Job Description
Commercial Lead
Rail Civils | Senior Leadership | High-Growth SME
The Opportunity
My client is a fast-growing, highly ambitious SME operating within the UK rail civils sector, delivering works for Tier 1 contractors across drainage, earthworks, station builds and lineside civils.
The business is currently operating at circa £12m annual profit and has a clear, funded and credible growth plan to scale this to £50m+ within the next five years. As part of this growth strategy, they are now seeking an experienced Commercial Lead to join the Management Team and take full ownership of the commercial function.
This is a rare opportunity for a senior commercial professional to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of a business, building and leading a commercial team, and benefiting from long-term wealth creation alongside an ambitious leadership group.
The Role
Reporting directly into the senior leadership team, the Commercial Lead will have full accountability for all commercial activities across the business, supporting projects from tender stage through to final account and beyond.
Key responsibilities include:
1. Leading and developing the entire commercial function, including building and structuring a high-performing team
2. Ownership of pre-contract and post-contract commercial management across multiple rail civils projects
3. Strategic oversight of cost control, forecasting, cashflow, CVRs and final accounts
4. Managing commercial risk, change control and contractual compliance
5. Working closely with Operations and Directors to support profitable, scalable growth
6. Acting as the senior commercial interface with Tier 1 contractors and key clients
7. Contributing at management and board level, supporting business planning and long-term strategy
About the Business
8. Specialist rail civils contractor supporting Tier 1 clients including Colas Rail, Octavius, Siemens, Kier and others
9. Delivery of projects adjacent to the railway environment (lineside civils, stations, drainage, earthworks, enabling works)
10. Young, dynamic and entrepreneurial culture with strong leadership and a clear growth vision
About You
11. Proven commercial leader with 10+ years’ experience in construction / civils / infrastructure
12. Strong post-contract commercial capability (essential) with solid pre-contract experience
13. Track record of leading teams and building commercial functions within growing businesses
14. Rail experience advantageous but not essential – transferable civils experience welcomed
15. Highly driven, ambitious and commercially astute, with the desire to grow with a business long-term
16. Comfortable operating at senior leadership level and influencing business direction
17. Age is irrelevant – this role is about capability, drive and ambition.
Package & Rewards
18. Salary: Circa £80,000, with flexibility for the right individual
19. Annual bonus linked to project and business performance
20. Full package on offer
21. Significant long-term wealth opportunity aligned with business growth
Timescales
The business is keen to appoint as soon as possible and ideally have someone in post by end of March, however they are prepared to wait for the right person.
Please apply via this job board or reach out on 07714 602304 to discuss this opportunity further.