Commercial Director (Rail)

SYSTRA UK & Ireland; York and North Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SYSTRA UK & Ireland is seeking a lead for the Commercial (Client Side) team to manage time, cost, and quality across major programmes. The role focuses on expanding services, managing risk, and delivering contract outcomes from a client-side perspective.

The position requires extensive NEC experience, strong leadership, and a Chartered membership. Hybrid work in the UK is offered with opportunities to grow repeat business and client satisfaction.

Qualifications

• 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.
• Post-contract commercial services including 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).

Responsibilities

• Lead the SYSTRA Commercial (Client Side) team in time, cost and quality management through programme close out.
• Create and maintain a diverse thinking and high performing team environment.
• Provide proactive commercial leadership to ensure timely reporting and contract deliverables.
• Minimise client risk and maximise client value, generating repeat business.
• Ensure compliance with client processes and Line of Defence protocol.
• Identify risks/issues and support resolution of disputes with client requirements.
• Recruit, onboard, develop, and retain high-performing team members.
• Build and maintain positive client and partner relationships.
• Collaborate with peers to allocate a multi-disciplined resource pool for internal/external services.
• Communicate business updates and strategic objectives clearly to the team.
• Ensure adherence to people policies and proactively manage people-related risks.

Skills

Commercial leadership

NEC experience

Stakeholder management

Team management

Education

BA/ BSc in Commercial Management

Chartered membership (CICES/RICS/CiArb)

Tools

NEC Contracts

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