Role · Commercial

Commercial Manager Staffing for Data Centre Projects

Commercial Managers carry the margin. We recruit leaders who set contract strategy at the front end and hold it through change, not administrators of someone else's deal.

What a Commercial Manager does

A Commercial Manager owns the commercial performance of a Data Centre project or campus phase: the contract strategy with the client, the subcontract procurement plan, the cash position and the reported margin.

The role sits between the project director, the client's commercial team and the supply chain. It sets the rules the QS team works to, approves settlements above delegated authority, and manages the risk register in commercial terms.

On multi-hall programmes the Commercial Manager also standardises subcontract terms, payment mechanisms and reporting so each hall is measured the same way.

Typical range

£85–115K base (permanent) or £525–700 / day on contract

Core responsibilities

  • Own project margin, cash position and monthly commercial reporting
  • Set contract and subcontract procurement strategy
  • Approve variation settlements and manage contractual risk
  • Lead and resource the QS and commercial team
  • Interface with client commercial teams and cost consultants

Why hire through Cx Recruit

We screen on outcomes: margin delivered, disputes avoided or settled, and the size and type of Data Centre programmes actually run.

Our network sits inside main contractors, MEP subcontractors, owners and consultancies, so we can benchmark a candidate's commercial authority rather than take a job title at face value.

Live Commercial roles

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FAQs

What background do Data Centre Commercial Managers come from?

Almost always a quantity surveying route, through Senior QS and Managing QS roles, with at least one major MEP-heavy or Mission Critical scheme carried end to end.

Contract or permanent?

Mostly permanent, though contract Commercial Managers are used during aggressive expansion phases or to stabilise a project in commercial difficulty.

Which forms of contract matter most?

NEC3 and NEC4 dominate UK and Irish Data Centre work, with JCT still common on some builds and bespoke owner forms on hyperscale programmes.

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Commercial Manager enquiry

Talk to the Commercial desk

Briefing a Commercial Manager vacancy, or looking for your next one? Call 07961 717097 or use the form above.