Principal Commercial Manager

Who we are

VIVO provides facilities management and accommodation maintenance for the UK military and its partners. VIVO embodies both experience and innovation.

What we do

We put our Customers and Families First. They are the driving force behind everything we do. We drive forward improvements for them to ensure the service they receive, whether reactive repairs or a major project, is completed safely and on time. In order to achieve this, we have 4 core values: open, caring, agile and collaborative. These are at the heart of everything we do.

Location: Cambridgeshire, home based with travel to sites

Permanent, Full time

Salary: Competitive + Benefits

At VIVO, we deliver facilities management and infrastructure services across the Defence estate, ensuring the places where our Armed Forces live, work and train remain safe, compliant and fit for purpose. We're looking for an experienced Principal Commercial Manager to join our Commercial team, playing a key role in delivering commercial excellence across a diverse portfolio of core services and Billable Works.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of the commercial management of high-value programmes, providing strategic advice, commercial leadership and governance that supports operational delivery while protecting business performance. Working closely with project teams, operational leaders, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) representatives and supply chain partners, you'll help ensure projects are delivered commercially, contractually and financially in line with business objectives.

You'll provide commercial guidance throughout the project lifecycle, supporting the pricing and delivery of Core Services and Billable Works, developing robust cost models, managing change control and ensuring contract processes are followed at every stage. You'll oversee risk management activities, attend risk meetings, review commercial risks and identify opportunities to improve value, reduce cost and strengthen commercial performance.

As the commercial lead for your portfolio, you'll manage complex pricing queries, support contract negotiations, oversee milestone payments, final accounts and supplier payments, while ensuring commercial controls remain robust and compliant. You'll also act as Tender Manager for Billable Works, supporting the successful delivery of work programmes that provide value for money for both VIVO and our Defence customers.

Working collaboratively across the business, you'll build strong relationships with operational teams, project managers, commercial colleagues and the supply chain, providing advice, mentoring and support to help teams understand their contractual responsibilities and make informed commercial decisions. You'll also play an important role in dispute avoidance and resolution, working proactively to minimise commercial risk and achieve positive outcomes for all parties.

Continuous improvement is central to the role. You'll identify opportunities to improve commercial processes, support sustainability initiatives across the Defence estate and help embed best practice in risk management, governance and commercial delivery. Your insight and expertise will directly contribute to the successful delivery of one of the UK's largest and most important facilities management contracts.

About You

You'll have significant commercial experience within construction, property maintenance, facilities management or a related industry, with a strong understanding of contract management, commercial governance and project delivery. You'll be experienced in developing cost models, preparing tenders and work proposals, managing commercial risk and resolving contractual issues while balancing operational priorities with financial performance.

You'll be an excellent communicator with the confidence to influence, negotiate and build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, clients and supply chain partners. You'll enjoy working collaboratively across multiple teams, providing clear commercial advice and helping others make informed decisions that deliver the best outcomes for the business and our customers.

You'll hold an HND, Foundation Degree or equivalent qualification in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management or a related discipline, or have significant equivalent industry experience. You'll also bring experience managing the commercial aspects of facilities management or construction projects, ranging from multiple concurrent minor works through to projects valued at £10 million.

Experience working within Defence or other highly regulated environments would be advantageous, alongside knowledge of MoD contracting requirements, collaborative business relationship frameworks and sustainable construction practices. Membership of a relevant professional body, evidence of continuing professional development and experience with Schedule of Rates would also be beneficial.

If you're looking for an opportunity where your commercial expertise will directly influence major projects, drive business performance and help maintain one of the UK's most important estates, we'd love to hear from you.

What We Offer

• Bonus
• Company car/Car allowance
• 6% employee matched pension contribution
• Life assurance 2x annual salary
• Private medical cover for self and partner
• 25 days annual leave
• 1x professional subscription per year

VIVO Defence Services

The role you have applied for is with VIVO Defence Services, a joint venture between Serco and EQUANS. By applying for this role, please be aware that information contained within your CV may be shared between VIVO Defence Services, Serco and EQUANS during the recruitment process.

At VIVO, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. Therefore, we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool.

We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working and operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly a Disability Confident Leader. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.