Commercial Manager
Location: Cumbria
About us:
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure delivers some of the UK’s most complex and critical infrastructure across six core sectors. From working on projects and long-term frameworks, we believe in connecting people, places and communities through responsible infrastructure. Our people are our business. We leverage their expertise to design and deliver safe, resilient infrastructure through innovative solutions. Morgan Sindall Infrastructure is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with revenue of over £3 billion.
Position summary:
Primarily reporting to the Project Commercial Lead, providing daily support and guidance on all project commercial matters. Accountable for the commercial project deliverables stream for a project within the PPP structure.
About this role:
This successful candidate will be accountable for delivering high‑quality results through clear goal setting, strong analytical thinking, and consistent performance. The individual must align objectives with the broader organisational goals, using sound judgement based on thorough analysis of available data to identify priorities and plan effectively.
Effective communication is essential, including the ability to adapt style to different audiences, actively listen, and use strong questioning techniques.
Collaboration is key, with responsibility for building effective working relationships across teams. The individual should adapt to different team environments, promote cohesion, and contribute to shared objectives. Strong leadership is required, demonstrating visible direction, taking accountability, and maintaining effectiveness in complex or pressurised situations.
Negotiation skills are also needed to understand different perspectives, develop structured cases, and reach balanced outcomes. People development is a core responsibility, ensuring the team’s growth aligns with business objectives by recognising strengths, supporting ambitions, and using a wide range of development tools.
Key responsibilities:
Commercial leadership & compliance
- Lead the commercial function at a day to day project level, ensuring full compliance with contract requirements, internal governance, and approved project procedures.
- Provide consolidated commercial insight and clear recommendations to the Project Commercial Lead to support strategic decision‑
- Implement and continuously improve commercial management processes, ensuring they remain robust, efficient, and aligned with project governance.
Team leadership
- Manage the project commercial team, setting performance expectations, monitoring outputs, and ensuring consistently high‑quality delivery.
- Embed best practice, promote learning from experience, and support the development of commercial capability across the team.
Commercial controls & reporting
- Own all internal commercial reporting, including monthly CVRs, business forecasts, margin analysis, and KPI monitoring.
- Ensure accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of all financial and commercial information provided to stakeholders.
- Oversee preparation and submission of monthly applications for payment (AFP), client forecasts, and support supply chain commercial performance.
Contract management & procurement
- Act as the initial escalation point for contractual matters, resolving issues within delegated authority and escalating appropriately.
- Develop and agree subcontract terms and conditions aligned with project commercial strategy.
- Build effective relationships with procurement and supply chain teams to ensure timely and commercially robust package procurement.
Risk, opportunity & performance management
- Identify, quantify, and manage commercial risks and opportunities at project level.
- Partner with technical leads to provide insight into supply chain performance and commercial compliance.
- Ensure delivery of internal and external commercial targets across cost, margin, risk, and cash.
Refined accountabilities
- Ensuring all commercial data and reporting is accurate, validated, and communicated in line with governance requirements.
- Highlighting emerging issues, risks, or deviations to the Project Commercial Lead at the earliest opportunity.
- Maintaining full compliance with all legislative, regulatory, corporate, and project‑specific standards.
- Contributing to continuous improvement across the commercial and supply chain functions.
- Adhering to and promoting the principles of the Collaborative Management Plan.
- Ensuring commercial positions, contractual arrangements, and claims are fully justified, evidence‑based, and aligned with approved project strategies.
- Ensuring timely resolution of internal and external audit queries.
Essential experience & capability
- Significant experience leading and developing commercial teams on large, complex projects, ideally £100m+.
- Deep knowledge of major contract forms (e.g., NEC3/4, JCT, and bespoke agreements), including their commercial management, administration, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Proven experience developing business cases, commercial strategies, and subcontract procurement approaches for major projects.
- Strong track record of collaborative working across multidisciplinary project teams and supply chain partners.
- Demonstrable ability to provide clear, authoritative commercial reporting and present confidently to senior leadership on commercial, financial, and operational performance.
- Broad commercial management skill set, covering cost control, risk and opportunity management, forecasting, margin management, contract governance, and commercial assurance.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder‑management skills, with the ability to influence and guide both internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to obtain (or current holder of) security clearance appropriate for UK nuclear industry work.
Preferred Experience
- Experience within the nuclear sector or other highly regulated environments (e.g., defence, rail, utilities, energy).
- Chartered membership of a recognised professional body (RICS, CIOB, or equivalent) or working towards chartership.
What’s in it for you?
- Generous, incremental holiday entitlement with the option to buy five days
- Family friendly policies and work/life approach
- Mentoring programmes and continuous learning support
- Contributory pension scheme
- Annual bonus scheme
- Recognition scheme and long service awards
- Company car/car allowance
- Private Medical Insurance
We offer a share-save scheme, discounts like cycle-to-work and gym memberships, plus support services for colleagues and their families.
The application process
Click "Apply" to upload your CV, provide contact details, and answer a few role-specific questions. Once your application is reviewed, our Talent team will notify you of the outcome. If selected, you’ll be invited to either an in-person or virtual interview via Teams.
At Morgan Sindall, we are an equal opportunities employer and Investors in People company, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace.
Morgan Sindall employs only those with the legal right to work in the UK. Proof of eligibility is required during the recruitment process.
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies. Please note that any CVs submitted will be deemed as gifted to Morgan Sindall and any agency terms & conditions associated with the use of such CVs will be null and void.