Commercial Manager - Didcot

Laing O'Rourke; Dartford; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Laing O''Rourke is delivering a £1.5bn+ hyperscale data centre project in Didcot. We are recruiting a Commercial Manager or Senior Commercial Manager to lead commercial aspects, drive change control, and maximise commercial value while collaborating with clients, consultants and subcontractors.

You will mentor Commercial Managers and QSs, manage risk, monitor cash flow, and provide expert guidance to project teams to ensure on-time delivery and robust financial controls.

Qualifications

• Degree (or higher) in Quantity Surveying or Commercial Management.
• Membership of RICS desirable, but not essential.
• Experience delivering major construction or infrastructure projects, ideally data centres.
• Proven ability to lead commercial teams on large, technically challenging projects.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial management of a major work package, working with project leadership, clients, consultants and subcontractors.
• Drive change control, ensuring variations are identified, valued, negotiated and recovered.
• Identify, manage and mitigate commercial risks while maximising opportunities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead, mentor and develop Commercial Managers, Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors.
• Oversee interim applications, valuations, payments and commercial agreements.
• Manage subcontractor procurement, negotiations and final account settlement.
• Prepare and manage contractual claims, ensuring entitlements are protected.
• Lead commercial reporting activities, including cost forecasting, contract reviews, cash flow management and BPR submissions.
• Provide expert contractual and commercial advice to project teams and senior stakeholders.
• Negotiate with clients, subcontractors and consultants to secure positive commercial outcomes.

Skills

Degree in QS/CM

RICS desirable

Commercial leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Education

Quantity Surveying/Commercial Management degree

Job description

Are you a Senior Commercial Manager or a Commercial Manager ready to take the next step in your career while working on one of the UK's largest and most complex data centre developments?

Do you have experience delivering commercial success across major infrastructure, mission-critical or data centre projects?

Would you like to play a key role in delivering one of the UK's most ambitious digital infrastructure projects?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Opportunity

Laing O'Rourke is delivering a £1.5bn+ hyperscale data centre project in Didcot, one of the UK's largest and most significant digital infrastructure developments.

We are looking for a Commercial Manager or Senior Commercial Manager to join our project team and play a key role in the commercial leadership and successful delivery of this flagship programme.

Working as part of a high-performing team, you'll contribute to the delivery of a technically complex, fast-paced project while collaborating with industry-leading professionals on one of the UK's most ambitious data centre developments. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on critical digital infrastructure.

What will the role look like?

• Lead the commercial management of a major work package, working closely with project leadership, clients, consultants and subcontractors.
• Drive effective change control, ensuring variations are identified, valued, negotiated and commercially recovered in a timely manner.
• Identify, manage and mitigate commercial risks while maximising opportunities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead, mentor and develop Commercial Managers, Quantity Surveyors and Assistant Quantity Surveyors, fostering a high-performing commercial team.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary delivery teams to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Oversee interim applications, valuations, payments and commercial agreements.
• Manage subcontractor procurement, administration, negotiations and final account settlement.
• Prepare and manage contractual claims, ensuring commercial entitlements are protected.
• Lead commercial reporting activities, including cost forecasting, contract reviews, cash flow management and Business Plan Review (BPR) submissions.
• Provide expert contractual and commercial advice to project teams and senior stakeholders.
• Negotiate with clients, subcontractors and consultants to secure positive commercial outcomes while maintaining strong working relationships.
• Ensure robust commercial governance, contract compliance and financial controls are maintained throughout project delivery.
• Communicate commercial risks, opportunities and change impacts clearly and proactively to senior stakeholders.

What skills & experience are we looking for?

• Degree (or higher) qualification in Quantity Surveying or Commercial Management.
• Membership of RICS is desirable, but not essential.
• Experience delivering major construction or infrastructure projects, ideally within data centres.
• Proven ability to lead commercial teams on large, technically challenging projects.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• A proactive, collaborative approach with a strong commercial mindset and attention to detail.

About us:

We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.