Commissioning Manager in Whitehall

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 62 countries. Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives.

The Commissioning Manager (CxM) is the technical lead responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the full commissioning process on major construction and fit-out projects. Typically appointed by the General Contractor, Main Contractor, or lead MEP sub-contractor, the CxM leads the on-site commissioning team and drives all commissioning activities from pre-construction through to formal handover and post-occupancy. The CxM ensures that all building systems are installed, tested, validated, and handed over in full compliance with the Owner's Project Requirements, Basis of Design, contract documents, and applicable industry standards. This role demands a combination of deep technical expertise, strong project management capability, and effective leadership and communication skills.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Programme Leadership & Strategy
  • Develop Commissioning Activities Schedule (CAS) as the determined schedule of all Cx activities.
  • Lead and manage all commissioning activities across one or more projects, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
  • Develop, own, and maintain the live inline with the holistic Commissioning Programme, integrating it with the overall construction schedule.
  • Chair commissioning progress meetings, attend GC/MEP static completion meetings; produce weekly and monthly progress reports for the project leadership team.
  • Define the commissioning strategy for each project, aligning with CIBSE Guide M, client objectives, regulatory requirements, and handover milestones.
  • Manage and mitigate commissioning programme risks, proactively communicating schedule impacts to the Project Manager.
• Team Management & Coordination
  • Lead, coordinate the on-site commissioning team, including Commissioning Engineers (CxE), Commissioning Agents (CxA), and sub-contractor commissioning personnel.
  • Assign tasks specific commissioning related tasks, set performance expectations, and provide ongoing guidance and support throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Coordinate trades, specialist vendors, and sub-contractors to ensure seamless sequencing of commissioning activities.
  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and collaborative problem-solving within the commissioning team.
• Technical Oversight & Quality Assurance
  • Oversee Pre-Functional Checks (PFC), Functional Performance Tests (FPT), and Integrated Systems Tests (IST) through to completion.
  • Produce a Commissioning Method Statement tracker.
  • Collate all test scripts and methodologies aligned with the activities in the CAS.
  • Read and interpret test scripts and methodologies to determine whether functional test results are genuinely acceptable or influenced by programme pressure.
  • Review and approve commissioning plans, test procedures, and commissioning documentation prepared by the team, Supplier, Manufacturer, and Sub-Contractors.
  • Identify and resolve system deficiencies in collaboration with design teams, contractors, and specialist vendors.
  • Ensure that all building systems—HVAC, electrical, BMS/BAS, plumbing, fire protection, and life safety—perform in accordance with design specifications.
• Design Review & Pre-Construction Input
  • Review project designs, specifications, and equipment submittals to provide commissioning input and flag potential issues early.
  • Collaborate with clients, design engineers, and contractors to understand project requirements and develop robust commissioning plans.
  • Establish and document the Basis of Design (BoD) during pre-construction phases.
  • Ensure commissioning requirements are incorporated into construction documents and contractor scopes, CAS.
• Stakeholder Management & Reporting
  • Serve as the primary commissioning point of contact with the client, design team, and senior project leadership.
  • Manage Stakeholder meetings, and resource accordingly.
  • Communicate deficiencies clearly and professionally to contractors, maintaining constructive working relationships.
  • Prepare and own the contractor's sections of the Final Commissioning Report at project close-out.
• Documentation, Handover & O&M
  • Maintain accurate field records, report on redlines, provide commissioning logs, and as-built documentation throughout the commissioning lifecycle.
  • Own the commissioning documentation management process, including use of customer-specific platforms (e.g., CxAlloy, BIM 360, Procore).
  • Provide checks to ensure all O&M manuals, as-built drawings, and systems documentation are complete, accurate, and formally handed over to the owner.
  • Manage and close out the deficiency/punch list, ensuring all items are resolved prior to practical completion.
  • Sign off and own the Final Commissioning Report, certifying that the building was delivered to design intent.
• Training, Post-Occupancy & Continuous Improvement
  • Oversee and coordinate training programmes for facility operations and maintenance staff on all commissioned systems.
  • Recommend and, where required, manage ongoing post-occupancy commissioning (Retro-Commissioning/RCx) to ensure long-term performance.
  • Stay current with ASHRAE Guidelines (Guideline 0, 1.x series), CIBSE guides, and relevant industry standards and best practices.
  • Support business development activities including preparation of commissioning proposals, fee estimates, and participation in client presentations.
  • Contribute to the development of internal commissioning standards, procedures, and quality management frameworks.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Education
  • CSA Grade 1, 2 or 3, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience
  • 6–8 years of relevant experience in building commissioning or MEP project delivery.
  • Demonstrable experience managing commissioning on projects with a construction value of $50M or above (or equivalent complexity).
  • Proven experience managing and coordinating multi-disciplinary commissioning teams on large or complex projects.
  • Experience in relevant sector(s) such as data centres, healthcare, laboratories, commercial offices, or industrial facilities is advantageous.
• Certifications (Preferred)
  • Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP / CSA).
  • Any other relevant national or regional commissioning body certification.
• Technical Skills
  • Knowledge of MEP systems: HVAC, BMS/BAS, electrical distribution, plumbing, fire protection, and life safety systems.
  • Ability to read and interpret sequences of operations, P&IDs, schematics, and construction drawings.
  • Familiarity with CIBSE commissioning guides.
  • Proficiency in commissioning management platforms would be an advantage (e.g., CxAlloy, Procore, BIM 360, or similar).
  • Working knowledge of O&M requirements, systems documentation, and building handover processes.
  • Understanding of green building certification requirements (LEED, BREEAM, WELL, etc.).
• Core Competencies
  • Team management capabilities with the ability to motivate and develop others.
  • Project management skills, including programme planning, risk management, and budget awareness.
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills; able to liaise effectively at all levels—from site operatives to C-suite clients.
  • Analytical and diagnostic problem-solving mindset with the ability to make sound judgements under programme pressure.
  • Good standard of written communication; capable of producing professional-quality commissioning reports and documentation.
  • Good commercial awareness and ability to manage client expectations professionally.

WORKING PATTERNS / LOCATION

• Combination of office-based work, project site attendance, and client/stakeholder meetings.
• Regular travel to project sites required; multi-site management may be required on complex programmes.
• Extended hours may be required during critical commissioning, testing, and handover milestones.
• Must be able to work safely in an active construction environment and comply with all site HSE requirements.
• May be required to attend international project sites depending on the organisation's portfolio.

Additional Information

• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.
• It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process.
• No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.
• Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees.