Job Specification: Commercial Director
Reports To: CEO
Direct Reports: Commercial Managers / Quantity Surveyors / Commercial Team
Role Summary
A steadily growing specialist subcontractor based in Cork is seeking an experienced Commercial Manager to oversee our commercial operations across high-profile Pharmaceutical, Life Science and Data Centre projects in Ireland and Europe. Reporting to the Managing Director, you will play a pivotal role in driving financial performance, managing risk, and shaping our commercial strategy while managing and developing the existing commercial team. This position offers a direct pathway to a Commercial Director role as the business continues its expansion.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Team Capability: Drive a high-performance culture focused on accountability, pace, and delivery. Lead, mentor, and build commercial capability across Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers to enable autonomous, contractually sound decision-making.
- Commercial Strategy & Governance: Own the full commercial lifecycle from pre-contract review to final accounts. Set and execute commercial strategy, drive CVR cycles, cost control, applications, and risk management.
- Contractual Authority: Act as the expert on contract law and risk (NEC, JCT, bespoke forms, international conditions). Ensure strict compliance with key contract mechanisms (notices, EOTs, variations, payment provisions).
- Variations & Final Accounts: Strengthen the end-to-end approach to variation identification, valuation, and recovery. Lead negotiations on major claims, variations, and final accounts to protect margins.
- Systems & Business Rhythm: Drive single-source-of-truth reporting, adopt commercial management software/SOPs, and maintain a clear, real-time risk profile for the CEO and board.
Candidate Profile & Experience Required
- Experience: Significant experience in a senior commercial leadership role, ideally within a specialist trade or subcontracting environment managing both upstream (client/main contractor) and downstream (supply chain) risks.
- Contractual Knowledge: Expert command of standard forms of construction contracts (JCT, NEC3/4, and bespoke client amendments).
- Financial Management: Proven track record with CVR methodologies, cost control, cash flow forecasting, variation management, and final account settlements.
- Process & Scale: Demonstrated experience embedding SOPs, systems, and disciplined commercial controls within a growing business.
- Leadership Style: A coaching-led, pragmatic leader who operates well at both the executive level and in project-level detail when needed.
What We Offer
· Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package tailored to experience.
· Clear, defined career progression route to Commercial Director.
· Opportunity to play a key leadership role in high-value, complex projects across fast-growing international markets.
