Commercial Manager

Smart 4 EPC; Potters Bar; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart 4 EPC is delivering one of Europe’s largest data centre developments in Hertfordshire, appointing a Commercial Manager to lead commercial governance across design, procurement and construction.

You will oversee budgets, cost reports, and contract administration for multi-million-pound packages, coordinating with engineers, PMs and the client’s team to align commercial strategy with programme needs.

Qualifications

• Experience on large-scale construction projects, ideally data centres.
• Proficient in NEC3/NEC4 contract forms.
• Experience managing multi-million-pound packages and subcontractor accounts.
• Understanding procurement routes and value engineering on complex phased builds.
• Desirable HV/electrical infrastructure experience.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Degree in QS/CM; chartership desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage commercial and contractual aspects of assigned packages from pre-construction to final account.
• Prepare, negotiate, and administer contracts with contractors and suppliers.
• Produce and maintain cost plans, budgets, cash flow forecasts, and cost reports for stakeholders.
• Lead on procurement strategy, tendering, and subcontractor selection.
• Manage valuations, payments, variations, and change control processes.
• Identify and mitigate commercial risk across the programme and escalate issues.
• Support resolution of disputes and extensions of time.
• Ensure compliance with project governance and CDM regulations.
• Collaborate with project teams to align commercial strategy with programme and technical needs.
• Monitor subcontractor performance and support final account close-out.
• Contribute to monthly commercial reporting and cost reviews.
• Support the wider commercial team on a multi-building hyperscale campus.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Communication

Risk management

Education

Degree in Quantity Surveying or Commercial Management

MRICS/MCIOB desirable

Tools

NEC3/NEC4

JCT contracts

Cost planning

Job description

Commercial Manager

Potters Bar / South Mimms, Hertfordshire

Competitive Salary

Project Overview

The successful candidate will join the delivery team on one of the largest planned data centre developments in Europe

The scheme comprises four data centre buildings (three at approximately 72MW and one at approximately 48MW), supported by major HV electrical infrastructure, dedicated substations, backup generation, advanced low-water cooling systems, and full campus infrastructure.

Role Purpose

The Commercial Manager will provide commercial leadership and control across a defined package or work area of the Potters Bar Data Centre campus, ensuring robust cost management, contract administration, and commercial governance throughout the design, procurement, and construction phases of this hyperscale, mission-critical development.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the commercial and contractual aspects of assigned packages (e.g. civils, MEP, HV infrastructure, cooling systems, or building shell & core) from pre-construction through to final account.
• Prepare, negotiate, and administer contracts (JCT, NEC3/NEC4, or bespoke forms) with contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.
• Produce and maintain accurate cost plans, budgets, cash flow forecasts, and cost reports for senior stakeholders and the client (Equinix/DC01UK).
• Lead on procurement strategy, tendering, and subcontractor/supplier selection for assigned packages.
• Manage valuations, applications for payment, variations, and change control processes.
• Identify, evaluate, and mitigate commercial risk across the programme, escalating issues as required.
• Support the resolution of contractual disputes, claims, and extensions of time.
• Ensure commercial compliance with project governance, CDM regulations, and industry best practice.
• Work closely with project managers, design teams, engineers, and the client's commercial team to align commercial strategy with programme and technical requirements.
• Monitor subcontractor performance against contractual obligations and support final account negotiation and close-out.
• Contribute to monthly commercial reporting, forecasting, and board-level cost reviews.
• Support the wider commercial team in managing the scale and complexity typical of a multi-building, phased hyperscale campus delivery.

Candidate Requirements

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Commercial Manager / Senior Quantity Surveyor on large-scale construction projects, ideally within data centres, mission-critical facilities, industrial, or major infrastructure sectors.
• Strong working knowledge of NEC3/NEC4.
• Demonstrable experience managing multi-million-pound packages, budgets, and subcontractor accounts.
• Sound understanding of procurement routes, cost planning, and value engineering on complex, phased builds.
• Experience managing commercial risk on projects with significant HV/electrical infrastructure and MEP content is highly desirable.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Degree-qualified in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, or a related construction discipline.
• MRICS, MCIOB, or working towards chartership (desirable).

Desirable:

• Prior experience on hyperscale or large-scale data centre developments.
• Experience working on projects requiring dedicated grid connections and complex substation/HV infrastructure.