Divisional Commercial Manager in Cardiff

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

About The Business Unit: We help conceive, drive, and implement transport solutions for cities, regions, and asset owners/operators around the globe. From preparing the business case and advising on related issues – such as revenue, procurement, and environmental legislation – to delivering the completed infrastructure and helping maintain it. Our planning, engineering, environmental and management skills cover the whole project cycle. We play a major role in developing and delivering the Global Transport Sector Strategy.

Overview Of The Role: Transport and Mobility Solutions (TMS) is Mott MacDonald’s centre of excellence for shaping the future of transportation. We deliver everything from active travel schemes and highway renewals to major infrastructure like light rail and public transport systems. Our teams combine transport planning, traffic modelling, urban mobility expertise and cutting-edge digital tools to solve complex challenges for major public sector clients such as National Highways, Transport Scotland, the Department for Transport and private sector clients including Tier 1 Contractors and developers. Our division is part of the Transport Unit of over 2,000 staff that includes Rail, Aviation and Heavy Civil Engineering. In TMS we have 700 staff and a footprint across the UK, Ireland, Europe and wider with over 400 projects ranging from £10k to £35m. TMS thrives upon collaboration, innovation and technical excellence. We have clear goals to achieve a Thriving Culture, Deliver with Excellence and Partner with our Clients.

Key Responsibilities And Duties:

• Delivering commercial relationships with our clients, partners and supply chain
• Providing effective governance, compliance and assurance for the work we want to win
• Optimise profit whilst managing opportunities and risk to achieve commercial success
• Own enterprise risk management for the division and develop an understanding of market risks and Mott MacDonald’s risk appetite for winning work and associated approvals for contracts with deemed higher risk clauses
• Lead on the full commercial lifecycle for our projects - understanding market risks, partnering, through to close out
• Support the Divisional Operations Manager in achieving financial targets from projects through operational commercial efficiency in the division including use of Global Delivery Services (GDS)
• Proactively drive awareness, knowledge sharing and integration across the division to optimise best practice, standardisation and identify opportunities for improvement
• Support both work winning and delivery, implementing commercial strategies to optimise project outcomes
• Act as the divisional focal point of contact for engagement with the Legal function
• Act as the divisional focal point for the risk register and complementing risk management plans
• Collaborate closely with project / bid managers and principals to provide guidance on pricing, contracts and negotiations to secure favourable terms and mitigate risks
• Conduct thorough financial analyses and commercial reviews for individual projects identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions
• Support finance with the management of cash flow through optimising our return on capital employed and promoting prompt payment
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers and stakeholders to enhance project delivery and foster long term partnerships
• Lead a high performing commercial team aligned with the business objectives, providing direction, support and mentorship to drive high standards and continuous professional development
• Proactively support the unit commercial manager network, supporting improvement plans instigated by the Unit Commercial Manager
• Develop and implement effective systems for tracking and monitoring project performance, utilising "triggers" to assess and improve project delivery and productivity
• Monitor market trends, competition and regulatory changes to proactively adapt commercial strategies and capitalise on emerging opportunities
• Uphold the highest standards of integrity and ethics in accordance with Mott MacDonald’s PRIDE values

You are expected to drive commercial success and deliver and embed commercial governance, compliance, controls and commercial best practice. Working with the other Divisional Commercial Managers across the Unit to define, communicate and implement effective and consistent measures to improve commercial performance and governance.

Candidate specification: TMS is an ambitious division seeking sustainable growth. We are seeking a Divisional Commercial Manager who is an enabler to achieve this with pragmatism, to ensure decisions balance ambition with sound judgement. You will blend sharp commercial acumen with proactive, opportunity led thinking. With experience of managing major programmes or portfolios, you will understand the importance of identifying risks early, influencing stakeholders confidently and driving collaboration across teams to improve outcomes. You will inspire trust and communicate with clarity, with focus on value, performance and sustainable profit.

We welcome your applications with emphasis upon the following skills and experience:

• Proven experience as a commercial manager in a project based business, preferably overseeing a large portfolio of diverse projects
• Experience of delivering commercially successful projects with blue chip contractors and working to incentivisation mechanisms
• Strong financial acumen with a track record of successfully managing project profit at a strategic or portfolio level
• Exceptional negotiation and contract management skills with a keen understanding of risk mitigation
• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire cross functional teams in a dynamic environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build and maintain internal and external relationships
• Strategic thinker with an ability to analyse complex data and market trends to inform decision making
• Proven expertise in developing and implementing systems for tracking (project) performance
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the use of some or all of the contracts in the various jurisdictions in which we work, especially including NEC
• Knowledge and experience of commercial risks and opportunities specific to the markets in which TMS operates
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and strong business ethics
• Knowledge and experience of effective commercial and project controls and commercial management best practice
• Knowledge and understanding of liability and governance risks and controls
• Good people management skills, team oriented with the ability to work closely with peers, ability to delegate, motivate and empower individuals and teams

How To Apply: If you’re interested in applying for this opportunity, please submit:

• A cover letter
• An up-to-date CV
• A brief expression of interest of no more than two A4 pages which sets out the following:

• An example of your approach and where you have led and inspired a team to drive commercial success within a project, programme or portfolio
• An example of your approach and where you have led a commercial, market or industrial strategy within a project, programme or portfolio
• Your vision for embedding a risk based culture within TMS

If selected for interview, you will be required to prepare a short presentation on your 100 day plan upon commencing in the role.

Please be advised that offers for this role are conditional upon obtaining the appropriate level of Security Clearance.

Agile working: At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality and inclusion: We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility: We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We Offer Some Fantastic Benefits:

• Financial wellbeing: We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%. Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary. Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury. Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• Employee Ownership: Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success. Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution. Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future. For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.
• Health and wellbeing: Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues. Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments. Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues. A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family. Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.
• Lifestyle: A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme. Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years' service. Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers. Enhanced family and carers leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave. Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay. Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• Learning and development: Primary annual professional institution subscription. A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.
• Networks, communities, and social outcomes: Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities. Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.