Head of Commercial

Thomas Gray; Northampton; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Thomas Gray, an established privately owned housebuilder, invites a senior commercial leader to take full ownership of commercial direction across Midlands and Home Counties. You will steer commercial teams, lead land feasibility and pre-construction budgets, and collaborate with land and construction directors to optimise site profitability.

The role requires a proven track record in quantity surveying, procurement, and cost management, with strong leadership and mentoring abilities to drive

Qualifications

• Demonstrable commercial leadership within a large residential developer or housebuilder.
• Experience overseeing quantity surveying, procurement and cost management.
• Proven track record leading land feasibility, viability reviews and pre-construction budgets.
• Strong leadership skills with mentoring of surveying teams.

Responsibilities

• Directing the quantity surveying and procurement teams to ensure financial control across all active developments.
• Leading commercial input on land acquisitions, delivering detailed feasibility studies and robust pre-start budgets.
• Driving effective supply chain strategies to negotiate terms and secure materials.
• Overseeing cost reporting, forecasting and budget management from appraisal to final account.
• Identifying value engineering opportunities during design to optimise margins.
• Managing cash flow projections to align with board expectations and business objectives.
• Resolving complex contractual matters and mitigating commercial risk across subcontractor agreements.
• Partnering with construction, technical and sales directors to maximise site profitability.
• Mentoring departmental team members and fostering a culture of high performance.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Head of Commercial

Quantity surveying

Procurement

Cost management

Land viability assessments

Pre-construction budgets

Mentoring teams

Job description

An opportunity to join our client, an established and highly regarded privately owned housebuilder with a proven track record of delivering high-quality residential schemes across the Midlands and Home Counties.

With an expanding strategic land bank and an ambitious pipeline of new sites coming forward, our client provides an outstanding environment for a senior leader seeking full operational ownership and long-term stability within a well-funded, growing business.

Key Responsibilities

• Directing the quantity surveying and procurement teams to ensure financial control across all active developments.
• Leading commercial input on land acquisitions, delivering detailed feasibility studies and robust pre-start budgets.
• Driving effective supply chain strategies to negotiate competitive terms, mitigate delivery risks and secure premium materials.
• Overseeing comprehensive cost reporting, accurate forecasting and stringent budget management from initial appraisal through to final account resolution.
• Identifying value engineering opportunities during the technical design phase to optimise margins without compromising build quality.
• Managing cash flow projections to align with board expectations and wider business objectives.
• Resolving complex contractual matters, mitigating commercial risk and ensuring strict legal compliance across all subcontractor agreements.
• Partnering closely with construction, technical and sales directors to maximise site profitability.
• Mentoring departmental team members, instilling best practice and fostering a culture of high performance.

Candidate Requirements

• Demonstrable commercial leadership experience as a Head of Commercial or Senior Commercial Manager within new build residential development.
• Comprehensive background overseeing quantity surveying, procurement and cost management within a regional or PLC housebuilder.
• Proven track record leading land feasibility assessments, Viability reviews and pre-construction budgets.
• Strong leadership qualities with experience mentoring and developing high-calibre surveying teams.