Overview
Head of Commercial – United Kingdom
Job Description
Costain’s aim is to shape, create and deliver solutions which transform the infrastructure ecosystem, to achieve sustainable growth in our four essential markets in the UK: Transport, Water, Energy and Defence.
Our Energy business helps our customers transition to clean energy, while providing practical solutions to improve the efficiency, sustainability and resilience of existing infrastructure. We focus on delivering engineering, construction and digital solutions to support the UK’s transition to a low-Carbon economy. We deliver Engineering services in production, processing and distribution. We provide professional and managed services through to construction completion, focusing on three key customer drivers: Energy Transition, Energy Resilience and Energy Connectivity.
As part of our drive for sustainable growth we have an exciting opportunity in our Energy team for an experienced Head of Commercial with a particular focus on Connectivity projects. As Head of Commercial you will have a strong track record in providing strategic direction and commercial leadership for Electricity Transmission and Distribution projects with recent and relevant experience of delivering to key customers in this rapidly expanding market.
The Commercial Director (Head of Commercial) will support the Sector Commercial Director in the management of resources and succession planning. They will have extensive and proven experience in ensuring commercial delivery in line with the Company’s objectives with specific capability in providing strategic direction and management of Electricity Transmission and Distribution infrastructure projects. National Grid is a key target market therefore recent experience of working with National Grid is preferred but experience with other providers such as SSE would also be relevant in this context.
The Commercial Director (Head of Commercial) will be disciplined and commercially astute with the ability to identify, analyse and develop responses to commercial risks, taking ownership and responsibility with accountability for compliance with the Company’s governance and ensuring that any contract specific requirements are adhered to. Excellent stakeholder management skills are a must, along with highly developed skills to motivate, inspire and persuade. Must be able to use judgment and experience to help with the development of new/improved Company procedures and on the translation of policy into operational plans.
Within a defined delegated level of authority, this role is responsible for enabling and supporting the Energy Sector in achieving its commercial objectives.
This is a remote role with travel to our London, Manchester and Aberdeen offices as required
Applications close Friday 23rd May 2025
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Responsibilities
- Accountability for fully effective commercial management, and optimal contract recovery.
- Accountability for satisfactory commercial close out of completed projects.
- Ensure the commercial robustness of tender submissions in accordance with company’s commercial work winning process/governances.
- Accountability for supply chain management (including supply chain contract administration).
- Accountability for maximising cash flow
- Ensuring that claims are closely managed, deadlines are set and met and resolved while ensuring the best outcome for Costain.
- Ensure that financial reports are accurate and provide consistent, transparent and reliable information.
- Ensure that contract reports/CLRs are accurate and reflect the current and forecast commercial position of the project.
- Accountability for ensuring compliance with company procedures and contract requirements.
- Accountability for ensuring appropriate commercial records are maintained in line with the contract requirements and overseeing the resolution of any contractual issues.
- Providing guidance and support to the commercial team and developing the skills and competencies of commercial staff.
- Ensuring a consistent approach to commercial issues across the Sector and cross Sector.
- Accountability for all matters relating to insurances relevant to the project.
- Responsibility for interfacing with other disciplines to enable optimal solutions to be established.
- Accountable for ensuring that all commercial activities are focussed and support the company’s Strategic Priorities.
- Responsibility for representing the company’s interest and, where applicable, acting as a director on Joint Venture Boards.
- Responsibility for ensuring that staff attrition is minimised.
- Responsible for implementation of the company’s commercial assurance programme and commercial strategy.
- Advise on Risk management.
- Understanding the implications of health and safety regulations.
- Ensure all health, safety and environmental risk situations are brought to the attention of Contract Leader / Project Manager.
Qualifications
- Proven expertise in power infrastructure projects with ability to oversee portfolios of projects
- Minimum 15 years post-graduate commercial experience in the construction industry with demonstrable and proven track record of achievement
- Holds an RICS / CICES accredited degree
- Full Membership of RICS or CICES
- Must be a skilled leader able to effectively communicate with all stakeholders
- Demonstrable and proven financial and commercial acumen with ability to navigate challenging and changing situations in a measured way
- Creative, strategic, and innovative approach to problem-solving
- Proven leadership and team-working skills demonstrating the ability to inspire, motivate, develop and lead large and diverse teams to deliver to or above target levels of performance.
- Ability to enhance and develop the capability of team members and support their professional accreditation
- Practical and assured approach with logical thought process and a methodical way of working.
- Fully proficient in drafting effective contractual correspondence and the facilitation of collaborative solutions.
- Fully effective in developing & implementing procurement and contract strategies.
- Exemplary analytical skills.
- Demonstrable and proven legal, contractual and construction knowledge and experience.
- Fully effective in implementing and delivering strategic objectives and associated change programmes.
- Confidence and ability to assert influence.
About Us
Costain helps to improve people’s lives with integrated, leading edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK’s energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company. We will achieve this by focusing on blue chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments, legislation or essential performance requirements. We offer our clients leading edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future-shaping strategic consultancy; consultancy and advisory; digital technology solutions; asset optimisation and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.
Costain appreciate the time and effort taken when applying for one of our positions but, due to the high volume of responses, we are unable to provide individual feedback on candidates at application phase.
We do share individual feedback following an interview .
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that disclose they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.
It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.
For more details please go to the Disability Confident website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign
IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
