Head of Commercial & Project Delivery in Ashford

Location: KENT

PLEASE NOTE: CANDIDATE MUST BE LOCATED IN THE SOUTHERN HOME COUNTIES OR WITHIN A SENSIBLE COMMUTING DISTANCE OF CENTRAL KENT. 2 TO 3 DAYS PER WEEK IN THE OFFICE IS THE PREFERRED BASELINE, WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY ONLY FOR A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUAL.

Are you ready to take your commercial and project delivery leadership career to the next level by owning project revenues, margin performance and forecasting discipline for one of the UK’s most respected names in high security entrance and access control solutions? This is a senior, business critical leadership position within a market leading organisation known for protecting highly sensitive environments across government, critical infrastructure and commercial settings.

Working directly for the Managing Director, you will take ownership of project revenues, gross margin performance and post order delivery control while leading Project Managers and suppliers through a commercially disciplined lens. You will be responsible for improving forecast integrity, tightening change control, driving stronger PM standards and creating clear ownership below MD level, reducing the need for routine escalation and ensuring the business is better positioned to protect EBITDA, margin and delivery performance.

This role demands someone who can combine strong construction and project delivery understanding with real commercial ownership, forecasting discipline, leadership authority and the judgement to intervene early when projects drift away from agreed commitments. This is not about finding a super Project Manager. It is about finding someone who can own and drive commercial delivery outcomes through others.

Why This Role Stands Out:

• A senior leadership role with genuine ownership of project revenues, margin performance and forecasting discipline
• Direct influence over commercial outcomes after order intake, not simply project administration
• Lead and drive Project Managers and suppliers against delivery, invoicing and margin commitments
• Reduce commercial leakage, improve PM accountability and strengthen control below MD level
• Operate within a highly respected brand known for premium engineering, reliability and high security project delivery

Key Responsibilities:

• Commercial Ownership, Margin Protection & Forecast Integrity
• Own commercial performance after order intake, ensuring revenue and margin outcomes are actively managed rather than reactively reported
• Protect EBITDA and project margin through strong commercial governance, timely intervention and disciplined decision making
• Own gross margin performance across projects, identifying erosion early and taking corrective action quickly
• Ensure contractual reviews, variation management, applications for payment and final account positions are dealt with effectively and at the correct time
• Oversee credit check and cashflow related disciplines, ensuring exposure is actively managed and commercial risks are identified early
• Lead margin recovery actions where performance drifts, including variation strategy, reprogramming, cost control and commercial challenge
• Maintain ownership of commercial reporting and system integrity, including SIMPRO workflows, ensuring data reflects delivery reality rather than optimism

• Forecast Integrity, Backlog Conversion & Project Control
• Take ownership of forecast credibility post order, challenging and validating PM assumptions as site conditions, sequencing and programme realities evolve
• Hold Project Managers accountable for previously stated forecasts, delivery commitments and commercial assumptions, as well as future projections
• Drive backlog conversion with clear ownership, ensuring projects move from order intake to invoicing in line with commercial expectations
• Ensure revenue forecasting is evidence based, challenged where necessary, and actively owned rather than passively reported
• Intervene directly where commitments are missed, delivery slippage is not being addressed, or risks are not being actively mitigated
• Chair regular operations meetings with a clear focus on delivery against commitment, margin performance, forecast accuracy and corrective action, not status reporting

• Project Manager Leadership & Performance Accountability
• Lead, develop and elevate the operational project delivery function to achieve revenue, margin and performance objectives
• Set clear expectations around commercial discipline, forecast ownership, escalation thresholds and delivery standards
• Improve consistency of PM behaviour, accountability and standards across the function
• Enable Project Managers to get the job done, while holding them firmly to account for outcomes rather than activity
• Reduce the need for routine MD intervention by creating stronger leadership, ownership and decision making at the right level
• Champion process and system improvements that improve predictability, productivity and profitability

• Supplier & Delivery Oversight
• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary delivery structure that includes Project Managers, commercial support, project administration and supplier/subcontractor resource relevant to delivery performance
• Oversee supplier and subcontractor performance where it impacts revenue delivery, project execution, quality, margin or programme commitments
• Ensure suppliers operate in line with commercial expectations, delivery standards and project requirements
• Maintain effective relationships with key delivery partners to support stronger execution, predictability and control
• Act as the key bridge between project delivery teams and senior leadership, ensuring the function remains aligned to wider commercial and operational objectives

• Site Risk, Health & Safety & Delivery Governance
• Provide strategic oversight into site activity, ensuring delivery teams operate in line with legislation, company policy and required standards
• Set frameworks for risk identification, assessment and mitigation across project environments
• Ensure robust Health & Safety practices are embedded and maintained across the delivery function
• Oversee the reporting, escalation and resolution of site based risks, incidents and near misses
• Liaise with internal H&S specialists and external bodies when required to maintain compliance and protect the business
• Champion a proactive culture of safety, accountability and operational discipline

• Cross Functional Integration
• Act as the primary point of integration between sales intent, delivery reality and financial outcome
• Work closely with the Head of Sales to improve handover quality, pipeline realism, forecast integrity and delivery readiness across live opportunities and secured work
• Strengthen collaboration between sales, project delivery, finance and wider operational stakeholders
• Ensure smoother handovers from sales into delivery, with stronger alignment on forecast realism, commercial assumptions and operational readiness
• Work with finance as a strategic counterpart, recognising that finance retains reporting and assurance responsibilities while this role owns operational and commercial delivery performance

What we’re looking for:

• Senior leadership experience across commercial, project delivery or operational functions within construction, engineered systems, security, access control or similarly project driven environments
• Strong understanding of P&L, EBITDA, gross margin performance and commercial accountability within live delivery environments
• Demonstrable experience leading Project Managers and driving delivery teams against revenue, invoicing and margin objectives
• Strong construction and project delivery understanding, with the commercial judgement to challenge assumptions and protect business performance
• Proven ability to manage change control, forecast integrity, variation recovery and operational risk
• Experience working across sales, delivery and finance, with the credibility to align commercial commitments with operational execution
• Strong leadership presence, capable of stepping in, taking ownership and driving standards quickly
• Highly organised, commercially minded, resilient and solutions focused
• Strong working knowledge of UK construction, installation and Health & Safety frameworks
• Confident communicator with the credibility to operate at senior leadership level and influence outcomes across the business

Security Clearance Requirement

• Must be eligible for SC clearance, non-negotiable
• DV clearance preferable (typically requires British Citizenship and 5+ years UK residency)

This is not simply another Head of Project Delivery appointment. It is an opportunity to take ownership of revenue delivery, gross margin performance and forecasting discipline within a highly respected specialist business, creating clearer accountability.