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- Tasks: Lead the commercial function, ensuring high-quality delivery across diverse projects.
- Company: Innovative infrastructure consultancy redefining commercial services in a high-growth environment.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, executive package, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the future of consultancy while driving impactful commercial strategies.
- 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 in Manchester 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 in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. Building relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their projects, values, and recent news. This will help you tailor your responses and show them you’re genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You need to be able to clearly articulate your experience and how it aligns with the role of Head of Commercial. Keep it concise but impactful.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and keep you top of mind as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Commercial in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences mentioned in the job description. We want to see how your background aligns with our vision for the Head of Commercial role.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this is a leadership position, highlight your experience in managing teams and driving performance. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and lead, so don’t hold back on sharing your success stories!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key achievements and qualifications stand out without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at GARY CHAPLIN LTD
✨Know Your Commercial Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of commercial management, financial control, and contract administration. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed these areas in past roles, as this will show your deep expertise and understanding of the responsibilities you'll be taking on.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your leadership experience, especially in building and developing high-performing teams. Think about specific situations where you’ve mentored others or driven a team towards success, as this role requires strong team leadership and development.
✨Understand the Business Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the infrastructure consultancy sector and the specific challenges it faces. Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to the company's growth and strategy, particularly in aligning commercial delivery with evolving client needs.
✨Be Ready for Complex Scenarios
Expect questions that test your ability to handle complex project environments and negotiations. Prepare to discuss past experiences where you’ve navigated difficult situations, managed risks, or resolved disputes, as this will demonstrate your capability to operate at both strategic and delivery levels.