Commercial Director (Commercial)

SYSTRA UK & Ireland; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SYSTRA UK & Ireland is seeking a senior leader to head the Client Side Commercial/PMO team. The role focuses on commercial assurance for capital programmes and projects, driving growth, repeat business, and high client satisfaction across awarded contracts and future opportunities.

The ideal candidate will have extensive NEC and client-side experience, plus a track record in managing time, cost, and quality while building high-performing teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in high value civil engineering, building, M&E, rail or general infrastructure projects (Client Side).
• Significant NEC experience with managing change control and related processes.
• Post-contract commercial services including reporting, payment, variations, claims management and final accounts.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Client Side commercial team to manage time, cost and quality through programme closeout.
• Create and maintain a diverse, high-performing team environment.
• Provide proactive commercial leadership with timely reporting and contract deliverables.
• Minimise client risk and maximise client value to generate repeat business.
• Ensure compliance with client processes and Line of Defence protocols.
• Identify emerging risks, report contractual claims and support dispute resolution.
• Recruit, onboard, develop, and retain talented team members.
• Build and maintain strong client and partner relationships.
• Collaborate with Commercial Directors to create a flexible resource pool for internal and client services.

Skills

Civil engineering

Construction management

NEC experience

Client side

Education

BA Hons / BSc in Commercial Management or Quantity Surveying

Chartered membership (CICES/RICS/CiArb)

Job description

Around the world, SYSTRA’s specialists plan, design, integrate, test, commission, project manage and deliver mass transit and mobility solutions that are relied on by more than 50 million people every day.

For more than 60 years, the Group has been committed to helping cities and regions contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their transport infrastructure with sustainability, accessibility and innovation at the heart of our designs. With over 10,300 colleagues globally and around 1000 in the UK & Ireland we are growing significantly and seeking out the very best talent to join the SYSTRA signature team and be part of leading the way in infrastructure design.

Context

The lead and grow the Commercial / PMO (Client Side) team in providing commercial assurance for our Client's capital programme / projects. This includes both awarded contracts and future opportunities. The key focus of the role is increasing the volume and breadth of services through growth and repeat business and client satisfaction.

Missions/Main Duties

• To lead the SYSTRA Commercial (Client Side) team in the effective management of time, cost and quality to plan, through to programme /project close out.
• Create and maintain a diverse thinking and high performing team environment.
• Provide proactive commercial leadership expertise to the SYSTRA Commercial (Client Side) team, ensuring that timely reporting and contract deliverables are maintained.
• Provide leadership within the SYSTRA Commercial (Client Side) team to minimise Client risk and maximise Client value, generating repeat business.
• Ensure compliance with all Client processes, in support of Line of Defence protocol.
• Identify emerging risks / issues, report contractual claims and support in the management and resolution of legal and/or commercial disputes in conjunction with the Client requirements.
• Responsible for the recruitment, onboarding, development, performance management, and retention of team members to build a high-performing and engaged team.
• Build and maintain positive key client and partner relationships.
• Work with peers (Commercial Directors) to establish a multi-disciplined resource pool with flexibility to undertake both internal and external (Client side) services
• Communicate relevant business updates, strategic objectives and key information to the team in a timely and effective manner, ensuring clarity and alignment.
• Ensure full compliance with people policies and procedures, proactively managing people-related risks to maintain a fair and safe work environment.
• Demonstrate behaviours aligned with SYSTRA’s behavioural framework by actively fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, respect, and empowerment, contributing to an environment where all collegues can thrive, achieve, and grow together.

Profile/skills

• Experience in high value civil engineering, building, M&E, rail or general construction and/or infrastructure projects (Client Side).
• Management and reporting of Client expectations and deliverables.
• Significant NEC experience with demonstrable experience in managing change control and associated processes.
• Specific expertise: experience of post-contract commercial services including those related to reporting, payment, variations, claims management and final account settlement.
• BA Hons/BSc degree in Commercial Management, Quantity Surveying (or similar).
• Professionally Chartered Membership to an accredited body (CICES/RICS/CiArb or equivalent).

Workplace Type

Hybrid