Commercial Manager

Wates Smartspace; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Wates Property Services are seeking a Commercial Manager to oversee a portfolio of social housing planned maintenance and refurbishment contracts across London. You will lead a team of Quantity Surveyors, drive profitability, manage client relationships, and ensure robust commercial controls to deliver projects on time and within budget.

The role requires extensive experience in social housing projects, strong leadership, and a deep understanding of JCT/NEC contracts.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Commercial Manager or Senior Quantity Surveyor in social housing planned works.
• Experience managing multiple contracts simultaneously.
• Strong leadership with responsibility for commercial teams.
• Excellent knowledge of planned maintenance, refurbishment, and housing investment programmes.
• Solid understanding of JCT and NEC contracts.

Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial performance of multiple social housing planned works contracts across London.
• Manage and develop a team of Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors.
• Ensure robust commercial controls across all contracts.
• Drive profitability, cash collection, and commercial best practice.
• Oversee valuations, variations, change control, and final accounts.
• Support operational teams in achieving commercial and delivery objectives.
• Manage client commercial relationships and attend contractual review meetings.
• Identify and mitigate commercial risks while maximising opportunities.
• Produce accurate forecasting, budgeting, and monthly reporting.
• Support bid submissions, contract mobilisation, and business growth initiatives.
• Promote collaboration and continuous improvement across the team.

Skills

Commercial management

Leadership

Social housing

Contract knowledge

Forecasting

Stakeholder management

Education

QS/CM degree or professional qualification

Job description

Lead Commercial Success Across a Growing Social Housing Portfolio

Due to continued growth across our Planned Works division, Wates Property Services is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to oversee a portfolio of social housing planned maintenance and refurbishment contracts across London.

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially astute leader with a proven track record in the social housing sector. You'll have responsibility for driving commercial performance across multiple contracts, leading a team of Quantity Surveyors and commercial professionals, whilst partnering closely with operational teams to ensure successful project delivery.

The Role

Reporting into the Senior Commercial Leadership Team, you will provide strategic commercial management across a range of planned works programmes, ensuring contracts are delivered profitably, sustainably, and in line with client expectations.

Projects are likely to include:

• Planned maintenance programmes
• Kitchen and bathroom replacement schemes
• Roofing works
• Window and door replacement programmes
• External refurbishment projects
• Retrofit and decarbonisation schemes
• Multi-workstream housing investment contracts

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial performance of multiple social housing planned works contracts across London.
• Manage and develop a team of Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors.
• Ensure robust commercial controls are in place across all contracts.
• Drive profitability, cash collection, and commercial best practice.
• Oversee contract valuations, variations, change control, and final accounts.
• Support operational teams in achieving both commercial and delivery objectives.
• Manage client commercial relationships and attend contractual review meetings.
• Identify and mitigate commercial risks while maximising opportunities.
• Produce accurate forecasting, budgeting, and monthly reporting.
• Support bid submissions, contract mobilisation, and business growth initiatives.
• Promote collaboration, continuous improvement, and commercial excellence across the team.

About You

Essential Experience

• Proven experience in a Commercial Manager or Senior Quantity Surveyor role within social housing planned works.
• Experience managing multiple contracts simultaneously.
• Strong leadership experience with responsibility for managing commercial teams.
• Excellent knowledge of planned maintenance, refurbishment, and housing investment programmes.
• Strong understanding of JCT and NEC forms of contract.
• Demonstrable experience managing contract profitability and commercial risk.
• Excellent client-facing and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and financial awareness

Desirable

• Experience working on retrofit, PAS 2035, and decarbonisation projects.
• Experience within a Tier 1 contractor or established social housing contractor.
• Relevant degree or professional qualification in Quantity Surveying or Commercial Management.
• Membership of RICS or working towards chartership.

Given the nature of this position, you will need to undergo a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check(DBS)at offer stage. Applicants with criminal convictions will be assessed individually, and we assure you that we do not discriminate based on an applicant's criminal record or the details of any disclosed offenses. Additionally, certain roles may be subject toadditionalpre-employment checks.