Assistant Commercial Manager in Exeter

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose. South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes. We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals include lowering our carbon footprint, planting 300,000 trees, restoring peatlands, and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

We’re looking for an Assistant Commercial Manager to join our Commercial Management team—our centre of excellence responsible for delivering consistent, high-quality commercial management across day‑to‑day activity and major one‑off programmes. Reporting to the Senior Commercial Manager, you’ll support the delivery of our commercial strategy, develop strong collaborative relationships with supply chain partners, and help ensure our contracts are delivered safely, efficiently and to specification. This role is also a fantastic opportunity for a graduate looking to enter the industry—whether your degree is in Civil Engineering, Commercial Management, Quantity Surveying, Business Management, Business Studies or Finance. You’ll gain hands‑on commercial experience, supported by experienced mentors in a high-performing team.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Support the development, monitoring and reporting of commercial KPIs and improvement targets.
• Maintain and quality‑check commercial data within our commercial model database.
• Assist in improving frameworks, contract documentation and commercial processes.
• Produce monthly and quarterly reporting for operational and strategic forums.
• Support procurement and tendering activity to ensure compliant and timely contract awards.
• Assist with project budgets, forecasting, accruals and financial reporting.
• Assess and certify contract payment applications.
• Build knowledge and capability in the NEC suite of contracts.
• Provide estimating input and support the scope process.
• Maintain commercial trackers, registers and risk management processes.
• Work closely with Group Procurement to ensure alignment across contractual arrangements.
• Liaise with the contractor to finalise and issue works orders.
• Assist with concluding final accounts.

What We're Looking For:

• Strong analytical thinking and data‑handling skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Commercial awareness and a proactive, collaborative mindset.
• The ability to build effective relationships across teams and suppliers.
• Experience of construction contracts or estimating is helpful, but not essential.

What’s In It For You:

• Generous holiday allowance + bank holidays.
• Discretionary bonus.
• Competitive contributory pension.
• Share‑save scheme.
• Health benefits & wellbeing support programmes.
• Group discounts.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Financial support services.
• Development and training opportunities.
• … and much more!

Closing Date: 8th May 2026. Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process. Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness. Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

• Be Rock Solid – Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
• Be You – We want you to bring your best every day. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
• Be the Future – Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.

We look after the water and wastewater services for 1.8 million customers across Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Dorset and Somerset. From treatment and maintenance, to innovation and improvements, we're busy every day finding and fixing leaks, unblocking sewers and going bigger and further in our environmental work to be a company you can be proud of.