Commercial Manager

The Hard Hat Professional Sa; Durban; On-site; ZAR 850,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading civil engineering firm is seeking a highly experienced Commercial Manager to oversee the financial and contractual aspects of civil engineering projects. The ideal candidate has 8-10 years of experience in commercial management, strong negotiation skills, and a thorough understanding of project lifecycles and relevant legislation. This is a full-time, mid-senior level position critical for the success of large-scale infrastructure developments across South Africa.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in commercial management.
• Proven track record in managing substantial project budgets.
• Experience in tendering, contract negotiation, cost control, and dispute resolution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the financial and contractual aspects of civil engineering projects.
• Ensure commercial viability and manage risks.
• Uphold contractual integrity from project inception to close-out.

Skills

Commercial Acumen

Contractual Expertise

Risk Management

Negotiation & Influence

Strategic Thinking

Problem-Solving

Communication & Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying or related field

Professional registration as Pr.QS or Pr.Eng

Post-graduate qualifications (e.g., MBA, Construction Law)

Job description

Join to apply for the Commercial Manager role at The Hard Hat Professional SA.

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Commercial Manager to lead the financial and contractual aspects of our civil engineering projects.

The successful candidate will be instrumental in ensuring commercial viability, managing risks, optimizing profitability, and upholding contractual integrity from project inception to close-out.

This role is critical to our success in delivering large-scale infrastructure developments across South Africa.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in commercial management within the civil engineering and infrastructure construction sector.
• Proven track record in managing substantial project budgets (e.g., R50M+) and complex contractual agreements (e.g., FIDIC, NEC, JBCC).
• Experience in tendering, contract negotiation, cost control, risk assessment, claims management, and dispute resolution on civil engineering projects (e.g., roads, bridges, water infrastructure, earthworks).
• Solid understanding of project lifecycles within a contracting environment.
• Experience with relevant South African construction legislation and industry standards (e.g., CIDB regulations).

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
• Professional registration (e.g., Pr.QS with SACQSP, Pr.Eng with ECSA) is highly advantageous.
• Post-graduate qualifications (e.g., MBA, Construction Law) are a strong plus.

Key Skills

• Commercial Acumen: Understanding of financial principles, cost control, budget management, and profitability drivers.
• Contractual Expertise: Knowledge of contract forms, clause interpretation, risk management, and claims.
• Risk Management: Proactive risk identification and mitigation.
• Negotiation & Influence: Strong negotiation skills for favorable outcomes.
• Strategic Thinking: Developing and implementing commercial strategies.
• Problem-Solving: Analytical skills for complex issues.
• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Articulating complex information effectively.

The role is at the Mid-Senior level, full-time, within the Construction industry.

This job is active and accepting applications.