Commercial Manager
Our people are what makes Severn Trent a truly exciting and inclusive place to work. We’re a team of over 7,000 people with a purpose to deliver one of life’s essentials, and we do it all while thriving in our unique culture.
We’re a growing, Midlands based FTSE100 plc and welcome people from all walks of life, celebrating their individuality, as we know diverse minds, experiences and backgrounds help us to learn and better serve our customers and the communities we represent.
It’s an exciting time to join, as we have a huge ambition to deliver bigger and better than ever before over our next 5-year regulatory period. If you’re seeking an exciting and thoroughly rewarding career, Severn Trent is the place to be.
Ready to shape the future of cost and commercial excellence at Severn Trent?
We’re looking for a dynamic leader to play a pivotal role in the procurement and commercial management of £6.9 billion worth of contractor services. If you thrive on data, enjoy developing people, and want to make a measurable difference across major infrastructure programmes, this could be your next big career move.
Everything you need to know
In this role, you’ll take charge of a team of Cost Specialists delivering commercial expertise across our Capital Delivery programmes. You’ll be central to developing, reviewing, and maintaining the cost intelligence that underpins our business planning and pricing strategies.
As a Commercial Manager, you’ll lead the creation, approval, and continual refinement of Prices and Price changes, while acting as custodian for core commercial systems, cost curves, and cost data integrity. Your work will support Estimators, Senior Quantity Surveyors, Contractors, and other internal technical teams—ensuring clarity, consistency, and commercial robustness throughout our delivery models.
From advising on pricing queries to training others on cost-related processes, you’ll be the go‑to authority for cost intelligence, commercial interpretation, and performance reporting.
WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE ROLE
Experience & Knowledge
- Strong commercial background, ideally within Water, Utilities, Power, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Aerospace, or similar sectors
- Experience working with the NEC suite of contracts
- Proven ability to offer cost advice across cross-functional teams
- Experience with frameworks, dispute resolution, and change control
- A track record of developing and supporting junior team members
- Skilled in influencing stakeholders at all levels
Capabilities & Behaviours
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Confident IT user with strong Excel capability
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret complex data
- Comfortable challenging assumptions to ensure commercial accuracy
- Forward-thinking, proactive approach to anticipating issues
- Strong organisational and time-management skills
- Experience with performance monitoring and reporting
- Ability to delegate effectively and deliver through others
- Passion for improving team capability and commercial processes
- High personal discipline and adherence to standards and regulations
- Clear-thinking decision-maker, even in ambiguity
- Innovative problem solver with strong drive to deliver
- Collaborative communicator who seeks input from others
- A strong team player who builds relationships across the wider business
Qualifications
Essential:
- Degree in Quantity Surveying, Engineering or similar (or extensive commercial experience)
- Minimum 7+ years post‑qualification experience
- Full UK driving licence
Desirable:
- RICS, CEng or equivalent professional accreditation
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
Working here isn’t just a job. You can build a career at Severn Trent—and we’ll reward you for it. With award-winning training, fantastic development pathways, and a culture that champions growth, you’ll be supported every step of the way. You’ll also play your part in looking after our environment and the communities we serve.
Here are just some of our favourite perks you’ll enjoy as part of the Severn Trent family:
- 28 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/ sell up to 5 days per year)
- Annual bonus scheme (of up to £2,250 per annum based on company performance)
- Leading pension scheme – we will double your contribution (up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%)
- Sharesave – the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate
- Dedicated training and development with our ‘Academy’
- Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers
- Family friendly policies (including, a year off fully paid maternity and adoption leave)
- Two volunteering days per year
WHAT’S NEXT
We can’t wait to hear from you.
Before you apply, all you’ll need is an updated copy of your CV and about five minutes of your time.
Curious to know more about what life here is like? Search #LifeAtSevernTrent on social media to take a peek behind the scenes.
P.S. We’ll always let you know the outcome of your application after the closing date—so keep an eye on your phone and emails!