Commercial Manager

Unik Construction Engineering (Pty) Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Unik Construction Engineering (Pty) Ltd seeks a Branch Commercial Manager to safeguard contract profitability and ensure 100% contractual compliance. You will manage the commercial health of contracts (FIDIC) and oversee costs, variations, and payments with precision.

The role requires deep experience in civil construction, multi-million projects, and strong reporting discipline to prevent time-barring of claims and optimise cash flow.

Qualifications

• Bachelor level degree in a relevant field (Quantity Surveying/Construction Management).
• Diploma in Construction Law or equivalent.
• Registered with SACQSP as Pr.QS.
• Minimum 15 years in civil construction with road/bridge/earthworks exposure.
• 7+ years in a Commercial Manager role for a large contractor.

Responsibilities

• Meticulous contract administration and claim management.
• Contract reconciliation and CR reporting.
• Cash flow optimization and payment lifecycle management.
• Procurement and subcontract management.

Skills

Financial modeling

Reporting

Forensic auditing

Cash flow forecasting

Education

BSc/BTech in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management

Diploma in Construction Law

Pr.QS registration

Tools

RIB CCS (Candy)

BuildSmart

Excel

Job description

1. JOB PURPOSE

The Branch Commercial Manager is the primary custodian of each contract’s financial health and contractual integrity. The purpose of this role is to maximise profit margins and safeguard the company against commercial risk through the meticulous administration of construction contracts (primarily FIDIC) and the rigorous management of project costs.This role requires a "zero-defect" mindset. The incumbent is expected to provide an uncompromising level of detail in reporting, ensure 100% contractual compliance to prevent "time-barring" of claims, and manage cash flow with extreme precision. You are the "Commercial Shield" of the branch, ensuring that every variation is captured, every certificate is paid, and every sub-contractor is managed with absolute discipline.

2. KEY JOB OUTPUTS AND ELEMENTS

Output 1: Meticulous Contractual Administration & Claim Management

Output 2: Contract Reconciliation (CR)

Output 3: Cash Flow Optimization & Payment Lifecycle

Output 4: Procurement & Sub-contract Management

3. MINIMUMREQUIREMENTS (EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)

• Primary Degree: B.Sc or B.Tech in Quantity Surveying or Construction Management.
• Post-Graduate: A Diploma in Construction Law.
• Professional Registration: Pr.QS (South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession).

• Total Career: Minimum of 15 years in the civil engineering construction sector with extensive hands-on experience in roads, bridges and earthworks.
• Seniority: At least 7 years in a Commercial Manager role for a largescale contractor.
• DFI/Government Focus: Proven experience managing multi-million-dollar projects funded by the AfDB, World Bank, or EIB.
• Contractual Expertise: Expert-level knowledge of the FIDIC Suite (Red, Yellow, and Silver books) and the NEC3/4 framework.

4. CORE COMPETENCIES & TECHNICAL SKI

• LLS Technical Skills Software Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in RIB CCS (Candy) and Build smart is non-negotiable.
• Forensic Auditing: The ability to audit a Bill of Quantities (BoQ) to find hidden risks or opportunities for value engineering.
• Financial Modeling: High proficiency in Excel for complex cash flow forecasting and "what-if" margin analysis.
• Reporting: Ability to produce reports that are concise, accurate, and visually professional.