Commercial Manager - Pre-Construction

About the role

Job Title
:
Commercial Manager - Pre-Construction

Location: Maxim Park

Company: Balfour Beatty Scotland

Business Area: Commercial / Work Winning

Shape the Commercial Strategy Behind Major Construction Projects

We are looking for an experienced Commercial Manager to provide high-level commercial and contractual support across our work-winning activities.

This is a key office-based position, reporting to our Senior Commercial Manager for Pre-Construction and working closely with our Work Winning teams, Legal teams, Commercial Director and senior business leaders to ensure opportunities are commercially robust, contractually compliant and positioned for successful delivery.

You will act as a trusted commercial adviser throughout the pre-contract process, helping the business identify risk, protect its commercial position and negotiate contracts that create the right platform for project success.

An LLM in Construction Law, postgraduate qualification in construction law or equivalent specialist contractual knowledge would be highly desirable, but it is not essential. Strong practical experience of construction contracts and commercial negotiation will be equally valued.

Key Responsibilities

As Pre-Contract Commercial Manager, you will:

• Develop commercial and contractual strategies for tender opportunities.
• Review, interpret and negotiate complex construction contracts.
• Identify contractual risks, opportunities, qualifications and proposed amendments.
• Support the preparation of tender submissions, contract reviews and commercial governance papers.
• Advise work-winning teams on contract conditions, commercial risk and procurement strategy.
• Review bonds, warranties, parent company guarantees, novation agreements, design agreements and confidentiality agreements.
• Work collaboratively with Legal, Finance, Insurance, Procurement and operational delivery teams.
• Support the negotiation of joint venture, internal trading and supply chain arrangements.
• Assess commercial risks ahead of tender settlement and governance meetings.
• Review key supply chain submissions and ensure associated contractual risks are appropriately managed.
• Support the appointment or novation of external consultants and design partners.
• Provide clear commercial handovers to project delivery teams, ensuring all risks, opportunities and agreed strategies are understood.
• Build strong relationships with customers, consultants, stakeholders and supply chain partners.
• Ensure commercial governance, delegated authority requirements and internal approval processes are followed throughout the tender lifecycle.
• Provide support and guidance to the Senior Quantity Surveyor for Pre-Construction.

Essential Experience

You will be an experienced Commercial Manager with a strong background in construction, infrastructure or civil engineering. A commercial track record spanning multiple sectors across the construction industry, with working knowledge of a wide range of forms of contracts, is highly desirable.

You should be able to demonstrate:

• Significant experience of construction contracts and commercial risk management.
• Experience supporting tenders, pre-construction or work-winning teams.
• A strong understanding of both pre-contract and post-contract commercial management.
• Experience negotiating complex contracts within demanding tender timescales.
• The confidence to challenge contractual positions and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial judgement with the ability to identify risks and develop practical solutions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management skills.
• Experience working collaboratively with legal, financial, procurement and operational teams.
• The ability to manage several complex tender opportunities and competing deadlines.
• A relevant commercial, quantity surveyor, construction or legal qualification.
• Professional membership of RICS, CICES or CIOB would be advantageous.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to play an influential role at the front end of major construction and infrastructure projects.

You will work with experienced commercial and work-winning professionals, provide advice on complex contractual matters and help shape the commercial strategy behind future projects.

Professional and personal development

The size and scale of Balfour Beatty coupled with our strong pipeline of work provides incredible opportunities, regardless of what stage you are at in your career.

We encourage and empower our employees to take control of their career and explore which part of the business they want to work in and what role is right for them. We actively encourage our managers and employees to have open communication throughout the year about wellbeing, development and career opportunities.

We're proud of the Balfour Beatty Academy. Whether it’s sharpening your technical expertise, improving your personal skills or seeking support to become professionally qualified, our 70:20:10
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