Sector Commercial Director

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Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Commercial Director to join our Water Sector, comprising a portfolio accounts worth £300m and growing. You will be a key member of the Sector Leadership Team (SLT).

This Sector Commercial Director role is a strategic leadership position within the Costain business, reporting into the Divisional Commercial Director for Natural Resources whom you will support with the management of resources and development of the commercial function capability. You will be accountable for the implementation, management and ongoing assurance activities in connection with the company's commercial governance programme and shall ensure adherence to contract specific requirements.

You will report operationally to, and work closely with, the Water Sector Director to establish, shape and drive the commercial strategy, management, and delivery of targets to achieve the business plan. As a member of the SLT, you will contribute to the wider management, leadership and direction of the Sector, and developing collaborative relationships with our customers and key partners/subcontractors will be a key element of this role.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the legal and commercial frameworks within which our Water Sector customers operate, and an in-depth knowledge of the types of contract and commercial models typically encountered. You must be able to formulate commercial strategies in connection with conflict avoidance, conflict management and dispute resolution and be able to communicate and influence effectively with internal and external stakeholders alike within a dynamic environment.

You will provide leadership, structured guidance and support to an established commercial team who are responsible for the effective control of commercial risks, liabilities, exposures and opportunities within all our trading relationships.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Water Sector Director to prepare, implement and closely monitor delivery of the business unit strategy
• Ensure that the Sector commercial activities are aligned with the company's strategic priorities and that the commercial team interfaces effectively with the other functional disciplines to enable optimal outcomes
• Deliver financial results in line with budgets/targets and developing and implementing strategies to enable stretch financial targets to be realised
• Ensure that all projects/contracts have in place a route to margin plan, a risk management plan, and a cash management strategy that optimises cashflow
• Ensure financial forecasts and reports are accurate and provide consistent, transparent, reliable and timely information
• Set the commercial strategy for all work winning pursuits and providing commercial leadership to the work winning effort
• Ensure that contracts/projects and work winning programmes are appropriately resourced with suitably qualified and experienced commercial personnel, and robust succession plans in place
• Ensure the commercial robustness of bids/tenders and compliance with the company's work winning processes and governance
• Accountable for implementation of the company's commercial assurance programme and ensuring compliance with company procedures and any contract specific requirements
• Accountable for management of the supply chain, including supply chain contract administration
• Ensure commercial records are maintained in line with statutory and contract requirements
• Accountable for the reporting and resolution of legacy and emerging contractual issues, directly intervening as and when required, and engaging in formal dispute resolution where necessary
• Accountable for all matters relating to insurances relevant to the Sector, including declarations and claims and coordinating support for the Group annual insurance renewal
• Develop the strength of the commercial team and actively contribute to the people plan for the function, prioritising career development and breaking down silos
• Accountable for satisfactory commercial close out of completed projects/contracts and capturing/sharing lessons learnt
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to improving Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) by being an evangelist for the elimination of harm and committing to the achievement of the company's SHE strategy objectives
• Represent the company's interests in a professional manner at all times and, where required, act as the company's representative on joint venture management boards

Qualifications

• Significant post-graduate commercial experience in the construction industry with a track record of achievement (Water Sector experience preferred)
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with a track record of resolving complicated commercial issues
• Strategic and assured approach, logical thought process and a methodical way of working
• Confident decision-making based on sound analytics and situational awareness
• Creative, strategic and innovative approach to problem-solving
• Ability to set an exemplary standard, lead, inspire, motivate and develop teams to deliver at or above target levels of performance
• Legal, contractual and construction industry knowledge and experience
• Coaching style of management
• Ability to constantly improve and evolve as a commercial leader, taking account of and enabling the company's corporate strategy
• Ability to maintain a measured approach in a challenging and dynamic commercial environment
• Industry wide perspective of current developments/improvements in commercial practices and an awareness of the future vision of industry thought leaders
• Proficient in drafting effective contractual correspondence and reports
• Previous experience of working in collaborative, alliancing and/or joint venture environments

Qualifications

• Holds a RICS / CICES accredited degree
• Full Membership of RICS or CICES
• May also be a member of other professional bodies or hold additional qualifications

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About Us

Costain helps to improve people's lives with integrated, leading edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK's energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK's leading smart infrastructure solutions company. We will achieve this by focusing on blue chip clients whose major spending plans are underpinned by strategic national needs, regulatory commitments, legislation or essential performance requirements. We offer our clients leading edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future-shaping strategic consultancy; consultancy and advisory; digital technology solutions; asset optimisation and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.

Costain appreciate the time and effort taken when applying for one of our positions but, due to the high volume of responses, we are unable to provide individual feedback on candidates at application phase.

We do share individual feedback following an interview.

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that disclose they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.

It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.

For more details please go to the Disability Confident website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign