolution.

Supply Chain & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with Tier 1 contractors and key suppliers.
• Engage with government bodies, regulators, and funding stakeholders.
• Promote collaborative behaviours across the supply chain.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with public sector procurement regulations and internal governance.
• Lead audits, assurance reviews, and reporting requirements.
• Maintain transparency and accountability in all commercial activities.

Key Requirements

Experience

• Extensive experience in commercial leadership roles on major infrastructure programmes (typically £1bn+).
• Proven track record delivering complex works packages (e.g. tunnelling, major structures, highways).
• Experience in multi-contract, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong background in NEC contracts (NEC3/NEC4), with experience in other forms (e.g. FIDIC) desirable.
• Experience working on UK public sector projects or regulated environments.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional commercial acumen and strategic thinking.
• Advanced negotiation and contract management skills.
• Strong leadership and team development capability.
• Ability to manage complexity, interfaces, and ambiguity.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Engineering, or related field.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. RICS, CICES) preferred.
• Postgraduate or MBA qualification desirable.

Leadership & Behaviours

• Demonstrates strong ethical standards and integrity.
• Drives a high-performance, collaborative culture.
• Resilient and capable of operating in a high-pressure, politically sensitive environment.
• Committed to safety, sustainability, and value for money.

Desirable Experience

• Experience on major UK programmes
• Experience in alliancing or enterprise delivery models.
• Familiarity with digital commercial systems and data-driven cost management.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.