Commercial Manager

Dowds; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 Days Holiday

Early Finish Fridays

Employee Private Medical cover

Life Assurance

Discretionary Bonus

Wellbeing Initiatives

Pension

Work from home

Job summary

Dowds, a long established building services engineering company in the UK, seeks a Senior Commercial Manager to drive commercial leadership across MEP projects. You will own cost control, forecasting, contract administration, and governance from preconstruction through final account.

You will develop robust budgeting, CVR reporting, and cash flow management while guiding project teams and strengthening client/subcontractor relationships. Strong negotiation and analytical skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Commercial Manager or Project Lead with MEP/building services.
• Strong track record in cost control, forecasting, and commercial performance.
• Experience administering contracts (NEC, JCT or similar) and managing changes.
• Strong commercial acumen with ability to influence project outcomes.
• Experience supporting operational teams with budgets and cost management.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• High attention to detail with strong analytical capability.
• Exposure to preconstruction and delivery phases.

Responsibilities

• Take full commercial ownership of projects from award to closeout.
• Lead cost control, budgeting, forecasting, and CVR reporting.
• Manage applications for payment, valuations, final accounts, and cash flow.
• Control and manage variations and contract administration.
• Monitor margins, identify risks and opportunities, and drive mitigation.
• Provide commercial guidance to Project Managers and teams.
• Ensure compliance with NEC/JCT and governance processes.
• Develop relationships with clients, subcontractors, supply chain.
• Lead tendering, bid support, and preconstruction inputs.
• Produce commercial reporting and KPI analysis.
• Support continuous improvement of processes and governance.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Cost control

Forecasting

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Preconstruction & delivery

Education

Degree in Quantity Surveying / Commercial Management

RICS membership (desirable)

Tools

NEC

JCT

Job description

Dowds is a long established, multidisciplinary engineering and construction Building Services Engineering company headquartered in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1978, ourexpertise spans the full lifecycle of complex-built environments from initial design and systems integration through to installation, commissioning, and handover. Across specific sectors: life science, commercial, education and healthcare. Operating at a gold standard for best managed company and investors in people, our vision is to set the standard for excellence, driving progress, responsibility, and lasting impact. While keeping our clients and our people at the heart of what we do.

We are seeking

Dowds are seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to provide strong commercial leadership across a portfolio of MEP projects, or a major scheme.

This is a senior role responsible for driving commercial performance, protecting margin, and strengthening governance across all stages of project delivery from preconstruction through to final account. You will work closely with operational and project teams to ensure commercially sound decisions, robust forecasting, and disciplined contract management.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Take full commercial ownership of projects or contract portfolios from award through to closeout
• Lead cost control, budgeting, forecasting, and CVR reporting to ensure strong financial performance
• Manage applications for payment, valuations, final accounts, and cash flow across projects
• Control and manage variations, change events, and contract administration processes
• Monitor margins, identify risks and opportunities, and drive mitigation strategies
• Provide commercial challenge, support, and guidance to Project Managers and operational teams
• Ensure compliance with contractual terms (NEC/JCT), governance processes, and company standards
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, subcontractors, and supply chain partners
• Lead and contribute to tendering, bid support, and preconstruction commercial inputs
• Produce commercial reporting, dashboards, and KPI analysis to inform decision-making
• Support continuous improvement of commercial processes and governance frameworks

Essential

What we are looking for

• Proven experience as a Commercial Manager, Project Lead with MEP or building services experience
• Strong track record of managing cost control, forecasting, and commercial performance across projects
• Experience administering contracts (NEC, JCT or similar) and managing change/variations
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to influence project outcomes.
• Experience supporting operational teams with budgets, forecasts, and cost management
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• High attention to detail with strong analytical capability
• Exposure to both preconstruction and delivery phases

Desirable

• Degree or qualification in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, or related discipline
• Professional membership (RICS or working towards)
• Experience across complex or multi-project environments (e.g. life sciences, healthcare, commercial)
• Experience leading or mentoring commercial teams

Why Join Dowds

• 41 Days Holiday
• Early Finish Fridays
• Employee Private Medical cover
• Life Assurance
• Discretionary Bonus
• Wellbeing Initiatives
• Pension
• Work from home
• Plus, many more

Dowds is an Equal Opportunities Employer