Head of Commercial - #2192519

The SLC Way

• To provide comprehensive, clear & honest advice regarding the end-to-end delivery of projects. Building lasting partnerships, through planned & deliberate interactions, in order to professionally and creatively guide our clients through complexity and make opening day happen.

Role Purpose

Lead the commercial discipline as SLC’s supply of competent commercial resources, methods and assurance for client commissions and agreed internal support. Translate regional demand into deliverable procurement and commercial services, develop the team and create propositions that Regional Leads can take to clients. Protect value through clear scope, sound judgement and effective contract management.

Key Responsibilities

·      Resource planning. Own the discipline capacity and allocation plan, matching confirmed work and opportunities supplied by Regional Leads to the right skills, availability and cost. Make resource commitments jointly with the relevant Project Director and maintain a forward view of demand.

·      People and capability. Line manage assigned employees, set objectives and maintain competence and development plans. Coach staff, support professional progression, plan succession and address performance or wellbeing concerns promptly. Coordinate associates through agreed appointments and standards.

·      Recruitment and deployment. Identify capability gaps and prepare recruitment, associate or partner proposals linked to the strategy and credible demand. Work with support functions to recruit, onboard and retain people. Redeploy capacity across regions and disciplines where this improves outcomes.

·      Quality and assurance. Own discipline methods, standards and proportionate assurance. Appoint competent reviewers, confirm deliverable readiness and address deficiencies. Remain accountable for the quality of discipline support while the Project Director retains accountability for the assigned project.

·      Discipline performance. Manage the agreed discipline budget and report capacity, utilisation, delivery quality and capability risks. Work with Finance and Project Directors to improve fee recovery and margin, resolve avoidable rework and manage forecast resource costs.

·      Bids and commitments. Provide credible scopes, deliverables, estimates, assumptions and resource plans for bids. Test feasibility before commitments are made and escalate capacity or competence constraints. Agree delivery interfaces, assurance requirements and handover arrangements before mobilisation.

·      Products and market contribution. Develop new or improved services from client needs, delivery experience and technical developments. Test their value, delivery method, competence requirements and economics. Equip Regional Leads with clear propositions and support targeted promotion, proposals and client discussions.

·      Collaboration and improvement. Work with other Heads to provide integrated teams and offers. Capture lessons, improve productivity and adopt appropriate digital tools with human review and information controls. Promote the SLC Way, practical problem solving and the value realised when projects enter use.

Discipline accountabilities

·      Commercial leadership. Define the commercial service offer and competence boundaries, including procurement, estimating, contract strategy and commercial management. Provide specialist advice to Regional Leads and Project Directors and identify where legal or other external expertise is required.

·      Procurement support. Lead the quality of procurement strategies, tender documentation, evaluation methods and recommendations prepared by the team. Confirm that client instructions, procurement routes, governance and applicable requirements are understood and reflected in the work.

·      Cost and value. Maintain proportionate estimating, cost planning and benchmarking methods. Require transparent assumptions, risk allowances and evidence, and help teams test affordability, value and the commercial consequences of delivery choices.

·      Contracts and negotiation. Provide competent support on contract interpretation, pricing, negotiation and risk allocation. Review proposed terms within delegated authority, explain exposures and seek specialist legal advice where needed before commitments are made.

·      Commercial control. Own discipline methods for change control, forecasting, reporting and supporting the valuation of work. Help Project Directors maintain evidence, manage variations and resolve issues early, with appropriate records and escalation.

·      Internal commercial support. Provide agreed assurance over SLC bids and commercial commitments, working with Finance and accountable Directors. Define review thresholds and responsibilities clearly; project budgets, financial control and contract signature remain with their authorised owners.

·      Service development. Develop repeatable client offers in procurement, commercial strategy, cost and contract management. Use delivery evidence and market feedback to improve services, and equip Regional Leads to explain their value and identify follow-on opportunities.

Working relationships

·      Regional Leads. Regional Leads own local client engagement, opportunity development and regional business growth. Agree demand forecasts, bid support and resource commitments with them, and feed new service propositions and delivery intelligence back into their client plans.

·      Project Directors and Seniors. The appointed Project Director owns project outcomes, scope, programme, budget and client delivery. The Head supplies competent resources and discipline assurance. Agree assignments, priorities and corrective action together; escalate unresolved conflicts to the accountable Director.

·      Other Heads and support functions. Resolve cross-discipline dependencies with fellow Heads. Work with Finance on performance and forecasts, HR on recruitment and development, and business support on systems and mobilisation. Maintain a shared resource view rather than competing discipline work banks.

·      Accountable Director. Agree the discipline plan, budget, service investment and delegated authority. Report material risks and performance transparently. Seek decisions on unresolved priorities, recruitment or expenditure outside authority and changes that materially affect delivery commitments.

Person Specification

Skills & Competencies

Essential

·      Relevant commercial, quantity surveying, procurement or related qualification, or equivalent substantial professional experience.

·      Appropriate professional standing, such as RICS, CICES or CIPS membership, or equivalent evidence of competence.

·      Experience leading commercial teams and allocating resources across concurrent infrastructure or railway commissions.

·      Strong judgement in procurement, estimating, contracts, negotiation and commercial risk, including the limits of non-legal advice.

·      Ability to produce clear commercial recommendations and support effective change, forecasting and reporting.

·      Experience developing people and working constructively with clients, delivery leaders, Finance and legal advisers.

Desirable

·      Experience of relevant infrastructure contract forms and public-sector procurement environments.

·      Evidence of developing commercial service propositions or improving cost and contract management methods.