Pre- Construction Commercial Manager - Midlands in Trowbridge

We are seeking an experienced Pre‑Construction Commercial Manager to join our Building Division in the Midlands. Reporting to the Commercial Director, you will play a key role in supporting our work‑winning activity and ensuring all commercial and contractual elements of building project tenders are fully reviewed, understood, and communicated before bid submission. This role is central to guaranteeing that our building projects—across sectors such as commercial offices, student accommodation, residential, mixed‑use, industrial, and refurbishment—are commercially robust from the outset. Your involvement will span from early tender analysis through to contract execution, ensuring bids are aligned with commercial strategy and contractual obligations prior to project commencement.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide commercial and contractual leadership for all building project tenders
• Review tender documents to identify risks, obligations, and commercial opportunities
• Draft tender queries and advise bid teams on appropriate qualifications and clarifications
• Support development of pricing strategies, commercial narratives, and risk registers
• Ensure commercial, contractual, and work‑winning systems are consistently applied
• Prepare and review the commercial elements of bids, including contract conditions and bespoke amendments
• Lead commercial negotiations with clients to resolve outstanding contract issues prior to award
• Support the transition from tender to pre‑start, ensuring contract documentation reflects the agreed tender position
• Maintain strong working relationships with clients, internal teams, and key supply chain partners
• Provide commercial advice to estimators, planners, and operational leads throughout the pre‑construction phase
• Contribute to the development and growth of the Building Division through strong commercial insight

Technical Competencies

Essential

• Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Law, or similar
• Strong commercial and contractual knowledge within building projects
• Understanding of construction management practices and pre‑construction processes
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to analyse project risk, cost plans, contract conditions, and procurement strategies

Desirable

• Experience in a similar pre‑construction commercial role
• Knowledge of NEC, JCT, and bespoke building contracts
• Experience supporting tenders on high‑value building projects

Behavioural Competencies

Essential

• Commercial Awareness: Strong business acumen and ability to support strategic tender decisions
• Leadership: Able to provide clear direction and influence cross‑functional bid teams
• Effective Communication: Adapts style to audience; produces clear written and verbal outputs
• Customer Focus: Builds strong, trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders
• Influencing: Confident in negotiating and resolving commercial issues
• Initiative: Self‑motivated, proactive, and able to work independently to deliver outcomes
• Team Player: Collaborative and committed to supporting wider business goals

Join us at GRAHAM Construction and help shape the future of construction in the Midlands! Interested in learning more or know someone who’d be a great fit? We’d love to hear from you!

Our Commitment: At GRAHAM, we are proud to say that we are a committed Equal Opportunities Employer and we aim to be the first choice for people from all backgrounds. We seek to promote respect for the individual and equality of opportunities. We believe that everyone should be treated solely on the basis of personal merit and contribution throughout their GRAHAM career journey and not on the value of artificial barriers, prejudices, or preferences.

If you require any adjustments or accommodations during the application or interview process, please let us know. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We are dedicated to making our policies and guidance accessible to all applicants and employees.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme, please contact Louise Hunter, Resourcing Manager.

We are only able to consider applications from individuals who are eligible to live and work in the UK, as per Home Office regulations. Please check your eligibility with the regulations before applying. A basic disclosure may be requested if security clearance is required by 3rd party clients and a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.

GRAHAM reserves the right to carry out checks to ensure the validity of an applicant’s experience and/or qualifications and we expect all applicants to comply with any such requests for information. Failure to do so or evidence of any falsification of information will lead to either removal from the recruitment process or if already in employment potential termination of contract through the company disciplinary procedure.