Project Commercial Manager

Overview

As Project Commercial Manager, you will steer the commercial and financial performance across projects from bid to close-out, ensuring robust cost control, forecasting, and governance to protect margin. You’ll work within HDR’s Building Engineering Services group, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to enable sustainable, high‑impact infrastructure. You will address cost overruns, scope changes, and commercial risk while delivering value and profitability. This role offers a chance to influence project outcomes and advance HDR’s mission to build a better world.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own project cost control plans with baselines, budgets, recovery plans, and KPIs
• Monitor monthly expenditure against budget and implement corrective actions to protect margin
• Challenge teams on resource use, productivity, scope management and cost efficiency
• Identify and document scope changes and additional services arising during delivery
• Communicate scope changes to clients and manage changes per contract and change procedures
• Maintain a change register and track commercial recovery for proposed/approved changes
• Ensure work proceeds only with proper commercial authorization and contractual protections
• Lead cost reviews and commercial performance meetings across project teams
• Identify cost overruns early and implement mitigation strategies
• Maintain cost-to-complete forecasts and accurate EAC reporting
• Establish and manage budgets, forecasts, cash flow, and financial reporting per requirements
• Monitor performance against commercial targets and mitigate risks and exploit opportunities
• Lead cost control, change control and governance processes across projects
• Provide timely reporting of commercial performance to Project Managers and senior leadership

Key requirements

• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Extensive experience in commercial management of projects (minimum 10 years)
• Experience monitoring contract staff or third-party appointments desirable
• Experience in a similar role is desirable
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Outlook & PowerPoint
• Professional attitude under pressure
• Degree-level education or equivalent (desirable)
• Incorporated status in chosen discipline preferred; pursuit of Chartered status encouraged
• Personable with a can-do attitude and resource management experience
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Ability to build rapport with project teams and clients
• Team-oriented, collaborative mindset and cross-functional collaboration

• interpersonal communication
• leadership
• client-facing influence
• cost control
• change management
• forecasting

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