The Senior Commercial Manager will provide strategic leadership in contract administration, cost control, change management, commercial risk, claims avoidance and resolution, and commercial governance. Working closely with project executives, construction and engineering teams, procurement, legal counsel, project controls, and other key stakeholders, the successful candidate will safeguard the project's commercial interests while supporting successful delivery of scope, schedule, quality, safety, and budget objectives.
The ideal candidate will possess extensive commercial and contract-management experience on large-scale transportation, heavy civil, rail, tunnel, or other complex infrastructure programs, with demonstrated expertise managing high-value construction contracts, negotiating changes, evaluating claims, mitigating commercial risk, and advising senior project leadership on critical commercial matters.
Key ResponsibilitiesCommercial Leadership- Develop and implement the commercial management strategy for assigned project packages and contracts.
- Provide strategic commercial advice to project leadership regarding contractual rights, obligations, risks, and opportunities.
- Lead commercial teams supporting design, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities.
- Establish and maintain commercial governance processes, procedures, and reporting requirements.
Contract Administration- Manage the administration of major construction, design-build, professional services, and supplier contracts.
- Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, project requirements, and applicable regulations.
- Lead contract reviews, negotiations, amendments, and commercial closeout activities.
- Monitor contractor performance against contractual deliverables and key milestones.
Cost Management & Financial Control- Oversee project cost forecasting, budgeting, cash flow management, and financial reporting.
- Monitor project expenditures and commitments to ensure alignment with approved budgets.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities and implement value-engineering initiatives where appropriate.
- Support project controls teams in maintaining accurate cost and commercial performance data.
Change Management- Lead evaluation and negotiation of contract variations, change orders, and compensation events.
- Establish robust processes for tracking, pricing, evaluating, and approving changes.
- Ensure timely resolution of commercial impacts arising from design development, site conditions, and construction activities.
- Collaborate with project teams to minimize commercial exposure associated with changes.
Claims & Dispute Resolution- Develop proactive strategies to prevent claims and disputes.
- Manage preparation, evaluation, negotiation, and settlement of contractor and subcontractor claims.
- Coordinate with legal counsel and executive management on high-value or complex disputes.
- Maintain comprehensive records supporting contract administration and claim resolution.
Risk Management- Identify, assess, and manage commercial and contractual risks throughout the project lifecycle.
- Maintain project risk registers and mitigation plans related to commercial matters.
- Support procurement and project teams in evaluating commercial risks associated with new contracts and procurement activities.
- Provide recommendations to leadership regarding risk transfer and mitigation strategies.
Stakeholder Management- Build strong working relationships with project owners, contractors, consultants, funding agencies, and regulatory stakeholders.
- Participate in executive meetings, commercial reviews, and governance forums.
- Support reporting requirements for senior management, public agencies, and funding partners.
- Facilitate collaborative resolution of complex commercial issues among stakeholders.
Team Leadership- Lead, mentor, and develop commercial and contract management personnel.
- Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Support workforce planning and resource allocation across project commercial functions.
Required QualificationsEducation- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Business, Finance, Law, or a related discipline.
- Master's degree preferred.
Experience- Minimum 15+ years of commercial management experience on major infrastructure, transportation, tunneling, rail, transit, or heavy civil projects.
- Demonstrated experience managing contracts valued in excess of $500 million.
- Experience with complex public-sector infrastructure programs and alternative delivery methods.
- Proven track record in change management, claims management, commercial negotiations, and contract administration.
Technical Knowledge- Strong understanding of construction contracts, procurement practices, and project delivery methodologies.
- Knowledge of FIDIC, NEC, Design-Build, CM/GC, EPC, or comparable contract frameworks.
- Familiarity with project controls, cost management systems, scheduling, and earned value reporting.
- Strong commercial acumen with advanced financial and analytical capabilities.
