Commercial Director

Spencer Richardson; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Car allowance

Executive salary

Opportunity for permanent role

Job summary

Spencer Richardson in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced Commercial Director on a 6-month Fixed-Term Contract, covering Midlands / South UK, with executive salary, car allowance and bonus potential. The role leads commercial performance across a multi-site highways and infrastructure business.

You will drive profitability, strengthen commercial governance and partner with Operations, Finance, Procurement and Business Development to deliver sustainable growth.

Qualifications

• Significant commercial leadership experience within a multi-site operational environment.
• Strong understanding of contract management and commercial governance.
• Proven track record in improving profitability and contract performance.
• Experience leading large and complex customer contracts.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial strategy across multiple contracts and regions.
• Provide commercial direction to senior operational and functional leaders.
• Drive accountability, margin protection and commercial awareness.
• Review contract profitability and implement improvement plans.
• Support tendering, pricing strategies and future growth initiatives.
• Manage stakeholder relationships and negotiate contract terms.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Contract management

Strategic thinking

Financial acumen

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Leadership

Job description

Commercial Director (FTC with the opportunity to go move to a permanent position)

Multi-Site Highways & Infrastructure Business

6-Month Fixed-Term Contract Midlands / South UK Coverage Executive Salary + Car Allowance + Bonus Potential

Lead Commercial Performance. Drive Growth. Protect Margin.

We are supporting a leading highways and infrastructure services business in the appointment of an experienced Commercial Director to provide strategic and operational commercial leadership across a diverse portfolio of contracts, depots and regional operations.

This is a high-impact leadership role for a commercially astute executive capable of driving profitability, improving contract performance and strengthening commercial governance across a complex, multi-site business.

Initially offered as a 6-month Fixed-Term Contract, this appointment has the potential to become a permanent position subject to business requirements and individual performance.

Reporting directly to the Executive Leadership Team, you will play a critical role in ensuring commercial decisions support sustainable growth, maximise contract profitability and protect the business against commercial risk.

The Opportunity

The business operates across highways, infrastructure and essential service contracts, delivering complex projects and operational services for public and private sector clients throughout the UK.

As Commercial Director, you will be responsible for creating greater commercial accountability across the organisation, improving visibility of contract performance and ensuring operational teams understand the commercial impact of their decisions.

This role requires a leader who can confidently balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution, working closely with Operations, Finance, Procurement and Business Development teams to improve overall business performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the commercial strategy across multiple contracts and operational regions
• Provide commercial direction to senior operational and functional leaders
• Drive a culture of accountability, margin protection and commercial awareness
• Ensure commercial objectives are aligned with wider business goals

Contract Performance & Profitability

• Review and improve contract profitability across the portfolio
• Challenge existing ways of working to increase efficiency and margin
• Implement robust contract performance monitoring and reporting
• Ensure opportunities for revenue growth and recovery are identified and delivered
• Lead commercial reviews of underperforming contracts and develop improvement plans
• Identify, manage and mitigate commercial risks across the business
• Ensure contractual obligations are effectively managed and delivered
• Support dispute resolution, contract negotiations and commercial claims where required
• Strengthen governance, controls and reporting procedures

Business Growth & Strategic Development

• Support tendering, bid reviews and pricing strategies
• Contribute to future growth initiatives and market expansion opportunities
• Evaluate contract opportunities and commercial viability
• Work alongside Business Development teams to support strategic client growth

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Build strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders
• Act as a senior commercial representative for major client engagements
• Provide commercial insight and support during contract negotiations and renewals
• Ensure customer relationships are commercially sustainable and mutually beneficial

Commercial Improvement

• Review existing commercial processes and identify opportunities for improvement
• Enhance reporting, forecasting and performance measurement
• Improve collaboration between commercial, operational and finance functions

What Success Looks Like

Within the first six months you will have:

• Improved visibility of contract and regional commercial performance
• Identified and delivered margin improvement opportunities
• Strengthened commercial governance and reporting frameworks
• Reduced commercial exposure and unmanaged risk
• Enhanced collaboration between operational and commercial teams
• Delivered measurable improvements in profitability and contract performance
• Established a clear roadmap for long-term commercial success

About You

We are seeking an experienced commercial leader who combines strong strategic thinking with practical operational understanding.

You will be comfortable influencing executive stakeholders, challenging operational assumptions and making commercially sound decisions that positively impact business performance.

Applications are welcomed from leaders operating within:

• Highways
• Infrastructure Services
• Civil Engineering
• Utilities
• Traffic Management
• Construction Services
• Rail Infrastructure
• Facilities Management

Experience Required

• Significant commercial leadership experience within a multi-site operational environment
• Strong understanding of contract management and commercial governance
• Proven experience improving profitability and contract performance
• Experience managing large and complex customer contracts
• Strong financial and commercial acumen
• Demonstrable experience leading high-performing commercial teams
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to influence and challenge senior operational and executive teams

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach
• Commercially driven and results focused
• Strong leader and coach
• Resilient and solutions orientated
• Excellent communicator with gravitas and credibility

What's on Offer

• Performance-related bonus opportunity
• Significant influence across a growing business
• Opportunity to shape commercial strategy and performance
• Exposure to major infrastructure and highways contracts
• Potential pathway to a permanent board-level role

Interested?

This is an outstanding opportunity for a proven Commercial Director to make a meaningful impact within a fast-paced infrastructure business, helping to strengthen commercial performance, improve profitability and support long-term growth.