Contract Commercial Officer
This is an excellent opportunity to join Cheshire East’s Highway Client Team at an exciting time. We manage the council’s Highway Service Contract, working collaboratively with our service provider to improve highway services in the borough.
About you
You’ll be joining an energetic and committed team with a great sense of purpose. We manage the council’s Highway Service Contract, working collaboratively with our service provider to improve highway services in the borough. We’re looking for experienced highways professionals who have excellent communication skills, being able to explain complex information concisely to a wide range of people. Most of all, you’ll thrive on getting the job done as part of a team and can deliver under pressure.
You will be responsible for day-to-day commercial management of the contract with Cheshire East’s Highways service provider, including the management of costs, issue of task orders and instructions, and response to early warning notices and compensation events. The role involves working with the service provider to ensure compliance with contract requirements and delivering value for money for the Council. You will help ensure that the Highway Service Provider continually improves processes, drives innovation and delivers value for money, and will work with the wider Highway Client Team to develop time and cost related performance measures which accurately monitor the financial and delivery to time aspects of works and report on any identified issues.
The successful candidate will have:
1. HNC or higher or equivalent relevant professional experience.
2. Relevant business or commercial engineering background (e.g. quantity surveying), delivering highway or engineering services.
3. Experience in managing commercial contracts (including NEC) and providing assurance.
4. An understanding of construction management principles, with broad technical and specialist knowledge, and commercial awareness.
5. A high level of numeracy, with challenging and analytical thinking, and the ability to work effectively with large data samples to create meaningful management information with exacting standards.
6. Good written and oral communications skills with the ability to converse at ease with customers, partners, and services providers.
7. Flexible approach to work and willingness to travel throughout the Borough.
In return we are able to offer:
8. Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service.
9. Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff).
10. Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexitime and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better.
11. Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There’s no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease.
12. White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary.
13. Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay.
14. Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
15. Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life.
16. Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
17. Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
18. Off-Peak Racket Sports
19. Athletics Tracks
20. Sauna/Steam/Spa
Join us and experience a workplace that truly values and supports you!
Organisation Cheshire East Council Location Crewe Job Category Highways and Transport Grade CEC NJC - Grade 10 Salary Min £41,771 Per Annum plus market supplement of £6,000 Per Annum Salary Max £48,072 Per Annum plus market supplement of £6,000 Per Annum Hours per week 37 Weeks per year 52.143 Employment Type Permanent Closing Date 25/05/2026 Ref No E3542 Documents
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Cheshire East is an amazing place to live and work. As one of the largest employers in the borough, we are able to offer you a wide range of challenging and rewarding career opportunities.
We are working for a brighter future – together and our commitment to you is that our workplace culture will provide a shared purpose, a well-led organisation with valued people succeeding together as one team and one council to deliver the best service for our customers and communities.
If you want to be part of our award-winning council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you.
As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our local communities so that we can all work for a brighter future - together.
Applicants should ensure all sections of the application form are completed as failure to do so will result in their application being rejected. Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date then it is likely that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion, however, please do not be discouraged from applying again.
Please quote job reference number in all correspondence.
Please see the attached job description and additional information in the applicant pack. The closing date for applications is Monday 25 May 2026 at 6pm