Cost / Commercial Manager

Overview

Responsibilities

Cost Planning & Budget Management

• Lead cost management activities across multiple hotel developments, infrastructure, enabling works, utilities, public realm, FF&E, OS&E and specialist packages.
• Monitor cost allocation across all project packages ensuring alignment with approved budgets and project objectives.
• Ensure budgets remain aligned with approved scope, design development, procurement strategy and construction packaging.
• Review and validate cost estimates prepared by consultants, contractors, cost consultants and specialist advisors.
• Identify cost risks, budget gaps, omissions, duplicated scope and opportunities for value optimisation.
• Maintain comprehensive cost control registers for each hotel, contract and major work package.
• Ensure cost plans reflect luxury hospitality brand standards and operator-specific requirements.

Cost Control & Financial Reporting

• Prepare and maintain detailed cost reports, cost forecasts, cash flow projections and cost-to-complete assessments.
• Monitor actual expenditure against approved budgets, commitments and forecast final costs.
• Identify potential cost overruns and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Review monthly commercial reports submitted by contractors, consultants and quantity surveyors.
• Produce cost variance analyses highlighting commercial risks and key financial indicators for senior Client and PMC leadership.
• Maintain accurate forecasts for design development, authority changes, operator requirements, contingency utilisation and project risks.

Commercial Management

• Review contractor payment applications and recommend certification.
• Assess contractor pricing using market benchmarks, project rates, productivity analysis, subcontractor quotations and current site conditions.
• Challenge unsupported or excessive commercial submissions and ensure contractual compliance.
• Evaluate subcontractor pricing, preliminaries, overheads, profit allowances, escalation and risk provisions.
• Provide commercial advice throughout procurement, construction and project delivery.
• Support negotiations with contractors, subcontractors and suppliers to achieve commercially balanced outcomes.

Variations & Change Management

• Establish and maintain project-wide variation and change management registers.
• Review, assess and negotiate variation submissions from contractors and consultants.
• Validate quantities, build-ups, rates and supporting documentation.
• Assess cost implications arising from design development, operator changes, authority requirements, site instructions, RFIs and construction constraints.
• Ensure all changes are contractually justified and supported by appropriate approvals before commercial recognition.
• Provide early commercial advice prior to the issue of project instructions.
• Monitor cumulative change against approved contingency allowances and project budgets.
• Prepare commercial recommendations and approval papers for Client decision-making.

Claims & Contract Administration

• Review contractor claims relating to prolongation, disruption, acceleration, escalation, loss of productivity and additional preliminaries.
• Assess contractual entitlement in conjunction with project records, progress, procurement status and programme impacts.
• Support delay and cost impact assessments in collaboration with Planning and Contracts teams.
• Provide commercially sound recommendations during claims evaluation and dispute avoidance processes.
• Ensure commercial decisions are supported by accurate records and contractual provisions.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary commercial interface between the Client, PMC, contractors, consultants and hotel operators.
• Present commercial updates to senior management and executive stakeholders.
• Support strategic commercial decision-making throughout project delivery.
• Promote best practice commercial governance across all project teams.
• Mentor and support junior commercial staff where required.