Commercial Director

Protech are currently recruiting for a Commercial Director on behalf of a leading, 5-star award-winning national residential developer, to lead the commercial function for their Exeter business. Covering everything from cost planning and procurement through to subcontractor and supply chain management, the team's purpose is simple: deliver outstanding homes at the right cost, protecting both margin and quality at every stage of development.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Commercial Director will own the regional commercial strategy — setting the framework for cost control and procurement across the business unit and ensuring it translates into results against budget and profit targets. The role carries responsibility for tracking commercial risk on live schemes, spotting opportunities to improve value, and overseeing the procurement of subcontractors, materials and supply chain partners.

You'll sit on the local board as an active, engaged member, and lead a commercial team through to strong individual and collective performance.

• Set the direction for cost control and procurement across the business unit, aligned to agreed budgets and targets
• Partner with fellow Directors on the commercial shaping of the business
• Work with design and engineering teams to identify value-improvement opportunities throughout the development lifecycle
• Shape and evolve procurement strategy, including the placement of subcontractor and supply chain orders
• Track scheme viability continuously as developments progress from concept through to completion

• Maintain robust systems to monitor the financial position across multiple live projects
• Oversee the scheduling and purchasing of materials, and manage development budgets
• Identify and act on opportunities to reduce cost without compromising quality
• Prepare clear, regular reporting for the Managing Director and Board, flagging risks and variances against budget
• Reconcile monthly cost positions ahead of Board presentation
• Build and maintain a commercial department structure capable of delivering the business unit's strategy
• Lead, coach and motivate Surveyors, Buyers and Estimators
• Identify development needs within the team and put plans in place to address them
• Conduct regular performance reviews and support career progression across the department

• Contribute as an active member of the local management team, with visibility across all business functions
• Share responsibility for health & safety and customer care standards across the business
• Take ownership of business unit targets, including land bank, profitability, return on capital and sales
• Represent the commercial function at concept, pre-tender, pre-start, specification and other governance meetings
• Build strong working relationships across the team to keep communication open and effective

• Proven commercial experience within a residential developer, at Commercial Manager, Senior Quantity Surveyor or Commercial Director level
• At least two years operating at senior management level within a commercial function
• Confident managing and motivating a sizeable team
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, comfortable interpreting data to support development decisions
• Working knowledge of commercial systems (e.g. project management, payment and valuation software)
• Experience managing budgets, cost control and competing priorities under pressure
• Understanding of how technical and design functions influence on-site profitability
• Confident, decisive and resilient, with a lateral, solutions-focused mindset