Commercial Manager

Who We Are

Network Rail operates and maintains the railway infrastructure. Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organisation where people matter. When you're part of our team, you matter to us and you matter to millions.

In the North West & Central Region, we're proud to be building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We know that inclusive teams make better decisions, drive innovation, and help us create a safer, more accessible railway for everyone. Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. If you're passionate about making a difference and believe you have the skills or potential to thrive in this role, we'd love to hear from you.

We're committed to creating an open, supportive environment where everyone feels they belong. Your unique perspective and experience could be exactly what we need to keep Britain moving safely and sustainably. Discover more about our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail Equity, diversity and inclusion - Network Rail.

About Our Route

Central Route is the Heart of Britain's Railway. More than a million people rely on our route every week, and we help transport nearly a million tonnes of freight every month. But we are more than just tracks and trains, we are a catalyst for jobs and opportunities, a connection to leisure and time with family and friends, and a foundation for communities and neighbourhoods.

We are a key part of the national network, with Birmingham New Street - the busiest station outside of London and the hub of the railway - connecting England, Scotland and Wales, with hundreds of services arriving and leaving every day.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.

About The Role

We're looking for a proactive and commercially minded professional to join our Works Delivery Commercial team and play a key role in supporting the successful delivery of a diverse portfolio of projects related to Track, Lineside and Signalling. In this role, you'll work closely with programme and project teams, acting as a trusted partner to ensure compliance with Network Rail governance while helping to drive strong commercial performance from the outset through to project close-out.

You'll take ownership of cost management across your allocated projects, managing reporting within the Network Rail framework including forecasting, anticipated final cost, cost of work done, gross billing, and contract values. With a strong focus on adding value, you'll monitor and report on all commercial aspects of your projects, identifying risks and opportunities early and working collaboratively with project and programme managers to implement effective mitigation strategies.

A key part of the role will involve building strong relationships with stakeholders and contractors, staying close to project activity and bringing a commercial lens to decision-making. You'll review contractor delivery, attend progress meetings, and lead on the valuation of contracts, helping to influence behaviours and ensure cost-effective and efficient delivery. Your excel skills will play a vital role in making this happen.

You'll also be responsible for assessing and validating contractor applications, ensuring payments are accurate, fair, and aligned to contractual entitlement and project progress. Alongside this, you'll provide expert guidance to project managers on all aspects of change control, supporting scope decisions and ensuring the right governance and approvals are in place.

Beyond core project delivery, you'll contribute to client-facing activities, preparing applications for payment and invoices in line with funding agreements, while also identifying and advising on commercial risks and potential claims. You'll develop and deliver insightful analysis and management information, enabling informed, data-driven decisions across the business.

As projects progress, you'll ensure all…