Head of Commercial

Head of Commercial - Social Housing (Planned Works and Repairs & Maintenance)
Location: Warrington
Salary/Package: -100,000 - -120,000
Job Type: Permanent

About the Company
Our client is a leading national property services contractor with a history going back more than 125 years. It delivers planned, reactive and compliance works to social housing and public sector clients across the UK.

The business delivers planned maintenance and improvement programmes, repairs and maintenance, passive fire compliance, painting and specialist coatings, and decarbonisation and retrofit. Alongside this, it runs projects and fast-track fit-out work for commercial, education and healthcare clients.

Social housing is at the heart of the business. It holds long-term partnerships and frameworks with many of the UK''s largest housing associations and registered providers, including multi-year planned improvement programmes and major works frameworks worth several million pounds a year.

The business is RoSPA Gold accredited, TrustMark approved and PAS 2035 compliant, and is recognised for responsible business. It is driven by clear values: building a profitable future, doing business responsibly, creating great teams and delivering excellence to its customers.

To support its next phase of growth, they are looking to appoint a Head of Commercial to lead the commercial function across their social housing portfolio.

The Role
This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced commercial leader to take overall responsibility for the commercial performance of a large, multi-workstream social housing portfolio.

The successful candidate will lead the commercial strategy, governance and performance of high-value planned refurbishment and repairs and maintenance contracts. You will make sure contracts are commercially robust, profitable and compliant, and that they deliver value for clients and residents.

This is a senior leadership position reporting into the Executive Team. You will lead and develop a team of Commercial Managers and Quantity Surveyors, set clear standards and controls, and hold the business to account on commercial performance. You will also act as a senior commercial contact for key clients.

The role would suit a Head of Commercial, Commercial Director or senior Commercial Manager with strong contractor-side leadership experience in social housing planned works and repairs and maintenance, and a track record on large-value, multi-workstream contracts.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Leadership & Strategy

• Leading the commercial function across a national social housing portfolio.
• Setting and delivering commercial strategy in line with business plans and growth targets.
• Leading, developing and mentoring a team of Commercial Managers and Quantity Surveyors.
• Building a high-performing commercial culture with robust standards, governance and accountability.
• Representing the commercial function at senior management and board level.

Contract & Financial Performance

• Taking overall responsibility for the commercial performance of large-value, multi-workstream contracts.
• Overseeing monthly cost value reconciliations, forecasts, cash flow and margin reporting.
• Driving margin improvement, cost control and the recovery of commercial entitlement.
• Monitoring work in progress, debtors and cash collection across the portfolio.
• Identifying and managing commercial risk and opportunity across all workstreams.
• Implementing and improving commercial systems, processes and controls.

Contract Management & Client Relationships

• Leading the commercial management of planned refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, compliance and decarbonisation contracts.
• Overseeing schedule of rates, price per property, target cost and lump sum contract models.
• Making sure contracts are managed robustly under NEC, JCT, TPC and PPC2000.
• Leading complex negotiations, final accounts and dispute resolution.
• Building strong senior relationships with housing association and local authority clients.
• Supporting contract mobilisations, renewals and extensions.

Bidding & Business Development

• Leading the commercial side of major bids and framework submissions.
• Reviewing pricing strategies, contract terms and commercial risk at tender stage.
• Supporting the business in securing and retaining long-term social housing partnerships.

About You

• Proven contractor-side commercial leadership experience in social housing.
• Strong background across planned refurbishment and repairs and maintenance.
• Experience of large-value, multi-workstream contracts, ideally across multiple clients or regions.
• Track record of leading and developing commercial teams.
• A robust, commercially astute approach with strong governance and financial control.
• In-depth knowledge of schedule of rates, price per property and target cost models.
• Strong working knowledge of NEC, JCT, TPC and PPC2000 contracts.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing and stakeholder management skills at senior level.
• Experience in compliance, fire safety or decarbonisation and retrofit would be advantageous.
• Degree qualified in Quantity Surveying or Commercial Management, with MRICS or equivalent preferred.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel nationally.

What''s on Offer?

• Salary of -100,000 - -120,000, depending on experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• A senior leadership role with a leading national property services contractor.
• Overall commercial responsibility for a large, high-profile social housing portfolio.
• The chance to shape commercial strategy and lead a talented team.
• Long-term partnerships and frameworks with major housing providers.
• A values-driven business with a strong focus on people and responsible growth.

Apply Today
This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced commercial leader looking to take overall responsibility for a large, multi-workstream social housing portfolio with a leading national contractor.

If you have contractor-side commercial leadership experience in social housing planned refurbishment and repairs and maintenance, we would be keen to hear from you.

Please get in touch today with our Commercial Specialist, Mark Harris, at Building Careers UK for a confidential discussion.

Building Careers UK specialises in Construction and Property recruitment and serves as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job, you accept the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers which can be found on our website.

Building Careers UK is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Please Note: Due to the high volume of applicants, only those shortlisted will be contacted.

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