At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Vantage's cost and commercial strategy across construction projects globally.
- Company: Join a rapidly growing company focused on robust commercial governance.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to shape the future of construction.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for international travel and professional development.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact on Vantage's growth while ensuring financial control and legal protection.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in senior commercial roles with a degree in relevant fields.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 150000 € per year.
The Vice President, Cost & Commercial is accountable for defining and executing Vantage’s enterprise-wide cost and commercial strategy across the construction portfolio, with particular emphasis on contractual risk, change governance, and value protection across sites. This role exists to ensure that Vantage’s rapid growth is underpinned by robust contractual frameworks, disciplined commercial governance, and consistent decision-making, enabling the business to scale without compromising financial control, legal protection, or long-term operational value. The Vice President acts as the ultimate commercial authority for construction delivery, shaping how Vantage contracts, manages, and governs its sites globally.
Executive Role Summary
The Vice President, Cost & Commercial leads all cost and commercial management activities across the construction portfolio, setting the strategic direction for how Vantage structures contracts, manages change, allocates risk, and protects enterprise value throughout the full lifecycle of site delivery. This role goes well beyond individual project oversight. It owns the commercial operating model for construction, ensuring consistency across regions and partners, while guiding senior leaders through complex commercial decisions involving cost, schedule, risk, and contractual exposure. The Vice President is a key member of the Construction leadership team and a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders, Finance, Legal, Development, and Design Engineering.
Core Accountabilities
- Enterprise Commercial & Contractual Strategy
- Define and own Vantage’s construction commercial and contractual strategy across all sites, regions, and delivery models.
- Establish contract frameworks that:
- Appropriately allocate risk
- Enable controlled flexibility
- Protect Vantage’s long-term commercial and operational interests
- Ensure contracts, amendments, and commercial positions are consistent, defensible, and aligned with corporate risk appetite.
- Ensure that appropriate notices are issued across projects to customers and suppliers.
- Act as executive sponsor for complex commercial negotiations with General Contractors, consultants, and key suppliers.
- Contractual Governance, Risk & Change Control
- Hold ultimate accountability for contractual compliance and commercial governance across the construction portfolio.
- Ensure all construction contracts and practices comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements (e.g. HGCRA 1996 or equivalent local legislation).
- Own the change control philosophy and governance for construction, ensuring:
- Changes are rigorously evaluated
- Cost and time impacts are clearly quantified
- Decisions are made at the right level with full visibility of risk
- Provide executive oversight of disputes, claims, and escalations, setting strategy and approving resolution approaches.
- Portfolio Cost Control & Cashflow Stewardship
- Accountable for the integrity and quality of cost management outputs across all sites.
- Ensure forecasting, cashflow, and liability assessments are based on sound commercial and scheduling principles, including:
- Change impacts
- Delay and disruption exposure
- Contractual entitlements
- Partner with Finance to ensure alignment between project-level commercial positions and enterprise financial reporting.
- Commercial Operating Model, Systems & Standards
- Define and continuously evolve Vantage’s commercial operating model for construction.
- Ensure consistent use of approved systems, tools, templates, and documentation across all projects.
- Sponsor the development and adoption of DEC tools and commercial policies, ensuring they are fit for scale and complexity.
- Ensure strong integration between Construction, Finance, Legal, and Development & Engineering.
- Continuous Improvement & Strategic Change
- Lead portfolio-level audits and quality reviews of commercial management practices, focusing on:
- Compliance
- Consistency
- Risk mitigation
- Sponsor targeted improvement programmes as agreed with the SVP Delivery and executive leadership.
- Ensure lessons learned from site delivery and disputes are embedded into future contracting and governance approaches.
- Senior Leadership & Influence
- Act as a senior commercial authority and thought partner within the Construction leadership team.
- Set expectations for commercial rigour and contractual discipline at pre-start and executive governance forums.
- Build strong, trust-based relationships with internal leaders and external partners.
- Champion Vantage’s values of no ego, no arrogance, while bringing appropriate challenge and independent judgement to executive discussions.
- Leadership Expectations & Ways of Working
- The Vice President is expected to:
- Lead with clarity, confidence, and commercial judgement
- Balance risk management with delivery pragmatism
- Enable leaders rather than over-control programmes
- Coach and develop senior commercial talent
- Create a culture where contractual discipline is seen as an enabler, not a blocker
- Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Law, Engineering, or similar, or equivalent senior-level experience
- 10+ years’ experience in senior commercial leadership roles within complex construction or infrastructure environments
- Proven track record of:
- Managing contractual risk at scale
- Leading dispute strategy and resolution
- Designing and implementing commercial governance frameworks
- Experience operating at portfolio or enterprise level in a fast-growth environment
- Willingness to travel internationally as required.
Vice President, Cost and Commercial in Slough employer: Vantage Data Centers
Vantage is an exceptional employer that prioritises a culture of collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. As the Vice President, Cost & Commercial, you will be at the forefront of shaping our enterprise-wide strategies in a dynamic construction environment, with ample opportunities for leadership development and cross-functional engagement. Our commitment to robust governance and value protection ensures that you will play a pivotal role in driving our rapid growth while enjoying a supportive work atmosphere that values your expertise and contributions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Vice President, Cost and Commercial in Slough
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that VP role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand Vantage’s values and how they align with your experience in cost and commercial management. We want to see you shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You need to be able to articulate your vision for Vantage’s commercial strategy clearly and confidently. We suggest doing mock interviews with friends or mentors to get feedback.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Vice President, Cost and Commercial in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in cost and commercial management. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what Vantage is looking for.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; focus on your achievements in previous roles. Quantify your successes where possible, like how you improved cost efficiency or managed risk effectively.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role. We want to see your skills and experience without wading through unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Vantage Data Centers
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you thoroughly understand Vantage’s commercial and contractual strategy. Brush up on key concepts like risk allocation, change governance, and value protection. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you're not just familiar with the role but also genuinely interested in how it impacts the company's growth.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Vice President, you'll need to demonstrate strong leadership capabilities. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led teams through complex commercial decisions or managed disputes. Highlight how you’ve built trust-based relationships with stakeholders and how you can bring that to Vantage.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making process. Think about potential challenges in contractual compliance or risk management and how you would approach them. This will help you illustrate your strategic thinking and ability to navigate complex situations.
✨Align with Company Values
Vantage values a culture of no ego and no arrogance. Be ready to discuss how you embody these values in your work. Share instances where you’ve challenged the status quo while maintaining respect and collaboration. This will resonate well with the interviewers and show that you’re a good cultural fit.
