Commercial Associate Director - Defence

Mace; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Hybrid working

Private medical cover

Life assurance

Income protection

Competitive pension

Discretionary salary reviews

Family-friendly policies

Job summary

Mace is recruiting an Associate Director – Commercial to lead strategic commercial efforts within our Defence team in Derby. You will guide complex programmes, ensure governance, and advise senior stakeholders to drive client value.

The role requires extensive defence/commercial leadership experience, NEC contract knowledge, and SC clearance, with hybrid working in Derby area.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading commercial functions within Defence or similarly regulated environments.
• Extensive knowledge of NEC contracts and commercial governance principles.
• Proven experience managing commercial risk and assuring programme value-for-money.
• Strong leadership in high-performing, multidisciplinary project settings.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and managing complex client relationships.
• Current SC clearance is essential and experience in Defence/Nuclear programmes

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic commercial leadership across major programmes and portfolios.
• Act as senior commercial lead and trusted advisor to programme leadership teams.
• Establish and maintain commercial governance frameworks across delivery.
• Lead commercial risk management and informed decision-making.
• Oversee financial reporting, forecasting and assurance across projects.
• Develop and grow high-performing commercial teams.
• Drive commercial strategy, contract optimisation and value-for-money.
• Support procurement strategies aligned with programme objectives.
• Manage senior stakeholder relationships across clients and partners.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Commercial governance

Stakeholder management

Contract management

Risk and opportunity management

Leadership of multidisciplinary teams

Ability to influence senior decisions

SC Clearance (essential)

Education

MRICS or related accreditation

Degree in Quantity Surveying/Commercial Management or related

Job description

We are currently recruiting for an experienced and highly motivated Associate Director – Commercial to join our growing Defence team in Derby.

Working within a highly regulated environment, you will provide strategic commercial leadership across complex programmes, ensuring successful delivery, robust commercial governance and exceptional client outcomes.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to lead commercial teams, shape commercial strategy and act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders while contributing to some of the UK's most significant Defence programmes.

You'll Be Responsible For

• Providing strategic commercial leadership across major programmes and portfolios.
• Acting as the senior commercial lead and trusted advisor to programme leadership teams and key stakeholders.
• Establishing and maintaining commercial governance frameworks, ensuring compliance and best practice across programme delivery.
• Leading commercial risk and opportunity management, ensuring informed decision-making and successful programme outcomes.
• Overseeing commercial performance, financial reporting, forecasting and assurance activities across multiple projects.
• Leading and developing high-performing commercial teams, promoting collaboration, continuous improvement and professional development.
• Driving commercial strategy, contract optimisation and value-for-money outcomes throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Supporting procurement and contract strategies, ensuring alignment with programme objectives and business requirements.
• Managing senior stakeholder relationships across client organisations, delivery partners and supply chains.
• Identifying opportunities for service growth, innovation and enhanced client value.

You'll need to have

• Significant experience leading commercial functions within Defence, Nuclear, Infrastructure or other highly regulated environments.
• Extensive knowledge of NEC contracts, commercial governance, contract management principles and programme-level commercial assurance.
• Proven experience managing commercial risk, programme performance, commercial assurance activities and delivering value-for-money outcomes.
• Strong leadership experience, including developing and managing high-performing commercial teams and multidisciplinary project environments.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders, influencing strategic programme decisions and managing complex client relationships.
• Degree qualified in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management or a related discipline, with MRICS or other relevant professional accreditation preferred.
• Current SC Clearance (essential), with experience supporting major Defence or Nuclear programmes and working within complex client-side or integrated delivery environments.

What's On Offer

• Car allowance
• Hybrid working
• Private medical cover
• Life assurance
• Income protection insurance
• Competitive pension scheme
• Discretionary annual salary reviews
• Family-friendly policies
• 22 days annual leave + 2 Mace Days + 3-day Christmas shutdown + 1 additional day of leave for every 2 years of service + bank holidays