Commercial Director

Commercial Director - Water

Location: Peterborough (Flexible Hybrid)

Our client, a Tier 1 Contractor in the UK Water sector, is seeking an experienced Commercial Director to join its leadership team in Peterborough.

This is an outstanding opportunity to lead the commercial function on a major infrastructure programme, driving strategic decision-making, commercial excellence, and collaborative project delivery that will enhance communities and support the long-term resilience of water infrastructure.

As Commercial Director, you will be responsible for developing and delivering the commercial strategy across a large-scale infrastructure programme, ensuring outstanding commercial performance while supporting collaborative delivery outcomes.

Reporting into the Executive Leadership Team, you will provide strategic commercial guidance and oversee all aspects of commercial management, estimating, contract administration, governance, risk management, and supply chain performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the commercial strategy, ensuring commercial performance consistently exceeds expectations.
• Lead and inspire the commercial, estimating and contract management teams, creating a high-performing and collaborative culture.
• Provide strategic commercial advice to Executive and Board-level stakeholders to support critical business decisions.
• Establish and maintain robust commercial governance, assurance and reporting frameworks.
• Lead the commercial management of complex NEC-based programmes, including risk, change control, claims management and contractual compliance.
• Drive value creation through effective cost management, forecasting, financial controls and value engineering initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, alliance partners and the wider supply chain to achieve best-for-project outcomes.
• Develop and implement resilient, sustainable and high-performing supply chain strategies.
• Champion innovation, digital commercial practices and continuous improvement across the commercial function.
• Foster an inclusive environment where individuals can develop, perform and thrive.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring a strong blend of strategic leadership capability, commercial expertise and major project delivery experience.

Requirements

• Significant senior commercial leadership experience within major infrastructure programmes valued at several hundred million pounds or more.
• Proven success in leading commercial strategy within complex engineering, utilities, infrastructure or construction environments.
• Extensive experience managing NEC contracts across large capital delivery programmes.
• Strong knowledge of procurement, contract administration, commercial governance, cost control and risk management.
• Experience operating within regulated sectors and collaborative delivery models.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience engaging at Executive, Board, client and partner level.
• Degree qualified or equivalent experience in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Finance, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Professional membership of RICS, CIOB, CICES or an equivalent professional body.

This is a unique opportunity to join a leading Tier 1 Contractor and play a key role in delivering critical infrastructure that will benefit communities and the environment for generations to come. If you''re a commercially astute leader with experience in major infrastructure programmes, we''d love to hear from you.