Commercial Manager
Commercial Manager
Potters Bar / South Mimms, Hertfordshire
Competitive Salary
Project Overview
The successful candidate will join the delivery team on one of the largest planned data centre developments in Europe
The scheme comprises four data centre buildings (three at approximately 72MW and one at approximately 48MW), supported by major HV electrical infrastructure, dedicated substations, backup generation, advanced low-water cooling systems, and full campus infrastructure.
Role Purpose
The Commercial Manager will provide commercial leadership and control across a defined package or work area of the Potters Bar Data Centre campus, ensuring robust cost management, contract administration, and commercial governance throughout the design, procurement, and construction phases of this hyperscale, mission-critical development.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the commercial and contractual aspects of assigned packages (e.g. civils, MEP, HV infrastructure, cooling systems, or building shell & core) from pre-construction through to final account.
- Prepare, negotiate, and administer contracts (JCT, NEC3/NEC4, or bespoke forms) with contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.
- Produce and maintain accurate cost plans, budgets, cash flow forecasts, and cost reports for senior stakeholders and the client (Equinix/DC01UK).
- Lead on procurement strategy, tendering, and subcontractor/supplier selection for assigned packages.
- Manage valuations, applications for payment, variations, and change control processes.
- Identify, evaluate, and mitigate commercial risk across the programme, escalating issues as required.
- Support the resolution of contractual disputes, claims, and extensions of time.
- Ensure commercial compliance with project governance, CDM regulations, and industry best practice.
- Work closely with project managers, design teams, engineers, and the client's commercial team to align commercial strategy with programme and technical requirements.
- Monitor subcontractor performance against contractual obligations and support final account negotiation and close-out.
- Contribute to monthly commercial reporting, forecasting, and board-level cost reviews.
- Support the wider commercial team in managing the scale and complexity typical of a multi-building, phased hyperscale campus delivery.
Candidate Requirements
Essential:
- Proven experience as a Commercial Manager / Senior Quantity Surveyor on large-scale construction projects, ideally within data centres, mission-critical facilities, industrial, or major infrastructure sectors.
- Strong working knowledge of NEC3/NEC4.
- Demonstrable experience managing multi-million-pound packages, budgets, and subcontractor accounts.
- Sound understanding of procurement routes, cost planning, and value engineering on complex, phased builds.
- Experience managing commercial risk on projects with significant HV/electrical infrastructure and MEP content is highly desirable.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Degree-qualified in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, or a related construction discipline.
- MRICS, MCIOB, or working towards chartership (desirable).
Desirable:
- Prior experience on hyperscale or large-scale data centre developments.
- Experience working on projects requiring dedicated grid connections and complex substation/HV infrastructure.
To apply, please submit your CV or feel free to reach out for a confidential conversation. Send an email to [email protected], give me a call on 02036573167 or WhatsApp me on +27645053449.