Project Commercial Manager

Remarkable people, trusted by clients to design and advance the world.

Wood is recruiting for a Project Commercial Manager on temporary basis (12 months contract - renewable), to join its Projects – Process and Chemical Team, focusing on engineering, procurement and construction of complex plants in the Chemical, Petrochemical and Energy industries. The position will be based in Corsico (Milan) office for a first period, with a following assignment onsite for an important ongoing project in Romania.

International mobility and availability to be assigned is essential.

The Role

The Project Commercial Manager is a project specific role within our east region business, supporting a significant key contract award.

This individual will oversee the contract commercial management tasks aligned with our Framework for Managing the Fundamentals (FMF). The responsibilities will be centred around managing the Contract, Risk, Change Management, Monitoring Returns, following Cash Must-does, and Supply Chain.

This requires a candidate with robust commercial acumen, adaptable skills, and the ability to manage oversight and direct contract management tasks as needed.

Overarching focus – critical

In this role, you will act as the central commercial point of coordination, ensuring that all activities align with our strategic commercial objectives. For that, you will be collaborating closely with other departments that handle the execution of this contract, allowing you to add value by fostering collaboration and commercial integrity across the project lifecycle. This approach ensures that resources are used efficiently, drawing on the expertise within each function to optimize outcomes.

Our Clients and Projects

Designing the future. Transforming the world.

You will be working for major international clients in the energy market and material market, and you will be part of a team results focused that will provide technical solutions.

What we can offer

• Meaningful and interesting projects delivered to leaders of industry across chemical, petrochemical, oil&gas and emerging energy sectors
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion; we are an organization actively committed to diversity and inclusion across our business
• Competitive salary to ensure we are rewarding at the right level in line with the market
• Global connections: join experts around the world who are at the leading edge of our industry, shaping the standards of our profession

The key objectives for this role are:

Handover and Initial Setup

• Transition Management: Work closely with the Commercial Acquire representative to jointly lead a structured handover from pre- to Post-Contract Award, ensuring contracts are well understood and that all project team members are aware of and fully understand the commercial obligations that affect their work
• Contract Review: Analyse contract remuneration mechanisms, set up Delegation of Authority (DOA), understand the anticipated return and other as-bid financial parameters, understand the Project Schedule, its anticipated deliverables, critical milestones, etc.… all to ensure alignment with project budgets and schedules

Post-Award Contract Administration and Compliance

• Compliance Oversight: Establish commercial administration procedures in line with our existing policies / procedures to ensure strict adherence to contract terms. This includes handling responsibilities from initiating notices to maintaining detailed documentation
• Commercial Deliverables: Oversee the maintenance of contract-required deliverables, including guarantees, insurances, change management plans, invoicing, and templates
• Contractual Correspondence: Act as the primary commercial point of all contractual letters with the client or other third parties, managing all formal correspondences and addressing issues as they arise

Risk Management

• Risk Handover from Pre to Post Award: Gain a thorough understanding of the risks identified during the Capture / Acquire phases, ensuring that all commercial risks and mitigation strategies embedded in the contract are clearly documented, communicated, and understood by the project team
• Anticipated Mitigations and Contractual Safeguards: Review and validate all pre-identified risks alongside the mitigations included within the contract, such as indemnities, insurance requirements, liability limitations, and contingencies. Ensure these safeguards are in place and that project teams know their roles in maintaining them
• Ongoing Risk Monitoring and Proactive Management: Actively monitor and manage evolving project risks by maintaining updated risk registers and conducting regular risk reviews with the project team. Ensure that emerging risks are promptly identified, evaluated, and mitigated, working closely with the project director/manager to ensure these are managed within the project’s risk appetite
• Collaboration on Risk Strategy with Project Director / Manager: Support the project director / manager in implementing a robust, ongoing risk management approach. This includes encouraging proactive risk identification across functions, facilitating open discussions about potential risks and opportunities, and supporting the team in taking pre-emptive actions when possible
• Ownership and Accountability: Ensure clear ownership of each risk across the project team, holding regular reviews to revalidate risk mitigation strategies, confirm adequacy of contingencies, and maintain alignment with contractual obligations and project objectives. Work to prevent scope creep and manage contractual boundaries to minimise risk exposure
• Documenting and Communicating Risk Status: Keep senior management and stakeholders informed through regular reporting on risk status, mitigation progress, and any risk-related contractual compliance issues, providing transparency into the project’s risk position at each stage

Change Management

• Understanding the Contractual Change Mechanisms: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the contract’s terms and conditions related to change, including notification periods, required formats, and timelines. Ensure that these mechanisms are clearly communicated to the project team and that they understand the processes required to comply fully with change-related contractual obligations
• Compliance with Terms and Notices: Establish and enforce a change management protocol that ensures all change-related actions comply with contractual terms. This includes issuing timely and accurate notices, maintaining appropriate documentation, and rigorously following the notification requirements stipulated in the contract
• Strategic Pricing and Placement of Change Orders: Collaborate with the project and commercial teams to carefully price and structure change orders to maximise entitlements and safeguard margins. Ensure that each change order is supported with detailed records, cost breakdowns, and any necessary supporting evidence to substantiate the company’s position
• Maintaining Comprehensive Supporting Records: Maintain meticulous records of all changes, ensuring that all necessary documentation (correspondence, cost estimates, schedules, etc.) is organised and accessible to support ongoing negotiations and potential claims. This documentation ensures compliance, validates entitlements, and substantiates claims if disputes arise
• Negotiating Change Outcomes: Lead or support negotiations with clients or third parties to achieve favourable outcomes, leveraging contractual knowledge and commercial insight to secure agreements that maximise the company’s entitlements and manage any additional risk exposure. Ensure that negotiated changes align with the contract’s terms and benefit the project’s financial and operational goals
• Developing and Adopting a Strategic Change Management Plan: Design or adopt a tailored change management strategy aimed at maximising the company’s entitlements within the project scope. This includes establishing a structured approach for identifying potential change events early, assessing their impacts, and implementing proactive measures to manage or capitalise on these changes to benefit the project’s financial position

Procurement and Subcontracting

• Compliance with Flow Downs: Ensure that all third-party agreements are compliant with contractual obligations and flow-downs
• Performance Evaluation: Provide assistance to Supply Chain on all contractual matters related to Suppliers and Subcontractors including assessing subcontractor and supplier performance against contract terms and project schedules, addressing any risks or delays, maintaining financial instruments etc..

Financial and Cash Flow Management

• Cash Flow Compliance: Enforce adherence to “Cash Must-Do’s,” proactively managing cash flow, and ensuring accurate financial reporting
• Commercial Contribution: Oversee commercial contributions to profitability, monitoring project returns and contingencies, ELF and implementing / recommending necessary adjustments

Project Monitoring and Reporting

• Performance Review: Attend Project Management Reviews (PMRs), probing for risks or opportunities and evaluating project metrics (cost, schedule, productivity) against established benchmarks
• Stakeholder Reporting: Prepare regular reports for senior management detailing project commercial performance, risk assessments, and contractual compliance

Project Oversight and Supervision

• Team Supervision: Where appropriate, supervise Contracts Managers on projects, ensuring effective contract management, administration, and resource allocation
• Project Leadership: As needed, act as Contracts Manager on high-priority or high-risk projects, coordinating all commercial aspects directly

Commercial Closeout

• Closeout Processes: Lead commercial closeout processes, including managing the Defects Liability period and ensuring completion of outstanding commercial tasks
• Issue Resolution: Support the resolution of claims, variations, and disputes, ensuring all are managed in alignment with FMF procedures

At Wood, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

Expected

• Extensive Project Commercial Management Experience: 10-15 years of proven experience in commercial management of large-scale projects, ideally in engineering or construction-related industries
• Preferred Qualifications: Master or Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying (QS), Engineering, Business, or Law
• Contractual Knowledge: In-depth understanding of post-award contract management, including compensation models, risk mitigation, and change management
• Strategic Communication: Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization
• Financial and Analytical Skills: Proficient in financial analysis related to project cash flow, profitability, and return on investment
• Organization and Detail-Oriented: Exceptionally organized, with a keen eye for detail and a methodical approach to managing tasks and coordinating resources
• Substantial experience in Project Commercial Management (10-15 years) will be a key selection criterion, particularly in roles involving contract negotiation, project delivery, and financial management

Key Competencies

• Leadership and Influence: Strong presence and the ability to lead without direct authority, fostering effective teamwork and collaboration across project teams
• Problem Solving and Resilience: Ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure, adapting to project needs and evolving situations
• Relationship Building: Skilled at building and maintaining relationships with project stakeholders, from client representatives to senior project and company leadership
• Adaptability: Versatile, with the capacity to pivot between oversight and hands-on contract management based on project demands