Commercial Director

Turner & Townsend; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Turner & Townsend is seeking a Commercial Director to lead commercial management on a major nuclear infrastructure expansion in Houston, TX. The role focuses on contract administration, change management and cost impacts across multiple contractors to protect the client’s commercial interests.

Based in Houston with travel to client sites as required, you will build a high-performing commercial team, establish governance frameworks, and drive value through disciplined commercial strategy and risk

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive commercial, contracts, cost management or major project delivery experience.
• Experience leading commercial functions on large-scale construction, infrastructure, energy or mission-critical projects.
• Proven ability to build and lead commercial organizations and multidisciplinary teams.
• Deep understanding of commercial strategy, governance and contracting models on capital projects.
• Experience developing commercial models, incentive structures and performance mechanisms.
• Strong cost management, forecasting, earned value, cash flow and financial reporting.
• Experience managing complex contract portfolios and major commercial negotiations.
• Experience in Progressive Design-Build, GMP and cost-reimbursable environments.
• Executive-level stakeholder management and leadership capabilities.
• Certifications CPSM, MCIPS, PMP, CCM, MRICS are advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the integrated commercial function, including commercial management, cost management, contracts management, procurement, supply chain, change management, and commercial governance.
• Establish and lead a high-performing commercial organization, including recruitment, development, mentoring, performance management, and succession planning of commercial personnel.
• Develop and implement commercial strategies, operating models, governance frameworks, and ways of working to support successful project and program delivery.
• Lead development of commercial delivery models, financial incentive regimes, performance-based contracting approaches, and commercial risk allocation strategies.
• Provide executive oversight of project cost management activities, including estimating, budgeting, forecasting, cost reporting, contingency management, and financial performance monitoring.
• Direct commercial administration of major design, construction, professional services, and supplier contracts.
• Lead commercial negotiations and resolution of complex contractual, entitlement, risk, and commercial matters with contractors, consultants, and suppliers.
• Establish commercial controls and reporting frameworks to provide leadership visibility into cost, change, risk, trends, commitments, and forecast outcomes.
• Oversee change management processes ensuring changes are appropriately evaluated, negotiated, approved, and incorporated into project forecasts.
• Act as the executive commercial advisor to project leadership, providing guidance on contractual strategy, commercial risk, procurement strategy, and financial performance.
• Foster collaboration between commercial, procurement, project controls, finance, legal, design, and construction teams to drive aligned project outcomes.

Skills

Executive leadership

Commercial governance

Cost management

Contract negotiations

Stakeholder management

Education

CPSM / MCIPS / PMP / CCM / MRICS

Job description

• Department: Energy and natural resources

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over22,000 peoplein more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure,energyand natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.

Our capabilities includeprogram, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estateservicesand investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premierprogram, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Job Description

Role Overview

Turner & Townsend is seeking a highly motivated Commercial Director to lead commercial management and administration of a major nuclear infrastructure expansion project on behalf of our client. The successful candidate will assist in developing and managing commercial processes, contract administration, change management, cost impacts, and contractor performance throughout the project lifecycle.

The role requires an experienced commercial leader capable of operating within a complex, multi-contractor environment while protecting the client's commercial interests and supporting effective project delivery. The Commercial Director will work closely with project controls, procurement, risk management, engineering, and construction teams to ensure sound commercial governance and decision-making.

Houston, Texas based and travel to client sites required (frequency to be determined)

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the integrated commercial function, including commercial management, cost management, contracts management, procurement, supply chain, change management, and commercial governance.
• Establish and lead a high-performing commercial organization, including recruitment, development, mentoring, performance management, and succession planning of commercial personnel.
• Develop and implement commercial strategies, operating models, governance frameworks, and ways of working to support successful project and program delivery.
• Lead development of commercial delivery models, financial incentive regimes, performance-based contracting approaches, and commercial risk allocation strategies.
• Provide executive oversight of project cost management activities, including estimating, budgeting, forecasting, cost reporting, contingency management, and financial performance monitoring.
• Direct commercial administration of major design, construction, professional services, and supplier contracts.
• Lead commercial negotiations and resolution of complex contractual, entitlement, risk, and commercial matters with contractors, consultants, and suppliers.
• Establish commercial controls and reporting frameworks to provide leadership visibility into cost, change, risk, trends, commitments, and forecast outcomes.
• Oversee change management processes ensuring changes are appropriately evaluated, negotiated, approved, and incorporated into project forecasts.
• Act as the executive commercial advisor to project leadership, providing guidance on contractual strategy, commercial risk, procurement strategy, and financial performance.
• Foster collaboration between commercial, procurement, project controls, finance, legal, design, and construction teams to drive aligned project outcomes.

Project/Program specifics:

• Supports delivery of a major capital program comprising a large-scale, high-value building development and associated civil infrastructure works.
• Responsible for establishing and leading the commercial function within an evolving project organization.
• Operates within collaborative delivery environments utilizing Progressive Design-Build, cost-reimbursable, GMP, and other alternative delivery structures.
• Oversees commercial performance across contracts, stakeholders, project phases, and delivery partners.
• Provides leadership for commercial governance, risk management, project controls integration, and financial stewardship throughout the program lifecycle.
• Interfaces regularly with executive leadership, project sponsors, external partners, and senior contractor and consultant leadership teams.
• SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive commercial, contracts, cost management, or major project delivery experience.
• Significant experience leading commercial functions on large-scale construction, infrastructure, industrial, advanced manufacturing, energy, or mission-critical projects.
• Demonstrated success building and leading commercial organizations and multidisciplinary commercial teams.
• Deep understanding of commercial strategy development, risk allocation, commercial governance, and contracting models utilized on major capital projects.
• Experience developing commercial models, incentive structures, performance mechanisms, and contractor compensation frameworks.
• Strong expertise in project cost management, forecasting, earned value principles, cash flow management, contingency management, and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex contract portfolios and major commercial negotiations.
• Experience working within Progressive Design-Build, GMP, target value, and cost-reimbursable environments.
• Strong executive-level stakeholder management and leadership capabilities.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM, MCIPS, PMP, CCM, MRICS or equivalent are advantageous.

Additional Information

*On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs*

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property ofTurner & Townsend and arenot subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team,to submit candidates for review.