MEP Commercial Manager | Blyth

• A senior commercial position on a major hyperscale data centre development.
• A long‑term pipeline of data centre and mission‑critical projects throughout the UK.
• Career progression opportunities towards Project Commercial Director or Regional Commercial Manager positions.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Structured professional development and support towards chartership.
• Exposure to complex, high-value mechanical and electrical packages.
• The opportunity to work with an experienced international construction and commercial team.

MEP Commercial Manager - Hyperscale Data Centre | Blyth, UK

• A senior commercial position on a major hyperscale data centre development.
• A long‑term pipeline of data centre and mission‑critical projects throughout the UK.
• Career progression opportunities towards Project Commercial Director or Regional Commercial Manager positions.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Structured professional development and support towards chartership.
• Exposure to complex, high-value mechanical and electrical packages.
• The opportunity to work with an experienced international construction and commercial team.

MEP Commercial Manager Job Overview

A leading Tier 1 Contractor is seeking an experienced MEP Commercial Manager to join the senior project team on a major hyperscale data centre development in Blyth, Northumberland.

The MEP Commercial Manager will take ownership of the commercial management of complex mechanical and electrical packages, from procurement and subcontract administration through to cost reporting, change management and final account agreement.

Working closely with the Project Director, Commercial Director, MEP management team, quantity surveyors and specialist subcontractors, you will protect the contractor's commercial position while supporting the safe, timely and profitable delivery of the project.

This is an excellent opportunity for an MEP Commercial Manager, Commercial Manager or Senior MEP Quantity Surveyor looking to work on one of the UK's most significant mission‑critical construction projects.

Key Responsibilities of the MEP Commercial Manager

Commercial Management

• Lead the commercial management of all mechanical and electrical packages on the project.
• Develop and implement the project's MEP commercial strategy.
• Manage commercial activities from procurement through construction, commissioning and final account.
• Ensure commercial obligations, procedures and contractual requirements are understood by the project team.
• Protect the contractor's contractual and financial position throughout the project lifecycle.
• Provide commercial advice to the Project Director, MEP Project Director and package management teams.
• Identify commercial opportunities, liabilities and areas of financial exposure.
• Ensure accurate and timely commercial reporting in line with company requirements.

Cost Control and Financial Reporting

• Establish and maintain budgets for mechanical and electrical work packages.
• Monitor committed costs, actual expenditure, accruals and forecast costs.
• Prepare monthly cost-value reconciliation reports and project financial forecasts.
• Manage cost-to-complete assessments for all MEP packages.
• Analyse package performance against budget and identify emerging cost pressures.
• Maintain accurate cash flow forecasts and monitor project profitability.
• Provide clear explanations for commercial movements, risks and opportunities.
• Report commercial performance to senior project and company management.
• Support project reviews, audits and financial governance processes.

Procurement and Subcontract Management

• Lead the procurement of major mechanical, electrical and specialist subcontract packages.
• Develop procurement schedules aligned with the design and construction programmes.
• Prepare and review tender documentation, scopes of work and commercial comparisons.
• Evaluate subcontractor quotations and identify qualifications, exclusions and commercial risks.
• Lead commercial negotiations and make recommendations for subcontract awards.
• Ensure subcontract agreements clearly define scope, deliverables, programme and commercial obligations.
• Manage subcontractor performance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Monitor subcontractor liabilities, insurances, bonds, warranties and contractual documentation.
• Work closely with procurement teams to secure best value and mitigate supply‑chain risks.

Contract Administration

• Administer main contract and subcontract obligations in accordance with the applicable conditions of contract.
• Maintain accurate contractual records, correspondence and commercial registers.
• Ensure notices are issued within the required contractual timescales.
• Review subcontractor applications for payment and assess completed works.
• Prepare payment notices, pay‑less notices and valuation recommendations where required.
• Manage retention, contra‑charges, damages and other contractual deductions.
• Ensure contractual requirements are reflected in project reporting and decision‑making.
• Support the administration of NEC, JCT, FIDIC or bespoke contracts, as applicable.
• Maintain a clear audit trail for all commercial decisions and agreements.

Change and Variation Management

• Establish and maintain effective change‑control procedures for MEP packages.
• Identify changes arising from design development, client instructions, technical queries and site conditions.
• Prepare and assess quotations for variations and compensation events.
• Ensure changes are properly notified, substantiated, priced and recorded.
• Track the commercial impact of changes against the project budget.
• Review subcontractor variation submissions and challenge costs where appropriate.
• Work with planning and project controls teams to assess time‑related cost impacts.
• Negotiate the value of variations with clients, subcontractors and consultants.
• Maintain accurate change, risk and opportunity registers.

Applications, Valuations and Cash Management

• Prepare and submit accurate client applications for payment.
• Ensure applications are supported by appropriate records and substantiation.
• Agree valuations with the client's commercial representatives.
• Review and certify subcontractor payment applications.
• Monitor payment cycles and address delayed or disputed payments.
• Support effective cash‑flow management across the project.
• Ensure works completed on site are captured within monthly valuations.
• Reconcile procurement commitments, payments and outstanding liabilities.

Claims and Commercial Risk

• Identify contractual entitlements relating to delay, disruption, acceleration and scope change.
• Support the preparation and assessment of commercial claims.
• Work with planning teams to establish the cost implications of programme changes.
• Maintain contemporaneous records to support contractual entitlement.
• Assess subcontractor claims and prepare appropriate commercial responses.
• Develop mitigation strategies for identified commercial and contractual risks.
• Escalate significant exposures to the Project Director and Commercial Director.
• Assist with the resolution of commercial disputes and claims negotiations.

Commercial Team Leadership

• Manage and support the project's MEP quantity surveying and commercial team.
• Allocate responsibilities and monitor the delivery of commercial activities.
• Review and approve commercial reports, valuations and subcontract assessments.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance to quantity surveyors and junior team members.
• Establish clear commercial objectives and performance expectations.
• Promote collaboration between commercial, engineering, procurement and construction teams.
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and development of commercial personnel.
• Encourage consistent application of company commercial procedures.

Project and Stakeholder Coordination

• Work closely with the client, consultants, subcontractors and supply‑chain partners.
• Attend project, commercial, procurement and package review meetings.
• Collaborate with design teams to understand the commercial effect of design development.
• Support MEP teams with procurement, package administration and commercial decision‑making.
• Coordinate with planning teams regarding programme progress, delay and recovery measures.
• Provide commercial input into risk reviews and project forecasts.
• Build effective working relationships while protecting the contractor's commercial interests.
• Communicate commercial issues clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Commissioning and Project Close‑Out

• Monitor commercial matters associated with testing, commissioning and handover.
• Ensure commissioning requirements are captured within subcontract scopes and budgets.
• Manage outstanding variations, claims and subcontract liabilities.
• Lead the agreement of subcontractor final accounts.
• Support the negotiation and agreement of the main contract final account.
• Ensure warranties, bonds, operation and maintenance information and close‑out documentation are received.
• Monitor the release of retention in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Prepare commercial close‑out reports and capture lessons learned.

Essential Qualifications and Experience of the MEP Commercial Manager

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Economics or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in an MEP Commercial Manager, Commercial Manager or Senior MEP Quantity Surveyor position.
• Strong commercial experience managing mechanical and electrical packages on major construction projects.
• Proven experience in procurement, subcontract administration, cost control and financial reporting.
• Experience preparing budgets, forecasts, cost‑value reconciliations and cost‑to‑complete reports.
• Strong knowledge of change management, variations, claims and final accounts.
• Working knowledge of NEC, JCT, FIDIC or bespoke construction contracts.
• Experience managing commercial teams and supporting the development of quantity surveyors.
• Strong negotiation, analytical and financial management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple packages, deadlines and commercial priorities.
• Competence using commercial reporting systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Willingness to work in a site‑based environment in Blyth.
• Eligibility to work in the United Kingdom.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working on hyperscale data centres, mission‑critical facilities or large‑scale technology projects.
• Strong knowledge of data centre mechanical and electrical systems.
• Experience managing high‑value electrical, mechanical, BMS, EPMS, fire protection or commissioning packages.
• Previous experience working for a Tier 1 Contractor or leading MEP contractor.
• Chartered status with RICS, CICES or an equivalent professional body.
• Experience with large‑scale procurement and international supply chains.
• Knowledge of OFCI equipment and specialist vendor packages.
• Experience managing delay, disruption or acceleration claims.
• Familiarity with digital commercial management, cost‑control and document‑management platforms.
• Experience delivering projects from pre‑construction through commissioning and final account.