Job Title
Senior Quantity Surveyor
Location
Location not specified in brief. Likely site and office travel required. Full clean driving licence essential.
Salary / Rate
£70,000–£90,000 + EBITDA Share GBS Bonus Scheme + Car Allowance (TBC)
About the role
We are looking for a commercially strong Senior Quantity Surveyor to take ownership of the financial and contractual performance of multiple construction projects, with a particular focus on groundworks.
This is a senior, hands-on role for someone who can protect margin, drive project profitability, manage risk properly under contract, and work closely with Project Managers to keep jobs commercially controlled from start to final account. You will act as the qualified commercial lead, ensuring variations, valuations, retentions, subcontractor packages and monthly CVRs are managed accurately and on time.
The role suits a confident QS who understands how to balance strong client relationships with firm commercial discipline, and who is comfortable operating across NEC and JCT forms of contract.
Key responsibilities
* Act as the commercial lead across live projects.
* Take accountability for overall financial performance and profitability.
* Work closely with Project Managers to ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget and in line with contract requirements.
* Identify, notify, price and submit variations immediately following change events.
* Maintain a live variation tracker on every project.
* Own all Applications for Payment and ensure submissions are made by contractual deadlines and company month-end procedures.
* Track valuation dates, payment notices and invoice requirements with clients and internal finance.
* Manage retentions and ensure release applications are made at the correct time.
* Issue and follow up commercial correspondence to protect entitlement.
* Support procurement and commercial management of subcontractor packages.
* Ensure subcontract terms reflect the main contract risk profile.
* Produce monthly CVRs and weekly commercial reporting.
* Maintain accurate commercial files and records.
* Attend client meetings, project meetings and site inspections.
* Build strong working relationships with clients, principal contractors, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Requirements
* Proven experience in a Quantity Surveyor or Commercial Manager role.
* Strong construction sector knowledge, with groundworks experience essential.
* Strong working knowledge of NEC and JCT contracts.
* Demonstrable experience managing variations, valuations, applications for payment, retentions and CVRs.
* Able to work closely with operational teams and Project Managers to improve project performance.
* Commercially assertive, detail-focused and confident dealing with clients.
* Full clean driving licence.
Desirable / nice-to-have background
* Experience in specialist subcontracting environments.
* Background in civils, infrastructure, earthworks, drainage, roads and external works.
* Experience supporting or mentoring less commercially aware operational staff.
* Exposure to subcontract procurement and downstream contract management.
* Experience in businesses where margin protection, recovery of entitlement and cash collection are key performance drivers.
About the employer / environment
The role appears to suit a delivery-focused construction business where the commercial function works closely with operations, finance and directors. The emphasis is on protecting GP%, improving project efficiency, maintaining strong client relationships, and ensuring no commercial entitlement is missed.
Best-Fit Candidates
Strong matches are likely to come from:
* Groundworks subcontractors
* Civil engineering subcontractors
* Enabling works contractors
* Infrastructure and utilities subcontractors
* RC frame / groundwork specialists
* Roads, drainage and external works contractors
* SME or mid-sized contractors where the QS is close to delivery and owns outcomes
Useful adjacent backgrounds:
* Senior QS from a civils or infrastructure subcontractor wanting broader ownership
* Commercial Manager from a smaller specialist contractor willing to step into a Senior QS title
* Project Quantity Surveyor ready to step up, provided they already have strong groundworks exposure and real ownership of applications, variations and CVRs
Alternative job titles that may map well:
* Senior Quantity Surveyor
* Quantity Surveyor
* Commercial Manager
* Senior Commercial Manager
* Managing Quantity Surveyor
* Project Quantity Surveyor
* Civils Quantity Surveyor
* Groundworks Quantity Surveyor
* Commercial Lead
* Contracts Surveyor
Suggested target companies:
* Ground Control
* OCU Group
* MJ Church
* Clancy
* Barhale
* Cappagh
* JRL Group
* Kilnbridge
* Winvic subcontract supply chain businesses
* Regional groundworks and civils specialists in the target geography