Commercial Manager

Sharp & Carter; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp & Carter is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to lead contract-led commercial activities across major civil infrastructure projects in Australia. The role reports to the Managing Director and wields genuine influence over commercial strategy, risk, and project outcomes.

This is a contract-led commercial position rather than a traditional finance role. You will ownership of complex contractual matters from tendering and negotiation through to delivery, claims management and dispute

Qualifications

• Significant experience in construction or infrastructure contracting across the project lifecycle.
• Strong negotiation and contract management capabilities for complex agreements.
• Proven ability to manage variations, extensions of time, and disputes.
• Sound understanding of Australian construction law and payment regimes.

Responsibilities

• Lead review, negotiation and management of complex contracts (head, subcontracts, JV agreements).
• Advise on contractual risk, strategy during tendering and delivery.
• Manage entitlements, variations, extensions of time, delay and disruption claims.
• Provide strategic advice on payment security, adjudications and settlements.
• Develop contract administration frameworks with proper notices and time bars.
• Collaborate with project teams to identify risks and protect commercial outcomes.
• Act as trusted adviser to senior management on major contractual matters.

Skills

Construction contracts

Negotiation

Claims management

Australian construction law

Stakeholder engagement

Contract administration

Job description

Our client is a well-established and highly regarded specialist contractor delivering technically complex civil infrastructure projects across Australia. With particular expertise in underground infrastructure, tunnelling, trenchless construction and utilities, the business has built a strong reputation for delivering challenging projects requiring innovative engineering solutions and sophisticated commercial management.

Operating within a major international construction group, the business combines the agility and accessibility of a specialist contractor with the resources, technical expertise and project opportunities of a global organisation.

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced Commercial Manager to play a pivotal role in protecting and enhancing the business's commercial position across its project portfolio.

About the Role:

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, this is a senior, highly visible position with genuine influence over commercial strategy, contractual risk and project outcomes.

Importantly, this is a contract-led commercial role rather than a traditional finance-focused position. The successful candidate will take ownership of complex contractual matters across the entire project lifecycle, from tendering and contract negotiation through to project delivery, claims management and dispute resolution.

Working closely with executive leadership, operational teams and external advisers, your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the review, negotiation and management of complex construction contracts, including head contracts, D&C agreements, subcontracts, supply arrangements and joint venture agreements.
• Advising on contractual risk, departures, qualifications and commercial strategy during tendering and project delivery.
• Managing contractual entitlements, including variations, extensions of time, delay, disruption, prolongation and latent condition claims.
• Providing strategic advice on security of payment matters, adjudications, contractual disputes and commercially appropriate settlements.
• Developing and improving contract administration frameworks, ensuring contractual obligations, notices and time bars are effectively managed.
• Partnering with project teams to identify emerging risks, preserve contractual entitlements and achieve commercially favourable outcomes.
• Acting as a trusted adviser to senior management, providing practical recommendations on significant contractual and commercial matters.

This is an opportunity to make a tangible impact within a business delivering technically challenging infrastructure projects, with the autonomy to influence decisions and improve commercial outcomes.

About You:

We are seeking an experienced construction contracts professional who combines strong technical expertise with sound commercial judgement and the confidence to engage with senior stakeholders.

You will ideally bring:

• Significant experience in construction or infrastructure contracting, whether gained as a Commercial Manager, Contracts Manager, in-house legal counsel or construction lawyer.
• Strong experience negotiating complex construction agreements and managing contractual risk throughout the project lifecycle.
• Demonstrated expertise in claims management, particularly variations, extensions of time, delay, disruption and contractual entitlements.
• A sound understanding of Australian construction law, security of payment legislation and dispute resolution processes.
• The ability to work effectively with project teams, operational leaders and senior executives.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to challenge commercial positions and provide clear recommendations.

Experience in civil infrastructure, utilities, tunnelling, trenchless construction or other technically complex engineering environments will be highly regarded. Legal qualifications or postgraduate studies in construction law would also be advantageous, although candidates with substantial contract-led commercial experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Location & Travel

While the business's executive leadership and key stakeholders are based in Queensland, there is an openness to considering experienced professionals based in Sydney who can demonstrate the flexibility to travel regularly to Queensland and other project locations.

Sydney office is based at Macquarie Park.

The position will involve interstate and potentially international travel, making it particularly attractive to someone who enjoys being closely connected to project delivery and working across different locations.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to step into a commercially influential position with direct access to the Managing Director, significant autonomy and exposure to complex infrastructure projects.

For someone who enjoys the technical and strategic aspects of construction contracting, rather than predominantly financial reporting, the role offers the chance to take genuine ownership of contractual strategy, manage challenging commercial issues and contribute directly to business performance.

You'll be joining an established specialist contractor backed by an international construction group, offering an appealing combination of responsibility, project complexity and long-term career opportunity.