Commercial Manager

The Project
Equitix Management Services Limited (EMS) provides management services to Cascade Infrastructure Limited (CIL), a consortium comprising Equitix and STRABAG joint venture partners that has been appointed by United Utilities (UU) to deliver the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP).
HARP is a multi-billion-pound infrastructure project to upgrade the water supply apparatus carrying water from the Haweswater reservoir to Greater Manchester. The project involves the construction of approximately 50km of bored tunnels along the existing 110km aqueduct, originally built in the 1950s.
Post-construction, UU will operate the aqueduct, with the CIL responsible for major maintenance of the new tunnel sections for 25 years.

Service Objective
To design and build in line with good industry practice, as required by the contract, on time, at the required level of quality and within budget cost.

Role Overview
• Manage, support, and oversee:
o all commercial management and cost control activities including liaison with key stakeholders for assessment/valuation of cost; and
o all target cost, budget, and contract sum related activities, including stakeholder liaison and forecasting/estimating.
• Manage and oversee the Principal Contractor and Principal Designer as they progress procurement and associated supply chain management.
• Manage and oversee the process associated with the Independent Technical Adviser non-binding and binding assessments throughout the delivery of the work.
• Manage and maintain compliance with Project Agreement clauses on Compensation Events and Specified Risks.
• Manage and administer the reporting and tracking of early warning notices, relief, and compensation events, maintaining an accessible Early Warning Notices register and ensuring consequential action takes place.
• Maintain accurate trackers for cost control, applications, payments, and budgets.
• Provide an annual update of the cost to complete budget and contract sum.

Minimum Qualifications 

• BSc in Quantity Surveying or equivalent.
• Chartered Membership (MRICS).

Minimum Experience in Similar Role 
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in commercial management, cost control, or quantity surveying within large-scale construction or infrastructure projects.
• Advanced negotiation and contract management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities.
• Strong analytical, financial, and reporting skills.
• Proficiency in cost management software.
• NEC contracting experience (desirable).

Principal Responsibilities

Cost Control

• Manage, support and oversee all matters relating to commercial management and cost control activity that is required in accordance with the Project Documents. This may include (but not be limited to) dialogue with the construction and commercial leads, liaison with the Lenders Technical Adviser, Independent Tester, UU and assessment/valuation of costs.


• Manage and oversee the Principal Contractor and Principal Designer as they progress procurement and associated supply chain management

Cost to Complete

• Manage, support and oversee all matters relating to the target cost, budget and contract sum related activity that is required in accordance with the Project Documents. This may include (but not be limited to) dialogue with the construction and commercial leads, liaison with the Lenders Technical Adviser, Independent Tester, UU and forecasting / estimating.


• Manage and oversee the process associated to the Independent Technical Adviser non-binding assessments and binding assessments throughout the delivery of the work.

Early Warning Notices and Compensation Events
Manage and administer all matters relating to the reporting and tracking of early warning notices as well as relief and compensation events as applicable under the Project Documents. Maintain an Early Warning Notices register (that is accessible by stakeholders) and ensure consequential action takes place as required under the Project Documents.