Head of Capital Commercial

Reporting to the Capital Delivery Director, you'll lead Severn Trent's Capital Commercial function, setting the commercial strategy and overseeing the commercial performance, governance and risk management of our £6bn+ capital programme.

Working alongside Strategic Leaders across Design, Delivery, Engineering and Programme Management, you'll play a key role in the successful delivery of AMP8 investment.

You'll:

• Define and deliver the commercial strategy for Severn Trent's capital investment programme, ensuring long-term value, regulatory compliance and successful business outcomes.
• Lead commercial governance, risk, assurance and performance across the capital portfolio.
• Develop commercial frameworks, delivery models and supplier partnerships that drive efficiency, innovation and long-term capability.
• Shape the future direction, operating model and capability of the Capital Commercial function.
• Provide commercial leadership on major investment decisions, balancing value, affordability, risk, customer outcomes and asset performance.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers, industry partners and stakeholders.
• Collaborate across Capital Delivery and the wider business to align commercial priorities with operational and strategic objectives.
• Lead a team of c.100 commercial professionals across Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Contract Management, Cost Management and Commercial Assurance.

This is a highly visible leadership role, with regular engagement at Executive Committee level and across Severn Trent's strategic supply chain.

We welcome people from all walks of life and celebrate individuality as we know diverse minds, experiences and backgrounds help us to learn and better serve our communities. We seek people who get involved, want to be part of something bigger, and make a difference because they care.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for a senior commercial leader who can operate at strategic level in a large, complex and asset-intensive environment. You may come from a client-side organisation, contractor, consultancy or major infrastructure environment.

Water industry experience would be helpful, but it is not essential. We are open to experience from other regulated or infrastructure-intensive sectors, including rail, highways, energy, utilities, nuclear, telecoms, aviation or similar sectors.

You’ll likely bring:

• Significant senior commercial leadership experience in a large, complex and asset-intensive organisation.
• A proven track record of delivering commercial outcomes across large-scale capital programmes and complex supplier ecosystems.
• Strong understanding of major contract forms, ideally including NEC contracts and collaborative delivery models.
• Experience shaping commercial frameworks, delivery models and strategic supplier relationships.
• The ability to influence and challenge at Executive, Board and senior supply chain leadership level.
• Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to make decisions in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to simplify complexity and land messages clearly with senior stakeholders.
• Experience leading, developing and setting the direction for high-performing commercial teams.

WHY THIS ROLE?

This is an opportunity to step into a role with real scale, visibility and long-term impact. You’ll be at the centre of shaping the commercial strategy for one of the UK’s largest infrastructure investment programmes, influencing how Severn Trent partners with the market and delivers major capital investment for customers, communities and the environment.

Joining now means helping to define the commercial model that will support billions of pounds of investment, improve resilience across the water network, support environmental commitments and help deliver England’s largest water sector upgrade for a generation.

The scale and strategic importance of the role offer a unique opportunity to leave a lasting legacy across Severn Trent and the wider UK infrastructure sector.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional commercial qualification desirable, such as RICS, CICES, MCIPS or equivalent.
• Full UK driving licence.

HOW WE WORK

You’ll join a caring culture that collaborates to achieve, grow and develop. Our employee engagement scores are among the highest globally in energy and utilities. We value in-person moments to keep our culture alive, but also understand the flexibility working from home can bring. So, you’ll usually find us in the office, but working from home is supported when you need it.

HOW WE’LL REWARD AND CARE FOR YOU

It’s not just a job you’ll get here; you’ll get a career too. We have a range of benefits that reward and recognise great work, alongside award-winning training to help you reach your potential. We’ll also help you play your part in looking after the environment and the community in which we live.

Here are some of our favourites:

• 31 days holiday + bank holidays, with the ability to buy or sell up to five additional days per year.
• Annual bonus scheme of up to 30% of your base salary, dependent on company performance.
• Leading pension scheme, where we will double your contribution up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%.
• Car allowance of £6,900 per annum.
• Private medical insurance.
• Sharesave scheme, giving you the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate.
• Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers.
• Family friendly policies.
• Two volunteering days per year.

LET’S GO

We can’t wait to hear from you.

Have an updated CV ready and spare five minutes to apply. We’ll let you know the outcome after the closing date, so keep an eye on your phone and emails