Commercial Manager

Birmingham City Council; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Birmingham seeks a commercially astute leader for the role of Commercial Manager. You will oversee the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, ensuring robust financial control and high-performing contractual arrangements. Responsibilities include effective budget management, leading strategic contracts, and managing risks. Strong financial acumen and contract management expertise are essential. The position plays a critical role in housing delivery and impacts service outcomes directly.

Qualifications

• Professional-level qualification or equivalent experience in a commercial, financial or construction-related discipline.
• Strong understanding of the construction, maintenance and housing services market.
• Proven experience developing and managing long‑term partnerships with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Demonstrable success managing large budgets, forecasting spend and meeting operational targets.

Responsibilities

• Translate the HRA Business Plan into budgetary and contract management frameworks.
• Provide budgetary oversight, ensuring accurate financial forecasting and value-for-money assurance.
• Lead strategic contract management activities, including drafting and negotiation.
• Identify, manage and report on commercial and financial risks.

Skills

Contract management expertise

Strong financial acumen

Negotiation skills

Excel proficiency

Risk management

Education

Professional-level qualification in commercial, financial or construction-related discipline

Tools

Finance/contract management systems

Job description

We are seeking a commercially astute leader to ensure the Council's investment in housing delivers strong value for money, robust financial control and high-performing contractual arrangements. As Commercial Manager, you will translate the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan into effective budgetary and contract management frameworks, ensuring expenditure is scrutinised, risks are managed and operational targets are achieved. This role sits at the heart of housing delivery, working closely with Finance, Procurement and operational teams to strengthen commercial discipline and supplier performance across the supply chain.

What you'll be doing

• Translate the HRA Business Plan and Repairs & Maintenance budgets into effective forecasting, control and reporting frameworks.
• Provide budgetary oversight, ensuring accurate financial forecasting, spend analysis and value-for-money assurance.
• Lead strategic contract management activities, including drafting, negotiation, execution and variation control.
• Act as the primary contractual adviser and escalation point for internal teams and external suppliers.
• Develop and embed a robust Contract Management Framework to drive transparency, performance and relationship management.
• Identify, manage and report on commercial and financial risks, proposing practical mitigation solutions.
• Ensure compliance with Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, equality duties and health & safety requirements., Work at a strategic level across finance, housing, procurement and supply chain partners.
• Lead improvements in commercial governance, transparency and performance.
• Play a critical role in managing risk and ensuring financial sustainability within the HRA.
• Develop and shape best-practice contract and commercial management approaches.
• Operate in a role with high visibility and direct impact on service delivery.
• Be part of a Council committed to equality, safety and responsible use of public funds.

You will be a confident commercial professional with strong financial acumen, contract management expertise and the ability to influence at senior levels across complex environments.

Please upload your up-to-date CV via the attachments part of your application, this is required for shortlisting. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV attached.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. Our data tells us that for this level of role, ethnic minorities are underrepresented and therefore we will use positive action to support us to achieve diverse shortlists. This may mean that recruitment times are a little longer, but we think this is worth it to achieve our aim.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people. We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application. For any informal enquiries please contact the Resourcing Team. A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken. Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Qualifications

• Professional-level qualification or equivalent experience in a commercial, financial or construction-related discipline.
• Strong understanding of the construction, maintenance and housing services market.
• Proven experience developing and managing long‑term partnerships with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Demonstrable success managing large budgets, forecasting spend and meeting operational targets.
• Excellent contract management, negotiation and procurement skills.
• Ability to present complex financial and contractual information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Strong IT skills, including Excel and finance/contract management systems.