Commercial Director

Role Overview

Commercial Director at KBR, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reporting to the Programme Director, the Commercial Director is responsible for coordinating with PMCs for management of executive commercial reporting, control, recommending the most appropriate commercial strategy, pre and post contract management, provision of accurate status reports that allow timely decisions to be made to prevent schedule slippage and cost overruns, and production of close out reports for each project.

Company Overview

KBR provides PMO services, enterprise-level governance, assurance, integration and performance oversight across all projects and programs for a major infrastructure programme for a mixed-use development in Riyadh. The project is aiming to be a global landmark recognized for its unique vision and position as an authentic destination in Riyadh. The community will be a distinct, self-sustaining hub for Riyadh offering several iconic assets.

Role Purpose

Lead commercial strategy, cost control, and reporting across a portfolio-wide infrastructure programme. Establish governance frameworks, coordinate with PMCs to deliver accurate financial and commercial data, and provide executive visibility into cost, schedule, risk, and cashflow performance to prevent overruns and enable timely decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Control

• Recommend the most appropriate commercial strategy aligned with client objectives.
• Assist the Client with development of commercial strategy.
• Participate in the development and implementation of programme change control procedures.
• Review cost risks and opportunities.

Reporting & Financial Management

• Develop, implement, and govern standard cost and commercial reporting formats for use by the PMCs.
• Develop the Project Cost Report (PCR), Commercial Executive Report and Cashflows within Unifier and integrate with other platforms for consistency of data.
• Prepare the programme-wide consolidated cost reports consistent with the agreed reporting requirements, including those of DevCo, BOD, Excom, Treasury, PIF, and HRH.
• Collate annual programme-wide budgets and prepare monthly cashflow reports for submission to the client for review and approval.
• Prepare programme-wide project cost reports, including trend analysis and change reporting.
• Prepare and issue programme-wide project Cash Flow reports.
• Report seamlessly between Cost Breakdown Structure and Work Breakdown Structure linking Cost and Schedule including Earned Value.
• Prepare updates for changes on the Programme baseline budget.
• Production of Commercial Reports throughout the project's life cycle.

Cost Benchmarking & Analysis

• Prepare and develop cost benchmark reports for Tender Price Index, Professional Fees Benchmark, Construction Cost Benchmark for above ground Assets and Infrastructure, efficiency benchmarks including GFA/BUA, Floor/Ceilings, KSA Key Input Market Price Analysis (monthly), and KSA Market Insight (quarterly).
• Prepare and issue the cost benchmarking templates, elemental cost plan format and required information to the PMCs.

Data Management & Validation

• Develop and maintain a database of all Insurances, Guarantees, Warranties.
• Coordinate with PMCs to compile and validate analytical commercial data.
• Review of existing procurement guidelines for BoQ and tender documents for development of standards for the PMCs.

Risk Management

• Manage executive risk reporting.
• Provide portfolio-wide risk management services to support effective governance, decision-making, and assurance across the portfolio, in alignment with approved risk policies, frameworks, and systems.
• Consolidate PMC risk registers into programme-level and departmental risk registers for escalation and reporting.

Business Planning & Stakeholder Support

• Support the Business Plan exercise.

Leadership & Delivery

• Lead and direct contracts, risk, and other support service departments.
• Ensure timely production of all required commercial deliverables by KBR.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or quantity surveying.
• Minimum 20 years post-graduation experience.
• MRICS, CIOB, or equivalent.
• Prior experience as Commercial Director.
• Experience in managing direct reports with overall responsibility for teams of more than 20 people.
• Sound knowledge of commercial aspects of major civil and infrastructure projects including urban developments, roads, bridges, and utilities.
• Significant experience in procurement and contract management of major civil and infrastructure projects.
• Experience in international contracting mechanisms including FIDIC and NEC.
• Membership of a recognised International Professional Body, for example MRICS.

Skills & Competencies

• Leadership.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Commercial awareness.
• Strong client focus.
• Planning and organising skills.
• Accepts responsibility.
• HSE Awareness.
• Experienced user of MS Office.
• Understanding of project management software.
• Fluency in English language, both written and spoken.