Job Introduction
The role of Head Of Commercial is to lead the development and successful implementation of the regional commercial strategy for delivering efficient cost control and procurement needs across all development/build-related activity working closely with build, technical and land teams to maximise regional commercial performance and delivery the Region’s commercial budgets and wider business plan and future growth requirements.
Key responsibilities of the position:
• Provide directional leadership to the commercial function ensuring quantity surveying and buying teams work collaboratively to implement best practice oversight and control to deliver and maximise operating margin and ensure regional operations are commercially focused and maximise regional and Group profitability.
• Deliver against key commercial KPIs such as Gross Margin, Annualised Cost Increases, Return on Investment and Maximum Expenditure and develop the Commercial team to be viewed as a high performing team across the region and wider Group.
• Working with the Group Commercial Director and the Regional Managing Director to develop and implement strategies for continually improving the effectiveness of regional commercial activity to maximise opportunities for profit optimisation and enhance the Region’s and Group’s ability to meet Business Plans and growth expectations.
• Work closely with the Group Commercial Business Partners to ensure: new team members are onboarded correctly; COINS and CVR training is co-ordinated and scheduled; valuations and budgets are being submitted in a timely manner and the strategies and inputs conform with Group policies; provide regular updates to site progress, variations and price movements; provide Group with a regular updates on all Commercial related issues.
• In undertaking a continuous review of commercial performance keep the RMD fully informed in a timely manner of the conduct of day-to-day operations as it effects the achievement of the Regional commercial goals and targets.
• Manage the procurement and control of subcontractor services and suppliers in line with Regional delivery plans and establish and maintain productive and added value working relationship with key subcontractors and suppliers to ensure that all contractual terms are met and ensure that all orders are placed, managed and settled as per Group Commercial policies and processes.
• Ensure that development and build costs, contingencies, cash flows and budget financial information are properly appraised and reported as per Group policies and processes.
• Provide the Regional Managing Director and regional senior team with accurate operational delivery and commercial performance assessments and forecasts against set programme delivery targets, making recommendations and then actioning plans as appropriate to resolve or mitigate operational and commercial performance risks.
• Ensure regional commercial teams are fully engaged in the process of determining and agreeing site start programmes, timescales and subsequent commercial performance reviews.
• Provide comprehensive and fully costed commercial appraisals for inclusion in Land Appraisals and other related documents that meet Group requirements and are created based on a critical review to optimise finance returns, such as improving the IRR and also reducing WIP spend to first completion on a project to optimise the cash management of the region.
• Undertake regular cost valuations and projections to ensure the function maintains close oversight of site expenditure and procurement activity and achieves its targets, focusing on ensuring the Annualised Cost to Complete % Increase is kept to a minimum and site margins are maximised.
• Lead, develop and engage the regional commercial team and ensure that all team members have the appropriate management, guidance, capability, professional skills and knowledge to achieve the required standards of performance to play an active role in delivering the regions commercial targets.
• Actively manage business relationships and communications with all key internal and external stakeholders to achieve the Regional business plan.
• Examine external trends in commercial, procurement and trade/supplier resource base assessing their relevance to regional performance taking action to as appropriate, working with the regional senior team and/or Group Commercial Director.
• Work closely with the Group Commercial Director to drive the development and adoption of agreed changes to ‘people’, ‘practices’ and ‘controls’ that positively influence and enhance the profitability, operating effectiveness and potential for growth.
• Lead by example, upholding Gleeson values and inspire others to become role models to implement, uphold and promote the Gleeson model and culture. • Authorise and commit expenditure on the COINS system up to the Group approval limit and promote and mandate the proper use of Coins as an effective management and control system.
Required Skills & Qualifications
• A relevant qualification or good experience in Commercial Management
• Proficient in COINS, Microsoft Excel and Word packages
• An extensive understanding of the financial implications of the methods and sequences of build
• Extensive Finance/Commercial awareness & Technical knowledge
• Extensive knowledge of the Construction Industry
• Extensive knowledge of commercial and financial management systems and controls
• Broad awareness of codes of practice that impact on commercial matters e.g Building Regulations, NHBC requirements, HSE etc
• Knowledge of Construction Design Management Regulations