Commercial Project Manager (CPM)

The Commercial Project Manager (CPM) is responsible for providing commercial and project financial oversight across the company’s UK project portfolio. Working collaboratively with Project Management, Commercial, Procurement, Operations, Finance and Senior Management, the position supports strong project performance, profitability and cash generation throughout the project lifecycle.

Key responsibilities include providing insight, analysis and constructive challenge on project performance, forecasting, commercial exposure, risks and opportunities, enabling effective and timely management decisions.

Your tasks and responsibilities will be as follows:

• Provide commercial and financial oversight of assigned projects from initiation through to completion, ensuring performance is understood and managed against agreed objectives.

• Lead project-level forecasting and Estimate at Completion (EAC), working with Project Management and relevant stakeholders to maintain accurate and realistic outlooks.

• Monitor revenue, costs, gross margin, profitability, cash flow and working capital, identifying material variances and emerging trends.

• Act as a trusted business partner to Project Managers and Project Directors, providing financial insight, challenge and recommendations to improve project performance.

• Assess the financial and commercial impact of customer variations, change orders, claims, additional scope and other changes to project requirements.

• Support the identification and management of project risks and opportunities, including potential margin erosion, cost pressures, delays and commercial exposure.

• Provide commercial and financial input to project reviews, recovery plans, contract discussions and key project decisions.

• Work collaboratively with Commercial, Procurement, Operations and Finance to ensure relevant project information is accurate, timely and supports effective decision-making.

• Monitor project billing and cash-flow performance and support actions to improve cash conversion.

• Provide timely and accurate project performance information and commentary for management reporting.

• Ensure project financial and commercial information is prepared and reported in accordance with established company procedures and project governance requirements.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of project commercial management, forecasting and performance reporting.

Key Performance Indicators

• Project revenue and gross margin performance

• Forecast and EAC accuracy

• Project cash-flow performance

• Identification and management of commercial risks and opportunities

• Effective management of project changes and commercial exposure

• Timeliness and quality of project reporting

• Contribution to project profitability and performance improvement

• Quality of business partnering and stakeholder support

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Part-qualified accountant or equivalent relevant experience in project finance, commercial finance, project controls or a similar environment.

• Strong experience in financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.

• Experience working with ERP systems, preferably SAP.

• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of project financial performance.

• Strong Excel and analytical skills.

• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• Experience in engineering, automation, construction, manufacturing, logistics or another project-based environment.

• Experience working with complex or high-value projects.

• Experience with customer contracts, variations, claims and change control.

• Understanding of project accounting and revenue recognition.

• ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent professional qualification/study.

Core Competencies

• Commercial judgement

• Financial and analytical capability

• Business partnering

• Forecasting and planning

• Influencing and challenge

• Risk and opportunity management

• Stakeholder management

• Problem solving

• Communication

• Ownership and accountability

Academic background (preferred)

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Engineering, Project Management or a related discipline.

• Part-qualified or professionally qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) is desirable.

• Relevant professional or project-based experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.

Professional Experience

• Background in project finance, commercial finance, project controls or a similar project-based environment.

• Strong knowledge of financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.

• Proficiency in ERP systems, preferably SAP.

• Exposure to engineering, automation, construction, manufacturing, logistics or another project-based environment is desirable.

• Experience managing complex or high-value projects, including customer contracts, variations, claims and change control, is desirable

Technical skills

• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of project financial performance.

• Strong Excel and analytical capability.

• Good understanding of project accounting and revenue recognition.

• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong business partnering and problem-solving capability.

For questions please contact us via andrea.florez@koerber.com. We work with selected partners and therefore ask recruitment consultancies to refrain from contacting us by mail or telephone.

Please apply exclusively via the “Apply now” button.

We value diversity and therefore welcome all applicants - regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity, and any other protected status