Commercial Lead

Datasource Recruitment are seeking an experienced Commercial Lead to lead all commercial activity across a major naval base programme.

This senior leadership role will be responsible for contract strategy, supplier and customer negotiations, governance, financial performance, and risk management within a complex project environment.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders to drive commercial success, protect business interests, and maximise value across the programme.

Our client is a major Consultancy working within the Defence and Critical Infrastructure industries. Our client offers a range of independent and unbiased advice in engineering, technical and strategic advisory services to a wide breadth of markets and clients.

Apply today!

This is a hybrid role with 3 days on site per week.

• Lead the end-to-end commercial function, ensuring successful delivery and value creation.

• Manage complex customer contracts and supplier agreements, ensuring obligations are met and commercial interests are protected.
• Lead negotiations on contract terms, change requests, claims, variations, and dispute resolution.
• Drive strong commercial governance, ensuring approvals, controls, and internal processes are consistently followed.
• Provide strategic commercial, cost, and risk insight to senior leadership to support key decision-making.
• Oversee programme budgets, margin performance, financial forecasting, and commercial reporting.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key client stakeholders, partners, and subcontractors.
• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing commercial teams including Quantity Surveyors, Contract Managers, and Analysts.
• Support bids, re-competes, contract extensions, and future growth opportunities across the account.
• Ensure all activity is delivered in line with legal, procurement, regulatory, and defence compliance requirements.

• Proven experience leading commercial functions within complex, high-value programmes or projects.
• Strong background managing customer contracts, supplier agreements, and subcontractor relationships.

Demonstrable expertise in contract negotiation, variations, claims management, and dispute resolution.

• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, margins, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Knowledge of commercial governance, risk management, and approval processes.
• Ability to operate effectively within regulated, public sector, defence, engineering, or infrastructure environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders, clients, and external partners.
• Experience leading and developing commercial teams including Contract Managers, Quantity Surveyors, or Analysts.
• Strong understanding of procurement processes, compliance, and legal frameworks.

• Pension up to 10% client contribution.
• Life assurance, income protection insurance and critical illness cover.
• Option to buy & sell holiday.
• Dental, health, medical, travel and gadget insurance.
• 24/7 Digital GP.

Our client is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.

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