Senior Commercial Manager | Master-Planned Residential Developments

Empower Management | Recruitment Partner | Technical, Leadership & Executive Retained Search; Gold Coast City; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Empower Management, a Gold Coast based recruitment partner, is seeking a Senior Commercial Manager to lead commercial performance across master-planned residential developments. The role oversees procurement, contract negotiations, budgets and profitability for a $200m+ portfolio.

You will work directly with executive leadership, development teams and construction stakeholders to optimise cost outcomes and manage supplier agreements across multi-stage projects scheduled to commence in early

Qualifications

• Proven senior commercial management experience delivering master-planned residential communities.
• Strong understanding of integrated residential development and construction delivery.
• Experience managing development budgets, financial forecasting, and project profitability.
• Negotiation skills and subcontractor management.
• Thorough understanding of the development lifecycle from feasibility to completion.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial strategy, procurement and contract negotiations across multiple master-planned developments.
• Oversee construction budgets, cost planning, cash flow forecasting and profitability.
• Manage procurement strategies, trade packages, subcontractor appointments and supplier agreements.
• Review development feasibilities and financial assumptions to protect margins.
• Oversee contractual compliance, variations, claims and commercial risk.
• Coordinate between civil infrastructure delivery and residential building construction.
• Collaborate with development managers, construction teams, architects and engineers to achieve objectives.
• Identify cost efficiencies and provide commercial reporting to leadership.

Skills

Senior commercial leadership

Procurement & contracts

Budgeting & cost control

Cash flow forecasting

Contract negotiations

Stakeholder management

Job description

Senior Commercial Manager | Master-Planned Residential Developments

Gold Coast Based | $200m+ Development Portfolio | Senior Leadership Opportunity

• Lead commercial outcomes across major master-planned residential communities.
• Oversee procurement, construction costs, contracts and project profitability.

Genuine commercial authority within a growing developer-builder business.

The Opportunity

Our client is an established residential property developer and builder expanding across Queensland, with a substantial pipeline of master-planned residential communities projects commencing in early 2027.

With a portfolio exceeding $200 million plus and up to 500 new homes planned, for stage the business is seeking an experienced Senior Commercial Manager to lead commercial performance across its development and construction operations.

This is an opportunity for someone who understands the complexities of delivering large-scale, multi-stage residential developments, from initial feasibility and infrastructure through to residential construction and completion.

Reporting directly to the Executive Manager, you will have genuine authority over procurement, contractor appointments, commercial negotiations and financial performance, supported by established internal resources.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead commercial strategy, procurement and contract negotiations across multiple master-planned residential developments.
• Oversee construction budgets, cost planning, cash flow forecasting and profitability across multi-stage residential building programs.
• Manage procurement strategies, trade packages, subcontractor appointments and supplier agreements across residential construction operations.
• Review development feasibilities, project cost plans and financial assumptions to protect development and construction margins.
• Oversee contractual compliance, variations, claims, contractor performance and commercial risk.
• Manage the commercial interface between civil infrastructure delivery and residential building construction.
• Work collaboratively with development managers, construction teams, architects, engineers and consultants to achieve project objectives.
• Identify cost efficiencies, improve procurement outcomes and provide commercial reporting and recommendations to executive leadership.

Experience & Capabilities

We are seeking an experienced commercial leader with a background in large-scale residential development and construction, ideally gained within an integrated property development and building business.

• Proven senior commercial management experience delivering master-planned residential communities, multi-stage housing developments, gated communities or retirement living projects.
• A strong understanding of integrated residential property development and construction delivery.
• Nnegotiations and subcontractor management.
• Experience managing significant development and construction budgets, financial forecasting, cost control and project profitability.
• A thorough understanding of the development lifecycle, including feasibility, approvals, infrastructure, residential construction and project completion.
• Strong commercial judgement, negotiation skills and the confidence to make independent commercial decisions.

The ability to work effectively with executive management, development teams and construction delivery personnel.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is more than a traditional commercial management role.

You'll have the authority to influence procurement, construction costs and commercial strategy across substantial residential developments, rather than simply administering contracts.

With major developments in Mackay and Bundaberg scheduled to commence in early 2027, and continued expansion planned across Queensland, you’ll play an important role in shaping the business’s commercial performance and future growth.

Location: Gold Coast, with regional project visits approximately once per month.

Employment: Permanent, full-time.

If you have built your career managing the commercial performance of major residential communities and understand the complexities of delivering multi-stage developments at scale, we welcome a confidential conversation.