Commercial Finance Director – Permanent
Location: Dublin
Type: Full-time | Permanent
Abrivia Recruitment is partnering with an organisation in the construction and engineering sector to recruit a Commercial Finance Director. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and commercially focused finance leader to join a well-established business operating across complex, large-scale projects in Ireland and the UK.
The successful candidate will report to the Chief Financial Officer and will take ownership of the commercial and financial performance of the business, with responsibility for profitability, cash flow, governance, commercial control and risk management across a significant project portfolio. The role involves a mix of hands-on financial leadership and strategic input, acting as a key link between Finance, Commercial, Operations and Executive Leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
- Partner with the CFO and senior leadership team on strategic and commercial decision-making.
- Lead the commercial finance function and ensure financial priorities are aligned with long-term business objectives.
- Oversee commercial and financial performance across projects and business units, including margin, earned value and forecast outcomes.
- Challenge project teams on cost overruns, programme risks, margin erosion and commercial performance.
- Lead robust monthly project reviews and drive accountability for financial performance across operational teams.
- Manage project budgeting, forecasting and long-range planning, ensuring assumptions are appropriately challenged.
- Develop financial models and commercial analysis to support executive-level decision-making.
- Drive cash generation and working capital optimisation across debtors, retentions, work-in-progress, payment applications and certification.
- Support contract negotiations and collection strategies to strengthen cash flow and reduce working capital requirements.
- Review the commercial and financial aspects of major tenders, including pricing strategy, financial modelling, risk allowances and margin expectations.
- Ensure appropriate commercial governance, contract compliance and financial controls are maintained across the business.
- Build and develop a high-performing commercial finance team while strengthening financial capability across project and commercial functions.
- Provide high-quality management information and board-level reporting on financial and commercial performance.
Requirements:
- Qualified Accountant – ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Business or a related discipline.
- Minimum 10-15 years’ relevant experience within construction, engineering, utilities, infrastructure or a comparable project-based environment.
- Significant experience managing the financial and commercial performance of large-scale project portfolios.
- Strong knowledge of project-based accounting, commercial controls, margin management and cash flow.
- Experience operating within a substantial organisation, ideally with revenues in excess of €250 million.
- Proven experience leading finance and commercial teams at senior level.
- Demonstrable experience as a senior leadership team member with board and executive-level reporting exposure.
- Strong track record of influencing operational and commercial stakeholders and driving performance improvement.
- Strong working knowledge of major contract structures, including NEC, FIDIC, JCT and Irish Public Works Contracts.
- Advanced capability in financial modelling, forecasting, budgeting, margin analysis and commercial business partnering.
- Strong experience across contract management, claims, procurement governance, project controls and risk management.
- Experience with IFS Cloud, Power BI, advanced Excel and financial planning or analytics platforms.
Desirable:
- Experience of PPP or PFI arrangements.
- Experience working across multi-site operations in Ireland and the UK.
- Strong understanding of Earned Value Management and complex project economics.
- A track record of improving profitability, cash generation, project governance and commercial performance in a complex construction or engineering environment.
Benefits:
- Base salary in the region of €150,000-€160,000, depending on experience.
- Performance-related bonus.
- Car allowance.
- Employer pension contribution.
- Senior leadership position with significant influence over commercial and financial strategy.
- Opportunity to work across a substantial portfolio of complex construction and engineering projects.
