Strategic Commercial Lead – Margin & Bid Execution

ODS Engineering; Munster; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

ODS Engineering seeks a Head of Commercial to balance win strategy, risk management, pricing, and margin protection while aligning with Design, Manufacturing, and Delivery teams. The role focuses on profitability, risk control, and commercial discipline across projects.

The successful candidate will lead tendering, cost planning, and contract negotiations, ensuring robust controls and cross-functional collaboration to deliver commercially robust and executable projects.

Qualifications

• Experience leading commercial function for complex projects.
• Strong track record in tendering, cost planning, and contract management.
• Experience with NEC/JCT or bespoke contracts is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Own project margin from tender through final account across business units.
• Establish and maintain commercial controls and reporting structures.
• Drive pricing strategies aligned to market conditions and risk.
• Lead contract negotiations and approvals (NEC, JCT, bespoke).
• Guide the procurement function to support growth and supplier terms.

Skills

Commercial leadership

Tendering

Cost planning

Contract management

Pricing strategy

Stakeholder influence

Cross-functional collaboration

NEC/JCT awareness

Job description

The Head of Commercial is central to balancing win strategy, risk management, pricing, and margin protection, while working closely with Design, Manufacturing, and Delivery teams to ensure commercially robust and executable projects. The focus is on driving profitable growth, managing risk, and ensuring commercial discipline across all projects.

Key Responsibilities

· Own project margin from tender through to final account for all business units

· Establish and maintain clear commercial controls and reporting structures

· Ensure robust cost planning, pricing, and margin control across all projects

· Develop KPIs across the commercial function and wider business

· Introduce and drive consistency in commercial processes and reporting

· Ensure systems are established and accurately track costs, forecasting, and reporting

· Lead monthly commercial reviews with project and operational teams

· Drive proactive management of cost overruns, delays, and scope changes

· Manage change control, variations, and claims processes

· Lead contract negotiations and approvals (e.g. NEC, JCT, bespoke contracts)

· Identify, manage, and mitigate commercial risks across all projects

· Lead the estimation function to develop pricing strategies aligned to market conditions, risk profile, and operational capacity

· Review tender documentation and identify commercial risks and opportunities

· Ensure alignment between commercial offer and operational delivery capability

· Lead client engagement and negotiations during bid/contract negotiation stages

· Develop the procurement department to ensure the function can support the business’s growth plans

· Support development of strategic supply chain relationships

· Ensure robust subcontractor and supplier commercial terms are in place across all projects

· Monitor supply chain performance and commercial risk exposure

· Work closely with, Design, Procurement, Manufacturing & Project Delivery teams.

· Strong financial and commercial acumen with a focus on margin optimisation

· Proven commercial leadership experience in M&E, Modular/offsite construction, Data centre or mission-critical environments (highly desirable)

· Strong background in tendering, cost planning, and contract management

· Experience managing commercial performance across multiple concurrent projects

· Deep understanding of standard forms of contract (NEC, JCT, bespoke)

· Ability to influence senior stakeholders and operate cross-functionally

· Minimum 10+ years’ experience in relevant sectors