Commercial Director

United Living Infrastructure Services is made up of our three subsidiaries, United Living Energy Limited, United Living Water Limited and Great British Communications.

There's never been a better time to join Great British Communications; we are a tenacious, fast-paced business with a huge contract pipeline and ambitious growth plans. Part of the United Living Group, our turnover will double in the next 5 years to top £1 billion.

Responsible for the overall management and delivery of all commercial aspects of the division/s performance and reporting. Working with the Divisional Director to deliver the agreed divisional budget and profit and loss targets. Provide support to the Divisional Director/s and or Commercial Director in all commercial matters and provide direction, support, development and empowerment of individuals to achieve both divisional and individual objectives.

• • Ensure that United Living's SHEQ standards, operating processes, company policies are understood and adhered to at all times and that, as far as is reasonably practicable, legislative requirements are complied with.
  • Ensure that all employees are inducted in the United Way of working and ensure that all employees are complying with and adopting this in their daily disciplines.
  • Act in a professional manner in everything you do such that the Company's reputation is enhanced.
  • Ensure accurate and frequent reporting of commercial performance to enable operations to make informed decisions whilst working with the operational teams to ensure efficient delivery of works.
  • Ensure development of robust cashflow forecasts and reporting. Work with the Finance Business Partner to ensure robust and timely invoicing and cash collection.

Pre-Contract

• • Support the bid and estimating teams and study documents and advise on onerous conditions therein, offering solutions when appropriate. Work with bid team to create an achievable profit plan for each scheme.
  • Ensure that bids are submitted with the appropriate qualifications to de risk onerous terms and conditions and that the Division does not sign up to anything that breaks the House Rules.

Divisional Management

• • Marketing the business with existing and new clients to assist the business development team
  • Oversee the relationships between surveyors at all levels and operations, ensuring co-operation and engagement that allows for successful projects which support the achievement of United Living business objectives and that you are able to deliver the agreed budgeted margins
  • Work with Finance Business Partners and Commercial Director to produce accurate monthly commercial reports.
  • Support the Divisional Director/s and or Commercial Director in reporting to the Board of Directors on all divisional financial issues, with clarity and transparency in all areas; up-date the Divisional Director/s and Commercial Director if there are any project issues which materially affect the delivery of business unit profitability.
  • Participate in group-wide forums and initiatives and contribute fully to the development and implementation of Company policies and procedures.

Project (s) delivery

• • Agree target margins for all projecUs.
  • Engage with the project team(s) to ensure consistent delivery of successful projects in order to support the achievement of United Living business objectives and to deliver the target margins.
  • Actively interrogate all appropriate financial and contractual information ensuring that it accurately forecasts project(s) position and value, costs & margins against the target margin and profit plans. Ensure any changes and solutions are agreed with the Divisional Director/s prior to implementation.
  • Ensure that all significant project issues and correspondence and all necessary contractual processes have been observed, notices issued, records kept and documents stored by the team to protect the company's position, seeking advice where necessary.
  • Provide advice to the Regional Management Team on contractual matters.

Procurement

• • • Ensure that there is active support and buy in to the Group Procurement Department deals by ensuring the surveying team are communicating this to subcontractors at tender stage and order stage
    • Review and when necessary facilitate subcontract enquiries including formulating the tender list in consultation with the wider management team and subsequent analysis and assessment of subcontract quotations.
    • Review project procurement strategy
    • Check that at all times, the drafting and placement of sub-contracts are being completed following the Company's authorisation procedure and ensure no subcontractors commence on site without a subcontract order fully completed

Main Contract

• • • Ensure that surveyors understand their responsibilities for the preparation and negotiation of interim valuations and final accounts
    • Develop & maintain close relationships with customers, consultants & subcontractors to continuously improve customer experience, improve our Company position and obtain repeat & negotiated business
    • Ensure monthly valuations are invoiced, paid, in full and on time
    • Ensure that adequate records are kept in respect of any future claims

Subcontract

• • • Ensure that staff Prepare and negotiate interim valuations and final accounts including all necessary measurement as well as making sure that any agreement of variations with supply chain is documented.
    • Ensure staff process all associated payments in accordance with the Construction Act and/or other prevailing legislation
    • Ensure that claims by subcontractors have been addressed, and support the surveying team in preparing any necessary documentation/correspondence to protect the Company's interests.

Financial

• • • Having full profit and loss accountability for the Division.
    • Competent use of company cost system
    • Ensure that at all times the Surveying team use best endeavors and seek to maximise margins in co- operation with the Divisional Directors/s by keeping cost to a minimum, and value to a maximum, by all professional legitimate means, mentor and facilitate this when required. Ensure that alarm signals are raised when the contract is straying outside the cost and profit plan parameters
    • Actively interrogate all appropriate financial and contractual information
    • Keep abreast of the preliminaries/site management costs and ensure that the Project team are advised accordingly so they are able to action and remedy over-expenditure
    • Review forecast of cash on an accurate and timely basis, ensuring that the cash position of the project is maximise without compromising our contractual arrangements and relationships with either customers or subcontractors & suppliers
    • Ensure profit plans are understood for each scheme/project and monitor and deliver on agreed areas and work on identifying further areas for recovery.
    • Raise alarm signals to the Board when the contract is straying outside the cost and profit parameters. Use best endeavors and seek to maximise margins in co-operation with the Divisional Director/s.

People

• • • Planning and allocation of surveying resources, including temporary requirements, on a projecUs.
    • Promote best practice within the team, ensuring that they develop in their ability and are able to meet the demands placed upon them by the business
    • Lead all of the People responsibilities for the team including undertaking and monitoring the completion of Performance & Development Reviews, supporting and coaching team members to achieve both individual and business objectives
    • Legal / Dispute
    • Ensure that the preparation of 'claims' or other means of dispute management to correct an imbalance of cost and value are occurring in a timely and appropriate manner and potential risk is communicated to the Commercial Director.
    • Upon receipt of contract, ensure that completion of contract documents comparison with tender documents is carried out and advise on any anomalies as well as ensuring that terms are in line with House Rules.

Other

• • • Ensure insurance claims are submitted and conclusion obtained
    • Involvement with business improvement processes and initiatives including working groups
    • Attend industry/ client events within and outside normal working hours
    • Undertake reasonable levels of continued professional development so as to keep abreast of developments in the industry and thus keep you effective in your duties. Such activities would normally be undertaken outside normal working hours.
    • Knowledge of and compliance with Group Delegated Authorities and Contracts Process.
    • Working in one or more locations as required
    • Involvement in community engagement activities within and outside normal working hours
    • Any other duties assigned.

• 15 Years plus
  • BSc in Quantity Surveying or similar commercial related course
  • Professional membership of appropriate body
  • Good data interrogation skills
  • Leadership experience with the ability to influence at all levels
  • Bid Knowledge
  • Excellent legal/contractual knowledge
  • Industry experience
  • Excellent communication and negotiation skills
  • Experience of a senior commercial role
  • Valid driving licence
  • CSCS card at the appropriate level

Benefits:

• Bike to work scheme
• Company pension
• Life insurance
• Private medical insurance
• Wellness programmes

Additional Information:

• Must be highly computer literate including Microsoft Office and confident in managing and working with large data sets
• This job is a full-time permanent role, 8am-5pm Monday to Friday from our Widnes Office
• Opportunity to spend time in and working closely with other departments will be provided to ensure the successful applicant gains a wide depth and breadth of experience and understanding of the company and industry