Senior Commercial Manager - Pre-Construction (Head of Contracts)

Commercial Manager
Pre-Construction (Head of Contracts Level)

Glasgow | Permanent
Civil Engineering | Infrastructure | Energy
Excellent Salary + Company Car + Bonus + Benefits

This is a rare opportunity to step into one of the most influential commercial leadership roles within one of Scotland''s leading civil engineering contractors.

Working directly with the Board and senior operational leaders, you''ll help shape how major infrastructure and energy projects are procured, negotiated and commercially governed—from pre-construction through to delivery.

This isn''t a role focused on managing a quantity surveying team or overseeing the commercial delivery of a single project.

Instead, it''s an opportunity for someone who enjoys solving commercial problems, influencing strategic decisions and ensuring projects are established on the strongest possible commercial and contractual footing before work even begins.

If you''re looking for a role where your experience can genuinely influence the future direction of a business—not simply the outcome of individual projects—this could be the opportunity you''ve been waiting for.

Unlike many senior commercial appointments, this role is centred around the front end of projects.

Rather than becoming immersed in the commercial management of one scheme, you''ll help shape how multiple major infrastructure and energy projects are commercially structured, procured and delivered across the business.

Your influence will extend across:

• Commercial strategy
• Contract negotiation
• Procurement approach
• Commercial governance
• Risk allocation
• Major business decisions

before continuing to support operational teams throughout project delivery.

You''ll join a collaborative leadership team where commercial, operational and estimating functions work together rather than in silos, creating an environment where practical thinking, experience and sound judgement are genuinely valued.

As one of the business''s senior commercial leaders, you''ll become a trusted adviser to Directors and operational teams, providing commercial leadership across a diverse portfolio of major infrastructure and energy projects.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic commercial leadership across multiple projects.
• Leading commercial input into tender strategy, procurement and project mobilisation.
• Reviewing, negotiating and advising on NEC, FIDIC and SBCC contracts.
• Identifying commercial and contractual risks and advising on mitigation strategies.
• Supporting bids and pre-construction activities to ensure projects are established on the strongest possible footing.
• Leading commercial negotiations with clients, subcontractors and supply chain partners.
• Strengthening commercial governance, systems and best practice across the business.
• Supporting claims strategy, change management and dispute avoidance.
• Coaching and mentoring colleagues to further develop commercial capability across the organisation.

This is a position where your judgement, commercial insight and experience will directly influence decisions at the highest level.

We''re interested in experience, commercial judgement and credibility—not job titles.

You may currently be working as a:

• Commercial Manager
• Senior Commercial Manager
• Senior Quantity Surveyor
• Managing Quantity Surveyor
• Head of Commercial
• Commercial Director
• Pre-Construction Commercial Manager
• Pre-Construction Manager with significant commercial responsibility
• Commercial Risk or Contracts Specialist within a major contractor

You''ll most likely have built your career within civil engineering, infrastructure, utilities or major construction.

You''ll bring:

• Significant commercial leadership experience within a contractor environment.
• Strong knowledge of NEC contracts together with FIDIC and/or SBCC.
• Experience supporting pre-construction, major bids and commercial strategy.
• Excellent contractual negotiation and commercial risk management skills.
• The ability to influence senior stakeholders and build trusted relationships across commercial and operational teams.
• A collaborative leadership style with the confidence to challenge constructively and support informed commercial decision-making.

This is an opportunity to do far more than simply change jobs.

You''ll have the chance to:

• Work directly alongside senior decision-makers.
• Influence commercial governance across one of Scotland''s leading civil engineering contractors.
• Support nationally significant infrastructure and energy projects.
• Enjoy genuine autonomy and see your ideas translated into action.
• Help develop commercial capability across the wider business.
• Join a collaborative leadership team where practical thinking and long-term relationships matter.

Senior opportunities offering this level of influence rarely come to market.

If you''re looking for a role where your commercial experience will genuinely shape the future of a business, we''d love to hear from you.

• Excellent basic salary
• Company car
• Annual bonus
• Pension
• Comprehensive benefits package

Please submit your most recent CV. 

Legal Information:
We act as an employment agency for permanent work and as an employment business for temporary work.

For roles in the UK, applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

We value diversity and promote equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all areas of society and can discuss any reasonable adjustments to support your application.