Job Title: Head of Commercial
Location: Plymouth, Devon + Hybrid Working Arrangements
Compensation: Competitive + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF71530
Shape the Future of National Security Through World-Class Commercial Leadership
At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as the Head of Commercial at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
The role
As the Head of Commercial, you’ll take a leading role in supporting our Major Infrastructure Project (MIP) portfolio within the Major Nuclear Capital Programmes (MNCP) Commercial team. This is an opportunity to make an impact at national scale, shaping commercial strategy on complex Ministry of Defence programmes that play a critical part in UK defence, engineering and infrastructure.
Day-to-day, you’ll drive commercial excellence across high‑value, multi-disciplined construction and infrastructure projects, act as a trusted escalation point for complex commercial matters, and influence decision‑making at the highest levels.
- Leading the planning and delivery of multiple construction focussed contracts across major defence infrastructure programmes.
- Acting as an escalation point for complex or high‑risk commercial issues while coordinating legal advice where required.
- Developing and managing robust commercial strategies, including NEC4 contracts and pricing models, supported by your strong understanding of risk.
- Building positive relationships with suppliers, internal teams and clients to negotiate terms, scope and pricing effectively.
- Overseeing complex contract administration, change control, evidence gathering, pre‑tender estimates, cost planning, subcontract reviews, in line with robust commercial governance.
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with a minimum of 3 days in the office/onsite.
Essential experience of the Head of Commercial
- Comprehensive experience, understanding and management of NEC4 contracts
- Proven experience managing large, complex construction contracts and bids within a regulated environment
- Demonstrable ability to develop and maintain effective customer and supply chain relationships through collaboration in line with commercial governance
- Work well with other functions to develop and present robust commercial reports in line with business expectations
- Able to lead and develop large commercial teams to maximise performance
Qualifications for the Head of Commercial
- Degree‑level qualification in Quantity Surveying, Business, Law, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Construction Management or equivalent experience.
- MRICS, World Commerce and Contracting (WCC), MICES or MCIPS - Desirable
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be a sole UK National who is able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
What we offer
- Generous holiday allowance
- Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
- Employee share scheme
- Employee shopping savings portal
- Payment of Professional Fees
- Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
- Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. There is an annual Window to request this benefit. ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
- Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
Babcock
We’re Babcock — a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference.
Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.
We call that lifetime engineering.
Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [email protected] with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
Closing date: 15/06/2026
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