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- Tasks: Lead the commercial function and shape client delivery across diverse infrastructure projects.
- Company: Dynamic infrastructure consultancy redefining commercial services with a tech-driven approach.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, executive package, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a fast-growing SME with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Influence the future of consultancy while driving high-quality project delivery.
- Qualifications: Experience in commercial management and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
This forward-thinking infrastructure consultancy is redefining how commercial services are delivered across major programmes. Operating across sectors including rail, utilities, highways, housing, and local government, the business combines deep domain expertise in quantity surveying, commercial management, auditing, and project delivery with a growing digital capability that enhances client outcomes. This has positioned the organisation as a fast-growing SME with a strong trajectory, driven by both consultancy excellence and an evolving, technology-enabled service offering.
As part of this growth, the business is seeking a Head of Commercial, a newly created leadership role with the opportunity to shape client delivery and influence the future direction of the consultancy.
The Opportunity
This is not a pure oversight role, nor is it purely delivery. It sits deliberately across the two. You will take ownership of the commercial function across a portfolio of projects and clients, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery, while shaping how commercial capability evolves as the business scales. You will operate at three levels simultaneously:
- Strategic, contributing to the direction of the consultancy offering
- Portfolio, overseeing performance, risk and commercial outcomes across multiple programmes
- Delivery, maintaining technical credibility and supporting complex project environments
You will be a visible, credible leader to clients, a driver of standards internally, and a key voice in how the business grows.
The Role
The Head of Commercial is responsible for leading the commercial function across consultancy operations, ensuring strong financial, contractual and delivery performance across all projects and client accounts. From bid stage through to final account, you will ensure that commercial governance is robust, consistent and value-driven, balancing cost control, risk management and contractual compliance with a pragmatic, solutions-led approach. You will work closely with senior leadership to shape commercial strategy, while also engaging with internal digital and data teams to ensure alignment between consultancy delivery and evolving platform capabilities. This is as much about building capability as it is about managing performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Commercial Leadership & Strategy
- Lead the commercial function across a diverse portfolio, aligning delivery with wider business objectives
- Support senior leadership in defining commercial strategy, bid approach and growth initiatives
- Identify opportunities to enhance revenue, margin and client value through insight and innovation
- Embed consistent standards, governance and ways of working across the business
- Project & Financial Oversight
- Oversee cost estimation, budgeting, forecasting and financial control across all engagements
- Ensure accurate, timely reporting of performance, including cash flow, cost to complete and profitability
- Strengthen reporting frameworks and improve data visibility across the portfolio
- Drive value engineering and cost optimisation without compromising delivery quality
- Contract & Risk Management
- Provide strategic oversight of contract administration and compliance
- Lead on complex negotiations, claims and dispute resolution where required
- Identify and manage commercial risks across the full project lifecycle
- Ensure best practice across procurement, subcontractor management and governance
- Client & Stakeholder Engagement
- Act as a senior, trusted advisor to key clients across major infrastructure programmes
- Build long-term relationships grounded in credibility and delivery
- Support business development activity, including bids and client growth
- Work collaboratively across internal teams to align delivery with evolving client needs
- Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, mentor and develop commercial and quantity surveying teams
- Provide technical oversight and guidance on complex commercial issues
- Build a high-performance culture centred on accountability and collaboration
- Support progression, capability development and succession planning
- Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
- Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and industry standards
- Promote ethical, best-practice commercial delivery
- Drive continuous improvement across processes, systems and ways of working
- Contribute to the integration of data-led approaches into commercial operations
Skills & Capabilities
Essential
- Deep commercial expertise across cost management, financial control and contract administration
- Strong analytical capability, with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into insight
- Proven leadership experience, with the ability to build and develop high-performing teams
- Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills
- Comfortable operating at both strategic and delivery levels
- Highly organised, adaptable and effective in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Desirable
- Experience with cost benchmarking, analytics or value optimisation
- Exposure to technology-enabled or multi-offering consultancy environments
Experience & Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Quantity Surveying, Construction Management or a related discipline
- Significant experience in commercial management within infrastructure
- Track record of managing commercial performance across multiple projects or portfolios
- Experience leading and developing teams
- Strong client-facing experience across complex programmes
Desirable
- Chartered status (e.g. MRICS) or working towards
- Experience within a consultancy or growth-stage SME
- Exposure to digital or data-driven commercial systems
The Proposition
If the Senior Quantity Surveyor is the technical engine, and the Commercial Manager is the portfolio driver, then the Head of Commercial sets the direction, ensuring the engine runs efficiently, the journey is commercially sound, and the destination aligns with the broader ambitions of a business in motion. This is an opportunity to step into a role with real influence, not just over projects and clients, but over how a consultancy evolves, scales and defines its next chapter.
Head of Commercial employer: GARY CHAPLIN LTD
Contact Detail:
GARY CHAPLIN LTD Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Commercial
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Show them you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate your understanding of their commercial strategy and how you can contribute to their growth.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with their needs. Highlight your leadership skills and how you’ve driven performance in previous roles—make it clear you’re the Head of Commercial they’ve been looking for.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Commercial
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Head of Commercial role. Highlight your experience in commercial management, especially in infrastructure, and showcase how you've led teams and driven performance in previous roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this leadership role. Share specific examples of how you've shaped commercial strategy and delivered results in complex environments.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We want to see your leadership style! In your application, mention how you've built high-performing teams and fostered a culture of accountability and collaboration. This is key for the Head of Commercial position.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at GARY CHAPLIN LTD
✨Know Your Commercial Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your commercial management knowledge, especially in areas like cost estimation and financial control. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed commercial performance in past roles, as this will show your expertise and credibility.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your leadership experience, particularly in building and developing high-performing teams. Think about specific situations where you mentored others or drove a team towards achieving commercial goals, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Understand the Business Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the infrastructure consultancy sector and the specific challenges it faces. Being able to discuss current trends and how they impact commercial strategy will demonstrate your strategic thinking and alignment with the company's vision.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Be prepared to talk about your experience in managing client relationships and stakeholder engagement. Highlight instances where you've acted as a trusted advisor and how you've built long-term relationships, as this is crucial for the Head of Commercial role.