Manager, Commercial Advisory and Assurance in London

About the team

Our Advisory capability brings our Consulting and Deal Advisory businesses together as one team, combining our expertise and talent. We solve business challenges, helping our clients to realise their growth ambitions, from strategy to transaction and through to transformation. The Major Projects Advisory (MPA) team is part of KPMG's Deal Advisory practice. We help clients make critical business and investment decisions and create value through the successful delivery and transformation of major projects and programmes. MPA works with leading public and private sector organisations to solve complex challenges across major construction and infrastructure programmes. We provide insight and clarity to boards, executives and senior responsible owners, helping them make better decisions and improve programme outcomes. Our portfolio spans strategically important UK programmes across transport, energy and utilities, natural resources, defence, health, housing, education and other asset-intensive sectors. Our multidisciplinary team brings together people with experience from project owners, contractors, engineering consultancies and other organisations in the UK and internationally.

About the role

As a Commercial Manager, you’ll help clients protect value and improve commercial performance across major infrastructure and construction projects. Working alongside client teams, you’ll build a clear view of cost and performance, strengthen commercial controls and provide practical advice on contracts, procurement, payments, risk and emerging issues. You’ll turn complex project information into evidence-based recommendations that enable senior stakeholders to make informed decisions and address issues before they affect delivery. You’ll also lead important areas of client work, manage and develop colleagues, build trusted relationships and contribute to the growth of the commercial advisory portfolio.

What you'll be Doing

• Lead commercial advisory and assurance workstreams, delivering clear recommendations that improve client decision-making and project outcomes.
• Assess cost, contract, procurement, payment, risk and performance information, identifying issues early and helping clients protect value.
• Translate complex commercial information into concise reports, presentations and advice that senior stakeholders can understand and act on.
• Manage engagement scope, delivery plans and resources to meet agreed client outcomes, timescales, budgets and quality standards.
• Maintain strong engagement financial control, including accurate forecasting, timely billing, cash collection and delivery against revenue and margin expectations.
• Maintain robust governance and risk management, ensuring work is properly scoped, reviewed and delivered in line with professional standards.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders, maintaining confidence in delivery and identifying opportunities to provide further support.
• Lead and develop junior colleagues through clear direction, constructive review and coaching, improving quality and team capability.
• Contribute to bids and proposition development, turning client needs and insights into credible commercial advisory opportunities.

Skills, experience, and knowledge you'll need

• Strong commercial management experience on complex construction or infrastructure projects, with a clear understanding of cost drivers and project performance.
• Practical knowledge of construction contracts and commercial mechanisms, including procurement, payments, change, risk and contract administration.
• Proven ability to analyse complex commercial information, identify underlying causes and turn findings into clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Experience leading client-facing commercial workstreams, managing senior stakeholder expectations and delivering high-quality outputs to agreed deadlines.
• Experience managing engagement finances and resources, including forecasting, budgeting, billing and effective delivery control.
• A track record of leading and developing junior colleagues, improving the consistency and quality of team outputs.
• Digital and AI fluency, breadth beyond your core specialism, exceptional communication, a commercial and client mindset, and collaborative management and leadership across disciplines, grades and stakeholder groups.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent professional experience in quantity surveying, commercial management, construction, engineering or a related discipline.
• Chartered status or significant progress towards it, such as Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB) or Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (MICE), or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• A relevant project or programme management qualification, such as Association for Project Management Project Management Qualification (APM PMQ), Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) or an equivalent credential, is desirable.
• Contract management or procurement accreditation relevant to major infrastructure projects is desirable but not essential.