Commercial Analyst

South West Water Limited; Exeter; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days annual leave (increasing with

Holiday buy and sell scheme

Competitive pension with employer cont

Life assurance

Group income protection

Parental leave

Employee share schemes

Health cash plan

Free annual flu vaccination

Employee Assistance Programme

Free on-site parking at Exeter HQ

Cycle to Work scheme

Car share scheme

On-site canteen

Give As You Earn charity

Paid volunteering day

Retail discounts

Job summary

South West Water is seeking a Commercial Analyst to join the Operations Contracts Team in Exeter. You will transform large volumes of data into insights to support decision-making, cost control and contract governance, focusing on Network Repair & Maintenance contracts.

The role involves analysing data, developing dashboards in Power BI and Excel, producing forecasts, and challenging processes to improve financial assurance and operating efficiency.

Qualifications

• Experience in a financial, commercial or business analysis role.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data sets.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively.
• Ability to work accurately under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Commercial awareness and a proactive approach to continuous improvement.
• Confident, self-motivated and capable of working collaboratively across multiple teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage full contract data lifecycle: extracting, cleansing, analysing and modelling high-volume operational data.
• Develop and maintain commercial reporting dashboards using Power BI and Excel.
• Produce cost forecasts and monitor expenditure across operational contracts.
• Analyse cost and performance trends to identify risks, opportunities and efficiencies.
• Support monthly contract performance reviews through insightful reporting and analysis.
• Implement and maintain financial and commercial controls to strengthen contract governance.
• Auditing contractor costs including labour, plant, materials and subcontractor expenditure, ensuring accurate allocation and NEC contract compliance.
• Provide detailed analysis and recommendations to support commercial and operational decision-making.
• Act as the key commercial interface between contractors, operational teams, finance colleagues and quantity surveyors.
• Support procurement and operational teams to optimise contractor performance and spend.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reporting accuracy and financial controls.
• Deliver meaningful commercial insight that contributes to the successful delivery of operational objectives.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Excel

Stakeholder management

Communication

Organisation

Education

Degree in Finance/Commercial Management

AAT qualification

Professional body membership

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

About the Role

We're looking for a commercially minded and analytical Commercial Analyst to join our Operations Contracts Team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in managing and analysing the financial and operational performance of our contractor-delivered services, with a particular focus on Network Repair & Maintenance (R&M) contracts.

You’ll be responsible for transforming large volumes of operational and commercial data into meaningful insights that support decision-making, cost control, and contract governance. Working closely with operational teams, finance colleagues, contractors, and commercial specialists, you’ll help ensure contract performance is effectively monitored, risks are identified early, and expenditure is accurately managed.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with complex data, challenging existing processes, and driving improvements that deliver greater financial assurance and operational efficiency.

What You'll Be Doing

• Managing the full contract data lifecycle, including extracting, cleansing, analysing and modelling high-volume operational data.

• Developing and maintaining commercial reporting dashboards using Power BI and Excel.

• Producing cost forecasts and monitoring expenditure across operational contracts.

• Analysing cost and performance trends to identify risks, opportunities and efficiencies.

• Supporting monthly contract performance reviews through insightful reporting and analysis.

• Implementing and maintaining financial and commercial controls to strengthen contract governance.

• Auditing contractor costs, including labour, plant, materials and subcontractor expenditure, ensuring accurate allocation and compliance with NEC contract requirements.

• Providing detailed analysis and recommendations to support commercial and operational decision-making.

• Acting as the key commercial interface between contractors, operational teams, finance colleagues and quantity surveyors.

• Supporting procurement and operational teams to optimise contractor performance and spend.

• Identifying opportunities to improve processes, reporting accuracy and financial controls.

• Delivering meaningful commercial insight that contributes to the successful delivery of operational objectives.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Previous experience in a financial, commercial or business analysis role.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data sets.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively.

• Ability to work accurately under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

• Commercial awareness and a proactive approach to continuous improvement.

• Confident, self-motivated and capable of working collaboratively across multiple teams.

Desirable

• Degree qualified in Quantity Surveying, Finance, Commercial Management or a related discipline.

• AAT qualification or equivalent financial qualification.

• Membership of a relevant professional institution.

• Experience within the water, utilities or operational infrastructure sector.

• Knowledge and understanding of NEC contracts.

Why Join Us?

At South West Water, we provide reliable water and wastewater services to millions of customers across the South West, and our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and rewarding workplace where everyone can thrive and make a meaningful impact.

South West Water Benefits

• 23 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays), increasing with length of service.

• Holiday buy and sell scheme.

• Competitive pension scheme with company contribution matching.

• Life assurance.

• Group income protection.

• Competitive maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.

• Employee share schemes, including share matching opportunities.

• Health cash plan.

• Free annual flu vaccination.

• Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 support.

• Free on-site parking at our Exeter headquarters.

• Cycle to Work scheme.

• Car share scheme.

• On-site canteen at Peninsula House.

• Give As You Earn charity donation scheme.

• Paid volunteering day.

• Retail discounts and employee savings platform.

Closing Date: 11th November 2026

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.