Senior Commercial Manager

The Senior Commercial Manager is responsible for leading all commercial, contractual, and cost management aspects across a portfolio of projects or a major program. The role safeguards the organization s commercial interests from bid to closeout, ensuring robust contract administration, effective risk management, accurate cost forecasting, and maximized profitability while maintaining strong relationships with clients, partners, and supply chain. What You'll Be Doing; • Develop and implement commercial strategies that support business objectives, margin targets, and cash flow requirements. • Provide commercial leadership to project teams, ensuring consistent application of company policies, procedures, and best practices. • Support business planning, budgeting, and strategic decision-making with commercial insight and analysis. • Lead or support negotiations for major contracts, variations, claims, and settlements. • Review, negotiate, and finalize prime contracts, subcontracts, and consultancy agreements (FIDIC). • Ensure robust contract administration, including compliance with notice provisions, change management, and claims procedures. • Draft and review contractual correspondence to protect the company s position and manage disputes proactively. • Provide guidance on contractual rights and obligations to project managers, procurement, and senior leadership. • Oversee preparation and management of project budgets, cost plans, and cash flow forecasts. • Lead cost reporting, including monthly cost/value reconciliations, earned value analysis, and margin analysis. • Monitor project financial performance, identify variances, and recommend corrective actions to protect profitability. • Validate and approve major cost commitments, variations, and final accounts. • Establish and oversee robust change management processes across projects. • Review, prepare, and negotiate variations, extensions of time, loss and expense, and other claims. • Coordinate with planning, legal, and technical teams to substantiate and defend claims. • Manage dispute resolution processes (negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration) where required. • Support or lead procurement strategies for key packages, including tendering, evaluation, and contract award. • Negotiate terms with subcontractors and suppliers to optimize cost, risk allocation, and performance obligations. • Monitor subcontractor commercial performance, including payment applications, variations, and claims. • Promote long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with strategic supply chain partners. • Identify and manage commercial risks and opportunities across the project lifecycle; maintain and update risk registers. • Ensure compliance with corporate governance, delegation of authority, and internal control frameworks. • Contribute to bid/no-bid decisions and tender reviews by assessing commercial risk profiles and contractual terms. • Support audits and internal reviews of commercial practices. • Act as the primary commercial interface with clients, partners, JV entities, and senior internal stakeholders. • Provide clear, timely commercial reporting and advice to the Executive Team and Project Directors. • Present commercial performance, risks, and recovery strategies in management and client meetings. • Support business development and pre-contract teams with commercial input into proposals and negotiations. • Lead, mentor, and develop a team of commercial managers, quantity surveyors, and contract administrators. • Allocate resources effectively across projects and ensure succession planning for key roles. • Promote a culture of high performance, integrity, and continuous improvement within the commercial function. • Bachelor s degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Management, Law, Finance, or a related field. • 15 years of progressive commercial / contracts experience, including on large-scale construction, infrastructure, utilities, or industrial projects. • Demonstrable experience in leading commercial strategy and contract management on major projects or programs. • Strong knowledge of standard forms of contract (FIDIC) and associated commercial principles. • Strong commercial and financial acumen with advanced analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. • Excellent understanding of contract law, risk allocation, and dispute resolution mechanisms. • Highly effective communicator with the ability to influence at senior levels and manage challenging stakeholders. • Proven leadership and people management capabilities. • High level of proficiency in MS Excel and commercial/contract management tools. • Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Preferred Qualifications • Professional membership • Experience working in a client, consultant, or Tier 1 contractor environment on complex, multi-stakeholder projects. • Exposure to joint ventures, PPP/P3, or alliance contracting models. • Familiarity with project controls, planning, and earned value management systems.