Commercial Manager Commercial Midrand

Purpose of the Position The Commercial Manager is responsible for supporting and strengthening the company's commercial function, with specific focus on tender strategy, bid viability, cost planning, contract commercial review, business development, client engagement and commercial risk management.

The ideal candidate should be a qualified or experienced Quantity Surveyor, Engineer, Construction Manager or similar construction professional who has developed, or has a strong interest in developing, broader commercial and business development capability.

The role requires a person who can understand technical construction requirements, interrogate project costs, assess commercial risk, support tender submissions, identify business opportunities and assist the company in securing profitable and strategically aligned work.

Key Responsibilities 1. Tender and Bid Management

• Administer and manage the complete tender process from identification of opportunity to final submission.
• Review tender documents, scope of works, drawings, specifications, bills of quantities, pricing schedules and contractual requirements.
• Establish the tender strategy in consultation with the relevant technical, commercial, operational and executive teams.
• Assess the commercial viability, risk, opportunity and strategic value of each tender opportunity.
• Summarize functional requirements, mandatory conditions, pre qualification criteria and returnable documentation.
• Coordinate tender inputs from Quantity Surveying, Estimating, Design, Legal, Procurement, Operations, Health and Safety, Finance and Administration.
• Manage tender timelines, clarification deadlines, briefing attendance, submission dates and internal review dates.
• Ensure tenders are submitted accurately, professionally, timeously and in accordance with client requirements.
• Maintain proper records of all submitted tenders, clarifications, pricing assumptions, risks, exclusions and commercial qualifications.
• Follow up on tender outcomes, awards and lost opportunities, and prepare feedback reports for management.

2. Commercial Review and Risk Management

• Review tender and contract documents to identify commercial, contractual, pricing, programme and execution risks.
• Prepare tender risk and opportunity schedules.
• Identify onerous contract terms, unclear scope, abnormal penalties, unrealistic timelines, unfavorable payment terms, retention requirements, performance security obligations and other commercial exposures.
• Liaise with Legal, Contracts Manager, Commercial, Operations and Finance to secure necessary contractual protections.
• Ensure pricing assumptions, exclusions, qualifications and commercial conditions are clearly recorded before submission.
• Support negotiation of commercial terms with clients, suppliers and subcontractors where required.
• Assist with commercial handover from tender stage to execution team.
• Communicate tender stage risks and assumptions to the project team post award.

3. Quantity Surveying and Cost Management Support

• Provide commercial and Quantity Surveying oversight during tender and project stages.
• Review bills of quantities, cost estimates, rate build ups, subcontractor pricing, supplier quotations and project cost assumptions.
• Ensure tenders are priced accurately and aligned with construction methodology, programme requirements and operational realities.
• Assist with cost planning, budget preparation, margin analysis and profitability reviews.
• Support project teams with commercial reporting, cost control, variation management, claims preparation and final account strategy.
• Monitor project commercial performance against tender assumptions and report deviations.
• Assist with the development and improvement of commercial systems, pricing templates, tender review tools and cost reporting mechanisms.

4. Business Development and Market Intelligence

• Identify new business opportunities aligned with the company's strategic objectives.
• Search for tender leads, client opportunities, private sector opportunities, public sector opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Research market trends, competitor activity, client spending patterns, tender trends and industry developments.
• Make recommendations to the Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Management on target markets, sectors, clients and opportunities.
• Maintain relationships with existing clients, prospective clients, consultants, professional teams, suppliers and strategic partners.
• Support business development initiatives, including client presentations, capability statements, company profiles and proposal documentation.
• Maintain an accurate database of customers, prospects, tender opportunities and business development leads.
• Track the sales and tender pipeline and report on opportunities, conversion rates, tender outcomes and reasons for unsuccessful bids.

5. Contractual and Commercial Administration

• Ensure that commercial records, tender files, client correspondence, clarifications, pricing schedules, tender submissions and contract documents are properly filed and controlled.
• Support vendor applications, client registrations, accreditation requirements and supplier database updates.
• Stay updated on relevant industry requirements, including Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment, Construction Industry Development Board requirements, client accreditations, quality requirements, safety requirements and other tender related compliance matters.
• Ensure company procedures and Quality Management System requirements are followed during the tender and commercial process.
• Assist with internal audits, document control and compliance reviews relating to tender and commercial files.

6. Reporting and Internal Communication

• Prepare daily, weekly and monthly reports for the Chief Commercial Officer.
• Report on tender pipeline, tender status, tender success rate, commercial risks, business development activity, upcoming opportunities and sales targets.
• Maintain and update relevant internal platforms, including CRM systems, tender registers, sales reports and other approved company systems.
• Inform relevant departments of tender deadlines, commercial risks, pricing inputs, client requirements and contractual obligations.
• Provide commercial input into departmental structure, workflow improvements and resource planning.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Building Science, Project Management, Commercial Management or a similar construction related qualification.
• Minimum 5 to 10 years' experience in the construction industry.
• Experience in tendering, estimating, Quantity Surveying, contracts, commercial management or project cost control.
• Strong understanding of construction pricing, scope review, bills of quantities, drawings, specifications, subcontractor quotations and project cost drivers.
• Experience in commercial review of tenders and contracts.
• Experience in business development, client relationship management or tender strategy is advantageous.
• Knowledge of both public and private sector tender processes.
• Experience with JBCC, NEC, FIDIC or similar construction contracts is advantageous.
• Computer literate, especially strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience with CRM, tender tracking systems, BuildSmart, Candy or similar platforms is advantageous.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical and numerical ability.
• Ability to read and understand construction drawings, specifications, bills of quantities and scope documents.
• Ability to assess commercial risk and identify opportunities.
• Good understanding of project cost control and construction profitability.
• Strong tender management and document control skills.
• Negotiation and client relationship skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to coordinate inputs from multiple departments.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• High attention to detail.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Professional, presentable and confident.
• Strategic thinking while managing detailed tender and commercial requirements.
• Can do attitude and self motivation.
• Willingness to take ownership and accept accountability.

Attributes

• Commercially minded.
• Technically strong.
• Strategic thinker.
• Detail orientated.
• Challenging assumptions and interrogating costs.
• Building strong internal and external relationships.
• Proactive in identifying business opportunities.
• Committed to company growth and profitability.
• Independence and teamwork.

Levels of Authority

• Manage and supervise the Commercial, Tender and Sales Administration functions, where applicable.
• Coordinate tender inputs from Quantity Surveyors, Estimators, Engineers, Designers, Administrators and Operations teams.
• Make recommendations on tender strategy, pricing risk, exclusions, qualifications and bid/no bid decisions.
• Escalate material commercial, contractual, financial or operational risks to the Chief Commercial Officer.
• May not bind the company contractually unless authorised by company delegations of authority click apply for full job details