Commercial Director

Overview

Knight Frank’s Project & Development Services division is seeking an experienced Commercial Director to provide strategic commercial leadership across a large-scale PMO commission in Riyadh. The programme comprises a portfolio of high-profile tower developments and associated infrastructure, requiring a commercially astute leader capable of operating at executive level within a complex stakeholder environment.

Reporting to the Head of P&DS, KSA, the Commercial Director will be responsible for the overall commercial governance, contractual management, financial performance and risk mitigation of the PMO agreement. The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor to both Knight Frank leadership and the client, ensuring commercial excellence, robust contract administration and effective programme controls throughout the project lifecycle.

This role requires a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience leading commercial functions on major developments, together with a strong understanding of PMO environments, consultancy services agreements and large-scale mixed-use or high-rise construction programmes.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Leadership & Governance

• Provide strategic commercial leadership across the PMO programme, ensuring commercial objectives are aligned with project and business goals.
• Act as the senior commercial authority for the programme, advising leadership on commercial strategy, risk exposure and contractual obligations.
• Develop and implement commercial governance frameworks, policies, procedures and controls to ensure consistency across all projects within the portfolio.
• Champion commercial best practice and drive continuous improvement initiatives across the PMO team.
• Establish and maintain the P&DS Commercial Framework and Commercial Golden Rules, incorporating lessons learned and industry best practice.

Contract Management & Administration

• Lead all aspects of contract administration, interpretation and compliance across the programme.
• Provide expert advice on contractual matters, including claims, disputes, change management and risk allocation.
• Ensure robust contract management procedures are implemented and adhered to across all project teams.
• Support negotiations with clients, consultants, contractors and suppliers to achieve commercially advantageous outcomes.
• Oversee the preparation, evaluation and negotiation of contractual correspondence, notices and commercial submissions.

Claims, Risk & Dispute Resolution

• Identify, assess and mitigate commercial risks throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Lead the management of variations, claims and dispute avoidance strategies.
• Review and evaluate contractor and consultant claims, ensuring contractual compliance and commercial robustness.
• Prepare and support the negotiation of claims with clients and third parties where required.
• Develop proactive mitigation strategies to protect both client and Knight Frank commercial interests.

Financial Management & Performance

• Lead the preparation and management of annual budgets, forecasts and financial reporting requirements for the P&DS business and PMO programme.
• Monitor programme financial performance, revenue forecasts, profitability and cash flow.
• Work closely with the Head of P&DS, KSA to identify and implement mitigation measures where financial performance may be at risk.
• Ensure commercial reporting provides clear visibility of programme performance, risks and opportunities.
• Support investment planning and strategic decision-making through detailed financial analysis and forecasting.

PMO Commercial Controls

• Develop and maintain integrated systems, trackers, dashboards and reporting tools to monitor commercial performance across the portfolio.
• Drive consistency in commercial reporting, forecasting and governance across all programme teams.
• Collaborate with programme leadership to ensure commercial considerations are embedded within decision-making processes.
• Support the evolution of programme reporting and performance management frameworks.

Business Development & Strategic Growth

• Support business development activities by providing commercial input into bids, proposals and client presentations.
• Work with the wider leadership team to support pipeline management, revenue forecasting and strategic growth initiatives.
• Contribute to the development of new service offerings, commercial models and client solutions.
• Promote the Knight Frank brand through professional engagement, industry participation and thought leadership.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, programme leadership teams and key supply chain partners.
• Act as a trusted commercial advisor to the client and internal leadership teams.
• Provide executive-level reporting and presentations to senior stakeholders and governance boards.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability and commercial awareness across the programme.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor and develop commercial teams across the PMO portfolio.
• Support recruitment, succession planning and capability development within the commercial function.
• Promote a high-performance culture aligned with Knight Frank’s values and behaviours.
• Ensure effective knowledge sharing and continuous professional development across the team.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Quantity Surveying, Commercial Management, Construction Management, Engineering or a related discipline.
• MRICS, FRICS, MSc, LLM or equivalent professional qualification preferred.
• Minimum 20 years’ experience within the construction, infrastructure or engineering sectors.
• Demonstrable experience leading commercial functions on major PMO, programme management or large-scale development projects.
• Significant experience managing commercial operations for high-rise, mixed-use or large-scale urban developments.
• Extensive knowledge of contract administration, claims management and dispute resolution.
• Strong understanding of consultancy agreements, PMO delivery models and procurement strategies.
• Experience operating within Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC region is highly desirable.
• Exceptional commercial acumen, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong financial management, forecasting and reporting capability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Arabic would be advantageous.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and commercial reporting systems.