The Commercial team deals with everything to do with cost-effective building, including quantity surveying, estimating, procurement and material buying.

With a watching brief on choice of material, cost, customer satisfaction and sales, and other critical issues, our Commercial team – which comprises Estimators, Quantity Surveyors and Material Buyers - has one objective: to deliver best quality homes, at the best possible cost. Their work is fundamental to our continued viability as a business and presents a fast-moving challenge that will exercise your creativity and commercial flair to the full.

Reporting to the Commercial Director, you will effectively manage a team of surveyors, taking overall responsibility of a number of developments, including regeneration schemes and projects that have multiple phases. Effectively manage costs, and ensure targets are met by managing and controlling the budget and valuations, including monthly updating of the estimated final costs, and have the ability to show absolute cost and value reconciliation. Overall responsibility for all sub-contractor procedures and processes, and materials and goods if necessary, whilst always ensuring compliance with Group Policies and Procedures. Engage and mentor a team of all abilities. Actively involved in value engineering to ensure that we are always one step ahead of the market.

You will be expected to:

• Oversee the compilation of all weekly, monthly and quarterly reports as required, including completing the reports if necessary
• Be aware of new materials and methods of construction which the company may employ, as well as a sound knowledge of latest regulations, codes of practice and NHBC requirements
• Manage the work of the surveyors including ensuring that the surveyors receive the required training and mentorship for them to learn and thrive in their responsibilities
• Responsibility for all cost control procedures, working within the guidelines set out within the Group policies and procedures including managing and controlling the budget and valuations by always updating the estimated final costs, and having the ability to show absolute cost and value reconciliation
• Ensure that the Commercial teams are fully resourced and well-directed, with clear guidelines to their own job responsibilities, and are provided with full support in achieving these, in terms of communication, training and development, and the organisation of the department’s workload
• Contribute to the conceptual designs/options to ensure the design is kept within the budgeted values
• Liaise with Cost Planning, Buying and Technical to ensure accurate budget preparation
• Be responsible for production of the Site Start budget, liaising with all Departments to ensure document is completed on time to allow the construction to commence, and Sales to start marketing, and to ensure compliance with Group Policies and Procedures
• Be actively involved in value engineering, including updating Group and Regional site review documents, to ensure we achieve best value
• Be responsible for budget control throughout a development; managing cost overruns within contingency levels
• Supervise costing for each aspect of site development
• Analyse and report on costs and cash flow using the support systems available
• Audit all subcontractor recommendations to ensure compliance with Group policies and procedures
• Oversee Subcontract orders, payments and variations in line with Group policy and procedures
• If necessary, process Subcontract orders, payments and variations, using Excel and Group payment system (COINS) in line with Group policy and procedures.
• Evaluate and agree variations and instructions, always aware of budgetary constraints, and ensuring that approval is obtained prior to agreement of variations in excess of the respective allowances
• Be aware of new materials and methods of construction which the business may employ
• Liaise with site personnel and subcontractors in order to maximise productivity
• Attend all project and team meetings as required, and present the Commercial position to the meeting
• Compile and Present valuations at Divisional valuation meetings
• Be responsible for accurately controlling all commercial aspects and responsibilities with regards to the RSL
• Be aware of all codes of practice that impact on estimating e.g. Building Regulations, NHBC requirements, HSE, Code for Sustainable Homes.
• Liaise with internal and external auditors a required
• Any other duties as required by the Commercial Director
• Promote and act in accordance with Group values, systems, policies and procedures