Senior Quantity Surveyor

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South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK's most stunning landscapes.

We're proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we're working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you're starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

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About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Senior Quantity Surveyor to lead the commercial management of our high-volume reactive Repair & Maintenance (R&M) network contracts and other operational contracts across the Group.

Reporting to the Senior Commercial Manager, this role combines commercial leadership, contract administration, financial management, and team development. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring robust commercial governance, driving cost control, managing NEC contract mechanisms, and delivering best-value outcomes across a portfolio with an annual spend of approximately £50million.

As a key member of the Commercial Team, you will provide strategic commercial insight, lead a team of Quantity Surveyors, and foster collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and supply chain partners to support the successful delivery of operational and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities  Commercial Leadership & Contract Management   Lead the commercial and financial management of operational contracts across the business.
Administer NEC3 and NEC4 contracts, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and governance requirements.
Manage compensation events, early warnings, variations, valuations, and final account processes.
Ensure the accurate assessment, certification, and processing of contractor payment applications.
Lead negotiations to achieve commercially favourable outcomes while maintaining strong supplier relationships.
Proactively identify, manage, and mitigate commercial risks.
Support tender evaluations and contract award recommendations.
Drive continuous improvement of commercial processes, controls, and reporting.
Financial Management & Performance   Monitor, analyse, and report on commercial and financial performance across contracts.
Deliver accurate forecasting, budgeting, accruals, and variance analysis.
Ensure effective cost control and value-for-money outcomes.
Provide commercial insight and recommendations to support strategic decision-making.
Oversee the commercial performance of contracts with an annual spend of approximately £50 million across both operational and capital expenditure budgets.
Team Leadership & Development   Lead, coach, and develop a team of Quantity Surveyors.
Promote commercial best practice, consistency, and high professional standards across the team.
Support career development, technical capability building, and succession planning.
Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on delivering business outcomes.
Provide guidance on contract administration, commercial strategy, and dispute avoidance.
Governance, Risk & Assurance   Audit contract and commercial processes to ensure compliance and fulfilment of contractual obligations.
Oversee effective change control, valuation, dispute resolution, and final account management.
Implement and maintain risk management processes across the contract portfolio.
Ensure commercial governance standards are consistently applied across all activities.
Support dispute avoidance and…