Group Commercial Director

Parkinson | Lee Executive Search; England; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK engineering services group is seeking an experienced Group Commercial Director to shape and execute commercial strategy. This senior leadership role involves overseeing commercial matters, managing contracts, and leading a high-performing team. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in engineering construction and a proven leadership background. The position offers a hybrid work model with travel across the UK.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in engineering construction or regulated environments.
• Successful management of large contracts and negotiations.
• Experience leading commercial teams across functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of group-wide commercial strategy.
• Provide oversight on all commercial matters with focus on NEC, JCT contracts.
• Drive performance and governance across project lifecycles.
• Support business development to secure future work.
• Coach and develop a high-performing commercial team.
• Contribute at board level to shape operational direction.

Skills

Commercial strategy development

Contract negotiation

Team leadership

Financial governance

Education

Degree in a relevant discipline

Chartered status (RICS or equivalent)

Job description

Parkinson Lee Executive Search are the retained partners to a leading UK engineering services group, operating predominantly within the Energy / Power Generation sector. With a turnover approaching £100m and a strong reputation for delivery across major infrastructure, new build, and decommissioning programmes, our client is poised for significant growth and transformation.

Overview

As part of the next phase of their strategic development, the Group is seeking to appoint an experienced Group Commercial Director to join the board and take a lead role in shaping and executing commercial strategy across the organisation.

This is a high-impact, senior leadership opportunity for a commercially astute and contractually strong executive with a background in engineering construction or infrastructure-related environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of group-wide commercial strategy to support profit growth, project delivery, and long-term value creation
• Provide oversight on all commercial and contractual matters, with specific focus on NEC, JCT, and other standard form contracts
• Drive performance and commercial governance across project lifecycles, ensuring financial rigour and alignment with strategic goals
• Support business development and bid functions to secure and optimise future work pipelines
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing commercial team; embed best practice and continuous improvement
• Act as a key contributor at board level, working cross-functionally to shape operational and strategic direction

Candidate Profile

• A proven senior commercial leader with significant experience in engineering construction, infrastructure, or highly regulated project environments
• Demonstrable success managing large, complex contracts and negotiating pre- and post-award terms
• Experienced in leading commercial teams and working across functional boundaries to drive outcomes
• Degree-qualified in a relevant discipline; chartered status (RICS or equivalent) is advantageous

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a respected UK business at a time of growth and evolution. The position requires a hands-on, commercially sharp executive who can operate at both strategic and operational levels and who has a proven leadership background within businesses that have been on a growth trajectory.

Location: Hybrid – Head Office in the Northwest (8 days/month) with national site travel

Seniority level

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Sales, Business Development, and Strategy/Planning

Industries

• Services for Renewable Energy, Construction, and Engineering Services