Commercial Manager

About Vantage

Vantage powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

Department Overview

The Cost & Commercial, Development Delivery EMEA department shapes commercial practices and supports projects from inception through to completion and handover. The department is responsible for providing specialist cost and commercial support to individual projects and central business initiatives alike, ensuring that projects are delivered to budget.

Position Overview

Vantage is looking for an ambitious Commercial Manager to provide region-specific commercial strategy, guidance and support to projects throughout the development lifecycle. This role involves working closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure cost efficiency, accurate budgeting and effective project execution. The Commercial Manager will also contribute to continuous business improvement, strengthening processes and practices in alignment with Vantage’s goals.

Essential Job Functions

General

• Embody the VDC core values of Trust, Agility, Respect and Accountability.

• Ensure business case costs are developed using sound principles and the approved cost model.

• Conduct regular reviews with cost managers on all commercial matters and prepare teams for their monthly reporting cycle.

• Support VDC in developing and deploying new and revised reporting tools, methods, and policies, driving continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with commercial department colleagues and promote knowledge sharing and continuous improvement across VDC projects and the wider portfolio.

• Work closely with internal teams, including design, engineering, and procurement, to align commercial goals with project requirements.

• Provide commercial support to company initiatives and other VDC departments as required, ensuring accurate reporting and effective information sharing.

• Provide strategic and local insight to ensure VDC practices align with regional variances.

• Ensure all VDC templates are implemented accurately and that policies and procedures are followed in line with company guidance.

• Ensure change control is implemented correctly on projects and that VDC company policy and accounting procedures are followed. Ensure the REACH change control process is used correctly and support site teams with any queries about its application.

• Provide commercial support to allocated regional projects as set out below:

Development Pre-Construction

• Support the development team in selecting and appointing cost management consultants.

• Onboard and continually support project cost managers, ensuring they are aware of and meet all deliverables.

• Manage and assist the project team in creating detailed project budgets, including cost estimates for project scope and changes, identifying potential cost savings and applying the value engineering program.

• Conduct reviews of cost plans in conjunction with the Estimating department, ensuring that the correct data is conveyed to the VDC finance teams.

• Support and monitor the production of all necessary reporting.

• Validate construction cost estimates at key design stages, challenging assumptions, scope, quantities and rates before approval.

• Collaborate with the EMEA commercial teams and local development team to prepare and evaluate tenders, supporting the use of VDC pricing tools and contractor selection.

• Prepare and review bid levelling assessments, validating the recommended contract award value and scope against the tender and contract documents.

• Consistently review lessons learned to ensure they are captured in the latest budget developments and provide feedback to the central commercial team.

• Develop and maintain accurate cost databases and historical cost data for reference.

• Review lease agreements to capture the full customer scope in estimates and cost plans.

Project Execution

• Work with cost managers and all other project stakeholders to achieve cost certainty against project budgets.

• Act as the first point of contact for cost managers, supporting them with VDC processes and day-to-day contractual, legal and financial queries.

• Ensure cost managers comply with monthly reporting deliverables. Review and challenge the content of reporting, focusing on accuracy of data, auditability, and quality of forecasting. Ensure consistency across different reporting tools.

• Support cost managers in the identification, management and presentation of client reimbursable costs. Ensure these costs are accurately accounted for and any risk presented by them is identified.

• Define and track project cost performance measures, identifying trends and exceptions through the monthly reporting cycle.

• Support cost managers in understanding lease agreement requirements and identifying scope changes affecting VDC and its supply chain. Coordinate with the customer team to substantiate and submit costs. Ensure changes affecting the supply chain are administered in accordance with the construction contract and other agreements.

• Understand project risks, support their mitigation and management, and ensure associated costs are reported in accordance with VDC practices.

• Review project risk registers, ensuring that known risks are identified either within the Proforma or the project Risk Register.

• Ensure construction contracts are administered in accordance with their legal requirements, including change, payment, and general contract management.

• Ensure site teams calculate cash flow information correctly, including the impact of changes, schedule delays and associated liabilities.

• Support cost managers in negotiations with GCs and all other vendors throughout the execution of the project.

• Ensure supplier invoices are accurate, properly supported and processed on time. Support project close-out, final account agreement and final payments.

• Develop and update benchmark data and provide regular feedback to the Estimating department.

• Support VDC Development & Delivery Directors with their site-specific requirements.

• Note: The Development Delivery Director is the budget holder for all projects and is ultimately responsible for the cost of delivery. The cost manager, working with the site teams, is responsible for day-to-day commercial administration.

The scope and role will develop in line with the above. The Commercial Manager will be responsible for several VDC projects and is expected to manage their time and attendance effectively to fulfil the role.

Key Skills & Experience

• Degree in quantity surveying, commercial management or equivalent discipline

• 10+ years of relevant experience

• If you come from a different commercial or construction background but are keen to move into data centres, we are genuinely open to that. If you bring the right attitude, we are keen to talk to you.

• Understanding of all construction disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil

• Knowledge and understanding of estimating disciplines

• Knowledge and experience of managing multiple projects

• Developer experience is an advantage

• Experience preparing/reviewing contingency evaluation, durations, escalation, reconciliations for estimates

• Experience preparing business cases and cost estimates for whole projects

• Expert knowledge and extensive experience using Microsoft Office software tools, such as MS Project, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Word, to be utilized in managing and reporting estimate throughput, status and manpower allocation

Travel / Attendance (This will be amended to suit by agreement)

The Commercial Manager will be based in Newport, South Wales. Projects may be located within the immediate region or elsewhere across the wider VDC portfolio. Regular travel to project sites and other VDC offices will be required and is expected to represent a minimum of 20% of working time.

We operate with No Ego and No Arrogance. We work to build each other up and support one another, appreciating each other’s strengths and respecting each other’s weaknesses. We find joy in our work and each other, actively seeking opportunities to inject fun into what we do. Our hard and efficient work is rewarded with an above market total compensation package. We offer a comprehensive suite of health and welfare, retirement, and paid leave benefits exceeding local expectations.

Throughout the year, the advantage of being part of the Vantage team is evident with an array of benefits, recognition, training and development, and the knowledge that your contribution adds value to the company and our community.

Don't meet all the requirements? Please still apply if you think you are the right person for the position. We are always keen to speak to people who connect with our mission and values.

Vantage is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Vantage does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm agencies. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of Vantage.