Head of Commercial & Project Delivery

Position: Head of Commercial & Project Delivery
Vacancy number 5505
Vacancy title head of commercial & project delivery
Location kent

Please note:

candidate must be located in the southern home counties or within a sensible commuting distance of central kent. 2 to 3 days per week in the office is the preferred baseline, with greater flexibility only for a truly exceptional individual.
Job description
Are you ready to take your commercial and project delivery leadership career to the next level by owning project revenues, margin performance and forecasting discipline for one of the uk’s most respected names in high security entrance and access control solutions?
This is a senior, business critical leadership position within a market leading organisation known for protecting highly sensitive environments across government, critical infrastructure and commercial settings. Sitting at the intersection of sales, delivery, finance and operations, this role exists to ensure that what has been sold commercially is delivered operationally, invoiced on time, and protected from margin erosion through stronger leadership, challenge and control after order intake.

That emphasis is far closer to jon’s latest role description than the broader earlier version.
Working directly for the managing director, you will take ownership of project revenues, gross margin performance and post order delivery control while leading project managers and suppliers through a commercially disciplined lens. You will be responsible for improving forecast integrity, tightening change control, driving stronger pm standards and creating clear ownership below md level, reducing the need for routine escalation and ensuring the business is better positioned to protect ebitda, margin and delivery performance.
This role demands someone who can combine strong construction and project delivery understanding with real commercial ownership, forecasting discipline, leadership authority and the judgement to intervene early when projects drift away from agreed commitments. This is not about finding a super project manager. It is about finding someone who can own and drive commercial delivery outcomes through others.
Why this role stands out:
 
* a senior leadership role with genuine ownership of project revenues, margin performance and forecasting discipline
 
* direct influence over commercial outcomes after order intake, not simply project administration
 
* lead and drive project managers and suppliers against delivery, invoicing and margin commitments
 
* reduce commercial leakage, improve pm accountability and strengthen control below md level
 
* operate within a highly respected brand known for premium engineering, reliability and high security project delivery

Key responsibilities:

Commercial ownership, margin protection & forecast integrity
 
* own commercial performance after order intake, ensuring revenue and margin outcomes are actively managed rather than reactively reported
 
* protect ebitda and project margin through strong commercial governance, timely intervention and disciplined decision making
 
* own gross margin performance across projects, identifying erosion early and taking corrective action quickly
 
* ensure contractual reviews, variation management, applications for payment and final account positions are dealt with effectively and at the correct time
 
* oversee credit check and cashflow related disciplines, ensuring exposure is actively managed and commercial risks are identified early
 
* lead margin recovery actions where performance drifts, including variation strategy, reprogramming, cost control and commercial challenge
 
* maintain ownership of commercial reporting and system integrity, including simpro workflows, ensuring data reflects delivery reality rather than optimism
Forecast integrity, backlog conversion & project control
 
* take ownership of forecast credibility post order, challenging and validating pm assumptions as site conditions, sequencing and programme realities evolve
 
* hold project managers accountable for previously stated forecasts, delivery commitments and commercial assumptions, as well as future projections
 
* drive backlog conversion with clear…