Senior Commercial Manager

Balfour Beatty

SwindonhybridPosted Jul 24, 2026
Posting intelligenceActively listedReposted 3×, possible evergreen/ghost posting

About the role

About the role

Our Rail business is seeking a Senior Commercial Manager to be the Commercial Lead across a portfolio of projects for a multi-disciplinary business unit delivering Civils, Building, P-way and Signalling works across our Wales & Western business unit.

The successful candidate will work closely with the programme director and finance manager for the region and other functions as a key member of the

leadership team. Balfour Beatty Rail have strong relationship with their key clients including Network Rail, Transport for Wales and internal Balfour Beatty

Businesses.

The successful candidate will be required to proactively manage relationship to ensure these relationships are maintained whilst pro-actively leading customer engagement activities with potential new customers.

As the delivery unit Commercial Lead, you will be overseeing a commercial team of circa 20 surveyors for whom you will be providing support and guidance on their job responsibilities. The role requires ensuring internal governance is adhered through all stages of the project lifecycle and projects are delivered to budget, maximising margins in the process.

This role requires an individual with proven commercial experience that can lead across all elements of the project lifecycle from work winning to project delivery, understanding procurement legislation, technical issues, risk management, supply chain management and actively managing people including aiding in the development of the whole team.

Typically, they will have a track record of managing and developing a commercial team and be themselves a Chartered Member or Fellow of the RICS, CICES or CIOB, and a mentor/role model to other commercial staff on their journey to becoming professionally qualified.

What you'll be doing

Business and Customer Awareness

An ability to see the bigger picture and prioritise business opportunities

Willing to take initiative to respond to market/customer requirements

Understands how economic factors that affects the construction industry.

Provides commercial input to Value Engineering reviews for different forms of construction

Manages the feedback of commercial data to Planning and Estimating

The ability to review tenders and cost data

To manage the preparation of target cost for a project.

To co-ordinate the commercial team to ensure programme issues are identified and actioned

To manage the preparation and review of Earned Value Management

Manage the preparation of the monthly CVR and associated commercial reports.

To be able to report and explain the commercial progress to senior divisional staff.

To manage the feedback of commercial data to planning, estimating, marketing and sales

Establish client supply chain requirements and advise on alternative forms of contract and procurement arrangements

Formulation of management plans for resource procurement.

Understanding of disputes resolution including options, structure as well as knowledge of the SCL Protocol

Application of legislation and ability to liaise with legal experts

Preparation of Estimates & Tender submissions including the interpretation of specifications and preambles

Representation of the financial and contractual interests to your employer and/or client in progress meetings or the like.

Co-ordination of buying, accounts, production control/planning, supply chain management and procurement techniques, estimating and surveying functions

Management of project cost reporting

Management and reporting of commercial risk and opportunity

Management of disallowed cost

Experience in the recruitment and retention of staff

Identifies & targets the needs of individuals and self

Seeks & gives advice on training and development including professional

Gives feedback on strengths and weaknesses – connecting plans for development of individuals.

Determine project commercial staff requirement & liaison with HR for recruitment including temporary staff

Interviewing staff for lesser grades

Involvement with schools and universities to promote BB as a potential employer and to support sponsored students

Liaises with all parties to ensure task/project remains on plan

Who we're looking for

Ideally a BSc or MSc in Quantity Surveying or experience equivalent

Ideally possess experience gained from the Rail or Civil Engineering industries

Experience of NEC contracts Option A, C & E

Experience of project over large geographical area with multiple sub-projects

Experience of projects £50m+

The following qualities/experience are desirable:

Member or Fellow of RICS, ICES or CIOB

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualities;

Communication

Teamwork

Leadership

Strategic change management

Achievement focus (achieving results)

Business and customer awareness

Promotes organisational aims and objectives

Manages customer needs

Manages opportunities and threats

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Why join us?

As if Contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.

25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)

Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave

Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About us

Balfour Beatty works at the heart of the UK’s rail networks – designing, enhancing and maintaining thousands of miles of the railways that connect communities and underpin growth.

From feasibility studies, planning and design through to implementation and asset management, we provide multi-disciplinary rail infrastructure services across the lifecycle of rail assets. Our expertise covers electrification, track, power, civils, specialist rail plant, railway systems and technologies.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: candidaterecruitmentqueries@balfourbeatty.com

Job Reference: BBUK20324

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