Commercial and Contracts Manager
About The Role
Great Britain's electricity infrastructure is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come.
For the benefit of our customers, it is essential that our portfolio of HVDC projects — enabling the transfer of clean, green energy across Great Britain — is contracted and delivered efficiently. These schemes will strengthen energy security, and make a meaningful contribution to Net Zero ambitions, by increasing our ability to harness and distribute homegrown power.
As Commercial Contracts Manager you'll have the satisfaction of end-to-end ownership and accountability for highly technical, high-impact infrastructure projects. It involves shaping fit-for-purpose contracting strategies, influencing the evolving regulatory landscape, and safeguarding value for consumers through disciplined and proactive Contract Management.
This role is based at our Warwick office which has free onsite parking, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home.
Leveraging this hybrid working, this team current work typically 1 day per week in the office, which is dependent on personal and business needs.
We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.
About You
What we do isn’t just important – it’s essential. That’s why we look to recruit experts in their field. In this case, we’re looking for someone who has/ can:
- A sound understanding of major infrastructure contracting frameworks, including FIDIC, NEC and bespoke contract forms.
- Bring experience across a range of contract models, including turnkey/EPC, target cost and reimbursable arrangements, supported by negotiation expertise, astute cost modelling, cost assurance, commercial oversight, and relationship management, alongside demonstrable capability in contractual risk management across the project lifecycle.
- Demonstrate clear accountability for decisions and actively champion organisational values, including our “Safe to Say” culture and commitment to Net Zero. Highly collaborative, you are comfortable challenging constructively and being challenged, building trusted relationships and contributing positively within team environments.
- Have knowledge of the HVDC market, particularly across cables, converters, and civils, would be advantageous for this high-impact role.
- Possess a full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel as required are necessary for the role.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At National Grid, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace for everyone. So if you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person for our growing business in this role or another one.
What You'll Do
As a leader within the organisation, robust contract and commercial management sits at the heart of the role, requiring disciplined application of commercial governance, clear contractual positioning, and proactive value protection throughout the project lifecycle. Building on this foundation, you will apply advanced commercial risk management to identify, quantify, and allocate risks within tender submissions, ensuring funding strategies and cost positions reflect true risk exposure while safeguarding consumer value.
A strong understanding of the procurement and regulatory environment is required, including engaging with the regulator using market-tested rates, building robust cost submissions, and protecting consumer value through safe, on-programme delivery within agreed funding.
Working closely with procurement, you will operate within established governance frameworks and apply tendering expertise to secure optimal outcomes across price and contractual terms, while supporting and influencing a wide stakeholder group spanning delivery, regulation, legal teams, and external transmission system owners.
You will support the transition from pre-contract to delivery, ensuring project teams understand contractual obligations, while providing regular reporting to governance forums on commercial performance, earned value, milestone progress, and emerging risks. This includes monitoring contractor performance, managing delivery-phase risk, and working proactively with contractors to unlock value, mitigate issues, and resolve disputes.
The role also requires creating an open, inclusive and high-trust environment, communicating with consistency and transparency, managing performance with confidence, and holding partners accountable for agreed outcomes. All whilst championing a strong safety culture that reinforces a “Safe to Say” approach across all levels of the organisation.
What You'll Get
A competitive salary between £70,000 – £75,000 – dependent on capability.
As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 30% of your salary for stretch performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.
About Us
The British Energy Security Strategy set out the Government's ambition to connect up to 50GW of offshore generation to the electricity network by 2030. Facilitating this ambition will require significant reinforcements to the onshore electricity transmission network. National Grid Strategic Infrastructure will make this happen.
Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; we’re thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people.
Our investment in Strategic Infrastructure via the Great Grid Upgrade will mean more home grown power, greater energy security and a cleaner future.
Whatever your role, wherever you work with us, you’ll help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far-reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.
More Information
This role closes on March 8th at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. Interviews will be held w/c March 16th via Teams.
We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.
We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.
Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, origin.
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