Commercial Manager - Ceiling & Drylining

Londinium Recruitment; Woodham Ferrers; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Londinium Recruitment's client is seeking an ambitious Commercial Manager for Ceiling, Drylining & Fit-Out, based in Essex. The role offers a genuine pathway to Managing Director within 2–3 years and involves close collaboration with the current MD.

You will oversee commercial performance across multiple live projects, manage budgets, CVRs, procurement and final accounts, and lead a small commercial team. The position is largely office-based with site visits across London and the South East.

Qualifications

• Strong commercial experience within fit-out, refurbishment or interior packages.
• Previous experience at Commercial Manager level, or as a senior commercial professional ready to step up.
• Excellent knowledge of contracts, CVRs, procurement, variations and final accounts.
• The ability to manage the commercial performance of multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong leadership, communication and client-facing skills.
• A commercial mindset with an understanding of the wider operational needs of an SME contractor.
• The ambition, personality and leadership ability to progress into a Managing Director position.
• Able to work from the Essex office and travel to sites when required.

Responsibilities

• Taking overall commercial responsibility across multiple live projects.
• Managing project budgets, cash flow, forecasting and profitability.
• Producing and reviewing CVRs and providing accurate commercial reporting.
• Reviewing contracts and identifying commercial risk.
• Overseeing procurement and subcontractor appointments.
• Managing valuations, variations and final accounts.
• Supporting and developing the existing commercial team.
• Working closely with operational teams to protect programme and margin.
• Building strong relationships with clients, consultants and supply-chain partners.
• Supporting the Managing Director with wider business planning and growth.
• Gradually taking on greater responsibility for the overall leadership and direction of the company.

Skills

Commercial management

Budgeting

CVR reporting

Contract knowledge

Team leadership

Client liaison

Job description

Commercial Manager - Ceiling, Drylining & Fit-Out

Genuine pathway to Managing Director within 2-3 years

Up to £100,000

Essex

This is not just another Commercial Manager vacancy.

Our client is looking for an ambitious senior commercial professional who wants to take the next major step in their career, initially joining as Commercial Manager before progressing into the Managing Director role within the next two to three years.

You will work closely with the current MD, learn every aspect of the business and gradually take on wider responsibility for its people, clients, performance and future direction.

For someone with the right experience, personality and ambition, this is a rare opportunity to move beyond commercial management and eventually lead an established, successful construction business.

The Company

Our client is an established fit-out and interiors contractor with an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality commercial projects across London and the wider South East.

Established for almost 30 years, the business has grown into a successful multi-million-pound contractor while retaining the close-knit, family feel of an SME.

Their capabilities cover commercial fit-out, refurbishment, drylining, ceilings, glazed partitions, fire protection, carpentry and bespoke interior solutions.

They work across the commercial, retail, leisure, residential and public sectors, with an impressive portfolio of offices, hotels, retail spaces, museums and other technically demanding environments.

The company has an excellent pipeline of secured work and is now looking to appoint someone who can help drive its next stage of growth before eventually taking responsibility for leading the business.

The Role

You will initially take overall responsibility for the commercial performance of the business, working closely with the Managing Director and overseeing projects from pre-construction through to final account.

The role will be predominantly office-based from the company's Essex head office, with regular visits to projects across London and the South East.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Taking overall commercial responsibility across multiple live projects
• Managing project budgets, cash flow, forecasting and profitability
• Producing and reviewing CVRs and providing accurate commercial reporting
• Reviewing contracts and identifying commercial risk
• Overseeing procurement and subcontractor appointments
• Managing valuations, variations and final accounts
• Supporting and developing the existing commercial team
• Working closely with operational teams to protect programme and margin
• Building strong relationships with clients, consultants and supply-chain partners
• Supporting the Managing Director with wider business planning and growth
• Gradually taking on greater responsibility for the overall leadership and direction of the company

The Long-Term Opportunity

The successful person will have a genuine and clearly defined pathway to progress into the Managing Director position within two to three years.

The current MD wants to bring someone into the company who can learn the business properly, build trust with the team and clients, and gradually take on responsibility for its overall performance and future direction.

This is an opportunity to establish yourself as a future business leader, with genuine influence, direct access to the senior leadership team and the ability to shape the next chapter of an established contractor.

Requirements

• Strong commercial experience within fit-out, refurbishment or interior packages
• Previous experience at Commercial Manager level, or as a senior commercial professional ready to step up
• Excellent knowledge of contracts, CVRs, procurement, variations and final accounts
• The ability to manage the commercial performance of multiple concurrent projects
• Strong leadership, communication and client-facing skills
• A commercial mindset with an understanding of the wider operational needs of an SME contractor
• The ambition, personality and leadership ability to progress into a Managing Director position
• Able to work from the Essex office and travel to sites when required