Commercial Manager

The Commercial Lead is responsible for commercial management across the full contract lifecycle, from supporting bids, estimates and contract negotiations through to project delivery, change control, payment, forecasting and close-out. The role will combine strong front-end contracting capability with hands-on management of a portfolio of live contracts, ensuring that opportunities are secured on commercially acceptable terms and deliver the expected cash, margin and risk outcomes.

You will work closely with Sales, Estimating, Projects, Planning, Finance and Operations to provide commercial leadership and practical guidance throughout the contract lifecycle. This includes developing robust estimates and commercial strategies, securing appropriate contractual and payment positions, maintaining effective governance and reporting, and ensuring that risks, opportunities, obligations and entitlements are actively managed from tender handover through to final account.

This is an office based position but there will be some requirement to visit sites, suppliers, Clients or other offices on a regular basis.

• Provide commercial leadership across the full contract lifecycle, including bids and tenders, contract negotiation, mobilisation, delivery, change management and close-out.
• Review customer terms and conditions and identify contractual risks and opportunities, including liabilities, indemnities, warranties, liquidated damages, payment terms, termination and cancellation rights, intellectual property, securities, insurance, acceptance criteria and dispute provisions.
• Lead or support customer negotiations to secure the best achievable commercial and contractual position for the business, clearly documenting any residual risks, qualifications and departures.
• Work with Sales and Estimating to develop pricing strategies, commercial assumptions, risk allowances, contingencies and tender qualifications that are robust, competitive and deliverable.
• Coordinate the business and Avingtrans approval process for tenders and contracts, ensuring that approval papers provide clear information on value, margin, cash, risk, opportunity, key terms and proposed mitigations.
• Ensure that no tender or contract is submitted, accepted or materially amended without the appropriate delegated authority and governance approvals.
• Work with Finance, Sales, Planning and Operations to design cashflows that support a cash-positive position throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Develop and negotiate deposits, advance payments, milestone payments, progress payments and payment timing that align cash receipts with expenditure and operational activity.
• Challenge proposed manufacturing, procurement and delivery strategies to minimise WIP, working-capital exposure and unfunded activity.
• Develop activity, manufacturing, delivery and payment schedules that are practical, contractually aligned and support the required cash and WIP position.
• Ensure the commercial position agreed during tender is fully documented and handed over to the Project Team, including key obligations, assumptions, exclusions, risks, opportunities, milestones and contractual notices.
• Maintain clear commercial risk and opportunity registers from tender through contract execution, ensuring actions, owners and mitigations are identified and escalated where appropriate.
• Manage an allocated portfolio of live contracts and remain accountable for their commercial performance from mobilisation through to final account and close-out.
• Provide contractual support to Project Managers and the wider business, ensuring key obligations, entitlements, risks and opportunities are understood and managed.
• Prepare, review and submit applications for payment and valuations; analyse payment notices; monitor cash receipts; and support the recovery of outstanding debt and resolution of financial exceptions.
• Ensure that all potential and actual changes to scope are identified, notified and managed in accordance with the contract, with variation orders and cost and time impacts agreed at the appropriate stage.
• Maintain robust cost and value reconciliation, forecasting and reporting for live contracts, including anticipated final cost, revenue, margin, cash, WIP, risks and opportunities.
• Manage claims, contractual notices, extensions of time, compensation events and other commercial entitlements where applicable.
• Support the placement and commercial management of subcontract orders, ensuring…