Commercial Director

Thrive on openness, respect and collaboration? Good. Us too. Join as a Commercial Director and thrive in a team that values mutual responsibility and creating a meaningful legacy.

Here at Buro Happold, expect the exceptional. 

From the projects you will work on to the clients we work with. From career-defining opportunities to an inclusive and diverse practice where we all contribute to a more equitable world. From our reputation to our relationships. Wherever your Buro Happold career takes you, it’ll be anything but ordinary. 

Your next role

You’ll be surrounded with intellectual and engineering challenges of the calibre and complexity that enquiring minds crave

This is a critical role that will be based in our Riyadh Saudi Arabia office, which will see you providing leadership and strategic vision to Buro Happold's Commercial function for our Middle East region.

The role requires the individual to work as an integrated member of the Commercial and Project teams, providing professional commercial support (which will encompass Project Management, contract support, pro-active compliance with contract and management requirements and also looking at key commercial factors to be taken into account across the project lifecycle) in the development, delivery and assists to get the right result in the projects, mindful of Buro Happold’s policies, global strategies and strategic objectives, and principles on contracting and risk management. The role will focus on mega and giga projects.

You'll be an integral member of the Global Commercial and Legal team, providing professional commercial support (encompassing project management, legal support, and key commercial factors across the project lifecycle) for the United Kingdom and Middle East region project portfolio.

Your key duties

Reporting to the Global Director of Commercial, Legal and Digital Risks, you will be required to:

• Oversee the implementation of the commercial management, planning and execution of projects under Buro Happold's portfolio, to ensure that projects are planned and delivered as per the Middle East Project portfolio's requirements, timelines and estimated budgets.
• Manage and continuously monitor the Commercial performance of Middle East Projects to ensure the performance deviations are identified in a timely manner and required resources and actions are implemented to meet commercial performance targets.
• Monitor the Middle East Projects' financial performance vis a vis the budget to ensure alignment with set Project guidelines, identify areas of unsatisfactory performance, and recommend performance improvement opportunities.
• Monitor all project-related commercial activities by overseeing project planning, financial impact analysis, risk identification, and project schedule in order to ensure accurate commercial planning, scoping and financial viability in line with project objectives and expected outcomes.
• In collaboration with relevant internal stakeholders/project leaders, provide technical guidance during the bidding process to ensure that requirements are clearly articulated in line with project commercial objectives.
• Provide guidance and assistance to Project leaders with the overall performance of projects to ensure that their performance is reviewed and minimise the risk of variations and claims.
• Review the progress of all projects under the Middle East portfolio against the scope, specification, timelines and project budget, and compare actual cost against budgeted cost in order to evaluate over run/under run, and initiate variation/change orders required to meet the completion of the project.
• Manage the ongoing development and implementation of commercial project management mechanisms to effectively track progress, and minimise potential risks and issues that may impact project delivery.
• Manage the review of deliverables/documents submitted to or from our clients, including samples, change requests, payment requests, etc. to ensure they are validated against contractual agreements.
• Assist Project leaders with the management of all project closure activities to verify compliance with established processes and complete paperwork in line with contractual and legal requirements to protect Buro Happold from exposure or liability.
• Be involved in negotiating commercial contractual terms in the Middle East and specifically have experience of working directly with clients in KSA.

Client Management and support

• Develop and nurture strategic relationships with Middle East clients to facilitate deep and trusted partnership and engagement.
• Attend critical client meetings with Project leaders to discuss and facilitate project status, progress, issues, and challenges and identify resolutions.

Policies, Systems, Processes and Procedures

• Manage the development and implementation of Commercial policies, systems, processes and procedures, and continuously identify and recommend improvements to ensure compliance with Buro Happold's standards and regulatory requirements to increase operational effectiveness.

Management Reporting

• Ensure that all reports are prepared in a comprehensive, accurate and timely manner, and meet business and functional requirements and standards.
• Present regular and ad-hoc management reports on trends, critical issues and challenges, and provide strategic insight to inform key decision-making.

What we offer you

Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following qualifications and experience;

• Must be able to demonstrate significant experience working in a Commercial Leadership role in the Middle East with an International Consultant or Main Contractor
• Professionally qualified in a construction discipline or related legal qualification, with a sound foundation of experience in negotiation and agreement of terms of business appointments, and some experience of dispute resolution resulting in favourable settlement of claims and entitlement.
• Proven experience in a Leadership/Management position
• Extensive expert knowledge of Project Management Procedures in the context of an international mega and giga projects. 
• Extensive knowledge of International and Middle East contracts as well as internationally FIDIC forms of contract
• Significant experience in developing claims and a broad understanding of Contractual Entitlements as well as commercial implications in ongoing projects.
• Experience in developing Project teams, restructuring, and managing Projects in crisis as well as implementing new Project Processes.
• Some knowledge of legal aspects of construction law

At Buro Happold, everyone else’s extraordinary is just our everyday. Apply today and be a part of our legacy.  

A place for everyone 

Buro Happold values individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.   

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive. 

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing difference allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments, we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.