Commercial Manager

Sir Robert Mcalpine; Manchester; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible benefits

Career progression

Inclusive employer

Job summary

Sir Robert McAlpine is seeking an experienced Procurement Manager / Commercial Manager to lead the project procurement programme for a major UK construction development. You will manage TES, tender processes and contract awards, coordinating across commercial, design, construction and planning teams.

The role requires strong procurement leadership within a Construction Management framework, with emphasis on cost control, market engagement and timely decision-making.

Qualifications

• Significant procurement or commercial management experience with a Tier 1 contractor.
• Proven experience managing multiple high-value construction trade packages.
• Strong commercial tender evaluation, negotiation and contract management skills.
• Experience managing procurement programmes and identifying critical-path activities.
• Understanding of construction cost plans, design coordination and package interfaces.
• Excellent organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Advanced Excel and procurement reporting capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Take day-to-day ownership of the project's Tender Event Schedule (TES) and overall procurement programme.
• Coordinate procurement activities across commercial, design, construction and planning teams.
• Manage procurement strategies, tender lists, PQQs, tender processes, commercial evaluations and contract awards.
• Lead weekly procurement meetings, driving actions, accountability and timely decisions.
• Identify critical-path procurement activities, programme risks and emerging constraints.
• Oversee tender comparisons, commercial negotiations and procurement recommendation reports.
• Ensure procurement activities align with the project cost plan, budgets and commercial objectives.
• Coordinate PCSAs, Letters of Intent and trade contract preparation through to execution.
• Identify commercial risks, opportunities, scope gaps and package interfaces.
• Take ownership of the project's Procurement Control Centre, maintaining accurate package registers, actions, decisions and procurement milestones.
• Produce concise procurement dashboards, executive summaries and rolling four-week look-aheads.
• Monitor procurement performance, proactively escalating risks and decisions requiring intervention.
• Coordinate Employer Controlled Packages (ECPs), specialist procurement and long-lead equipment.
• Continually improve procurement processes and reporting efficiency.
• Work closely with the Employer, design consultants, project management team and trade contractors.
• Drive supply-chain engagement and maintain competitive procurement processes.
• Support local procurement and social value objectives while maintaining appropriate commercial and technical standards.

Skills

Tender evaluation

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Advanced Excel

Procurement reporting

Power BI

Negotiation

Cost planning

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed as Construction Manager for Therme Manchester, the UK's first urban wellbeing resort, located at TraffordCity. The £450m development is one of the most significant construction projects currently underway in the North West. The project will create a major new destination combining thermal pools, indoor and outdoor water experiences, botanical gardens, wellbeing facilities, immersive art and family attractions. Construction is underway, with completion scheduled for the end of 2028.

Why join us?

Since 1869 we've worked on building and civil engineering projects that have set the standard for others to follow - right up to present-day examples like the Eden Project, Olympic Stadium, and award-winning new Bloomberg building. After celebrating our 150th anniversary, we're looking forward with excitement to the projects and opportunities ahead. Our family-owned business is where to achieve more from your career by proudly building Britain's future heritage with us.

The Commercial Manager/Procurement Manager role

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Procurement Manager / Commercial Manager to lead and coordinate the procurement process on one of the UK's most significant and technically complex construction developments. Working within the senior commercial team, the successful candidate will take ownership of the project's procurement programme, managing multiple trade packages from initial strategy and market engagement through to tender evaluation, commercial recommendation and contract execution. The project operates under a Construction Management arrangement, with trade contractors appointed directly by the Employer. The role requires strong commercial expertise, procurement leadership and the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders while driving procurement activities to completion.

Procurement Management

• Take day-to-day ownership of the project's Tender Event Schedule (TES) and overall procurement programme.
• Coordinate procurement activities across commercial, design, construction and planning teams.
• Manage procurement strategies, tender lists, PQQs, tender processes, commercial evaluations and contract awards.
• Lead weekly procurement meetings, driving actions, accountability and timely decisions.
• Identify critical-path procurement activities, programme risks and emerging constraints.

Commercial & Contract Management

• Oversee tender comparisons, commercial negotiations and procurement recommendation reports.
• Ensure procurement activities align with the project cost plan, budgets and commercial objectives.
• Coordinate PCSAs, Letters of Intent and trade contract preparation through to execution.
• Identify commercial risks, opportunities, scope gaps and package interfaces.

Procurement Control & Reporting

• Take ownership of the project's Procurement Control Centre, maintaining accurate package registers, actions, decisions and procurement milestones.
• Produce concise procurement dashboards, executive summaries and rolling four-week look-aheads.
• Monitor procurement performance, proactively escalating risks and decisions requiring intervention.
• Coordinate Employer Controlled Packages (ECPs), specialist procurement and long-lead equipment.
• Continually improve procurement processes and reporting efficiency.

Stakeholder & Supply Chain Management

• Work closely with the Employer, design consultants, project management team and trade contractors.
• Drive supply-chain engagement and maintain competitive procurement processes.
• Support local procurement and social value objectives while maintaining appropriate commercial and technical standards.

Your profile

We are looking for an experienced construction professional with a strong commercial background who can independently manage a complex procurement programme.

Essential Experience

• Significant procurement or commercial management experience with a Tier 1 contractor.
• Proven experience managing multiple high-value construction trade packages.
• Strong commercial tender evaluation, negotiation and contract management skills.
• Experience managing procurement programmes and identifying critical-path activities.
• Understanding of construction cost plans, design coordination and package interfaces.
• Excellent organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Advanced Excel and procurement reporting capabilities.

Desirable Experience

• Major project experience (£200m+).
• Construction Management procurement arrangements.
• Procurement of structural steel, façades, concrete, MEP and specialist systems.
• Experience with Power BI or procurement reporting automation.

Rewards

We're ready to invest in you and your future, and offer wide-ranging, performance-related progression opportunities. Our competitive rewards packages feature flexible benefits to fit your lifestyle and priorities.

Sir Robert McAlpine is focused on being a truly inclusive employer, even if you don't meet every single requirement, we'd still love to hear from you. Especially if you're part of a group that is under-represented in Construction. Our goal is for Sir Robert McAlpine to proportionally represent the diversity of the working population in society. As a family-run business with strong family values, our aim is to ensure that Sir Robert McAlpine is a supportive, empowering and inclusive environment for every member of our team.