Head of Commercial | Al Futtaim Contracting | Al Futtaim Real Estate

Job Requisition ID: 176081 

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate. 

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview Of The Role:

The Head of Commercial for Projects will oversee the management and governance of commercial and contracts administration for designated business units, ensuring the company's exposure to commercial risks is mitigated both currently and in the long term. This role requires adherence to commercial procedures and involves overseeing a team responsible for pre-contract negotiation, contract review, and project performance tracking. The position demands coordination with legal teams for contract approval, ensuring client administration principles are followed, including timely submission of payment applications and variation claims. Furthermore, this role is tasked with enhancing operational efficiency, advising on new business opportunities, and directing divisional activities to meet company goals.

What You Will Do:

Pre Bid Activities

• Review tender documents in accordance with Delegation of Authority (DOA) and provide contractual advice and support services as required.
• Participate in pre-contract negotiations, working alongside the estimating function, and review the project's cost sheets.
• Achieve set targets related to tendering activities.

Contract Review

• Review contracts as per DOA and submit formal evaluations to management on contract conditions, highlighting risks and opportunities.
• Coordinate with Group Legal for approval on external contracts when necessary.
• Implement risk management strategies in line with the company's approach.

Project and Contract Performance Management

• Provide guidance on contract commercial administration to ensure financial success of construction operations.
• Ensure timely submission of data for monthly and quarterly contract performance monitoring and analysis.
• Conduct monthly meetings to discuss financial success through cost/value reconciliation and comparisons with estimates.
• Finalize forward projections and cost to complete (CTC) for projects quarterly.
• Identify and value the direct and indirect costs of variations and claims.
• Report timely, accurate, and complete operational conditions of the business to stakeholders.
• Control and monitor costs, operations, and forecast data to assess business progress and future directions.

Client Administration

• Ensure necessary notices and submissions required by contracts are timely to protect the business’s position.
• Submit contract payment applications with details covering additional cost claims, variations, and extension of time claims.
• Negotiate timely agreements on final accounts with customers.
• Secure timely payment certificates and assist in debt collection.
• Coordinate with Finance and Treasury to track and return original bank guarantees upon project completion.

General Management

• Provide ongoing advice and support to Estimating, Operations, and Commercial teams.
• Enhance operational efficiency and productivity standards.
• Evaluate new or revised business proposals, products, markets, and relationships, advising management accordingly.
• Direct company policies related to Commercial and Procurement to achieve business goals.
• Exercise authorization within prescribed policy parameters and DOA.

Required Skills To Be Successful:

• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Problem-solving ability using logical and creative thinking.
• Leadership skills to motivate and guide the team.
• Proven expertise in drafting contractual advice notes and providing reliable cost and value information.

What Qualifies You For The Role:

• Relevant degree, preferably in engineering, with a management qualification from a reputed institute.
• Chartered membership of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) or other international institutions preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in the contracting industry, with at least 5 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Experience in contracts administration, negotiation, claims management, high-value claims, dispute resolution, and arbitration.
• Professional membership of a recognized institute, like RICS.
• Formal qualification in materials management is advantageous.
• Comprehensive understanding of principles of contract law, especially FIDIC.
• Knowledge of construction/project planning and costs in use, with a good appreciation of Health & Safety.
• Experience in managing, mentoring, and developing staff.

About Al-Futtaim Contracting

Al-Futtaim Contracting offers customers complete engineering and systems integration solutions. 
 
The Engineering arm operates in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt providing a wide variety of products and services from air conditioning, scaffolding and access solutions, elevators and escalators, control and life safety, facilities management, building products, MEP, Energy Management, Technology Infrastructure and Digital Transformation. 
 
The Technologies division provides complete business solutions to large, medium and small customers that include, contact centre solutions, business applications, business intelligence, data management, advanced analytics amongst others. The IT infrastructure portfolio comprises IP telephony, ELV systems, networking solutions, professional audio-visual solutions and managed services. 
 
These solutions are further complemented by services that include project management, installation, testing, commissioning and after-sales maintenance contracts.