Commercial Director Ground Engineering

Building a sustainable tomorrow

At BAM Ground Engineering, formerly BAM Ritchies, we provide one of the most comprehensive ranges of specialist ground engineering services in the UK. With in-house expertise across our nine specialist capabilities – Ground Investigation, Instrumentation & Monitoring, Drill & Blast, Soil Nails & Catch Fences, Grouting Operations, Complex Piling, Ground Anchors, Concrete & Tunnel Repairs, and Material Testing – we deliver innovative solutions that help our clients understand, manage and overcome complex ground engineering challenges throughout the project lifecycle.

As Commercial Director, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the commercial success and strategic growth of the business. Leading our commercial function, you will provide direction, governance and leadership across a diverse portfolio of specialist ground engineering projects, ensuring strong financial performance, effective risk management, and the highest standards of commercial excellence. Working closely with operational teams, clients and supply chain partners, you will help drive sustainable growth while supporting BAM's purpose of Making Possible.

Your team

• This role can be based from our Kilsyth, Godstone or Nailsea offices, with travel across the UK as required.

Making Possible

As Commercial Director Ground Engineering, you will be responsible for the following:

• Provide strategic commercial leadership across a portfolio of ground engineering and geotechnical projects, ensuring successful delivery of commercial objectives, financial performance, and business outcomes.
• Champion the highest standards of health, safety, sustainability, quality, wellbeing, diversity, inclusion, and social value across project teams and the supply chain.
• Lead and develop a high-performing commercial team, driving talent management, succession planning, recruitment, capability development, and employee engagement.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with clients, framework partners, contractors, consultants, and key stakeholders to maximise project value and foster long-term collaboration.
• Oversee all commercial reporting, forecasting, cost management, cash flow, and payment applications, ensuring accurate and timely information for senior leadership.
• Lead commercial risk, opportunity, change, and claims management activities across complex geotechnical and ground engineering projects, protecting business interests and maximising commercial performance.
• Direct procurement and supply chain commercial activities, including contract strategy, subcontract procurement, contract review, negotiation, and governance.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, commercial processes, audit requirements, record management standards, and company governance procedures.
• Support business growth through involvement in strategic bids, framework appointments, key client pursuits, and project mobilisation activities.
• Drive business improvement initiatives, project assurance reviews, and the implementation of best practice, digital innovation, and continuous improvement across the Ground Engineering business.

What do you bring to the role?

We are looking for a commercially astute leader with the credibility and experience to operate at senior level within the ground engineering, geotechnical, and major infrastructure sectors.

Mandatory requirements

• Degree qualified in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Law, or a related discipline.
• Chartered status (MRICS, FCInstCES, MCICES or equivalent professional accreditation) desirable.
• Extensive senior commercial leadership experience within ground engineering, geotechnical engineering, specialist contracting, civil engineering, or major infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrable experience leading the commercial delivery of large-scale projects and programmes, including complex geotechnical packages and specialist ground engineering works.
• Strong knowledge of NEC contracts, with experience operating within complex contracting environments including frameworks, joint ventures, alliances, and collaborative delivery models.
• Proven track record of managing commercial risk, change control, claims, dispute avoidance, and contract administration across major infrastructure and construction projects.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing commercial teams across multidisciplinary project environments.
• Strong understanding of construction law, dispute resolution, and contractual terms across standard forms of contract.
• Proven ability to establish, maintain, and enhance client and supply chain relationships.
• Experience of working on projects involving piling, ground improvement, retaining structures, slope stabilisation, earthworks, tunnelling support, or other specialist geotechnical solutions.

Desirable requirements

• Experience supporting strategic bids, pre-construction activities, and mobilisation of major infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of geotechnical design-and-build contracting, specialist ground engineering solutions, and associated commercial delivery challenges.
• Experience working within transportation, rail, highways, water, defence, nuclear, energy, or urban regeneration sectors where complex ground engineering forms a critical element of project delivery.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary
• A wide range of family-friendly policies
• Company car/car allowance/travel allowance
• 8% matched pension contributions
• Private healthcare
• Life assurance
• 26 days holiday
• 2 wellbeing days
• 1 volunteering day
• Personal and professional development opportunities

About BAM

Building a sustainable tomorrow. That’s our mission and our promise at BAM. It’s how we engineer vital infrastructure and construct high-quality buildings as one of the largest construction companies in Europe.
 

We strive to create an environment where everybody feels welcome and valued. We’re on an exciting journey to employ the best talent to join us regardless of social background, race, colour, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability or other characteristics.

The application process

For more information about the vacancy and our projects, please contact Zainab Rubbani, Recruiter, BAM UK & Ireland (Infrastructure), Email: zainab.rubbani@bam.com

BAM is committed to ensuring a fully inclusive recruitment and onboarding process, so if at anytime you feel you may need any reasonable adjustments, do not hesitate to speak with one of our team, and we will do our best to support you.