Commercial Director

As a leader in Canadian construction for over 100 years, the impact of our team is etched deeply within the core of our legacy. Beyond Bird, this impact is felt in the fundamental aspects of our everyday lives. From the critical infrastructure we depend on, to the energy and resources that keep us moving - we are powering our communities and shaping Canada’s skylines coast-to-coast. Entrenched in the foundation of a culture built more than a century ago is an enduring quest to reimagine what is possible. Our impact is greater than ever, and we are looking for those who seek to redefine their story.

We are a dynamic team of over 5,000 with a range of professions, backgrounds, and areas of expertise. This breadth of diversity in people and opportunities is one of greatest aspects of building your career with Bird. Every trajectory looks different. At Bird, you hold the pen, and you write your story. As you unlock your potential, you are surrounded by a team that supports you every step of the way.

At Bird, we are focused on building a culture that brings together ideal team players who facilitate possibility every day. We are looking for those who have the courage and confidence to be humble; the self-motivated, ambitious professionals who are hungry; and those who never lose sight of their intuition, emotional intelligence, or the unequivocal impact of being people smart.

Reporting to the Vice President of Major Projects, the Commercial Director will be responsible for the successful administration of contracts with clients, consultants and subcontractors on large Major Projects.

What You Will Be Working On

What You Will Be Working On

• Manage a team of Commercial Managers and Commercial Coordinators on large Industrial Major Projects
• Work within a multi-disciplined team on fast paced, high value construction projects with responsibility towards Contractual obligations to ensure alignment between the client, our team, and our subcontractors.
• Highlight risks for the Project Management Team and participate in development of a risk register for the Project.
• Review Prime contracts and Subcontracts to determine obligations, liabilities, risks and change entitlement.
• Manage the team to ensure contract administration processes and results.
• Provide interpretation of Prime Contract language.
• Develop contract management activities to ensure compliance with the Prime Contract.
• Manage contract reporting activities and identify and track deliverables.
• Identify and implement project record-keeping requirements needed to substantiate and validate potential changes and claims.
• Identify and mitigate/prevent/resolve problems involving high risk or high monetary cost to Bird.
• Develop correspondence with Client as appropriate to request necessary changes and modifications to meet the project requirements.
• Assist in negotiations concerning changes.
• Ensure the team provides timely and accurate contractual correspondence.
• Develop and implement change management procedures, including preparing, submitting and tracking changes to the Owner; reviewing and tracking subcontractor changes; and reviewing drawings, specifications and other contract documents to establish entitlement.
• Ensure the team is held accountable for invoicing clients and working with the project team to collect all required progress and supporting documentation.
• Manage Owner and subcontractor contractual notifications, including drafting clear and timely contractual correspondence.
• Negotiate change orders, variations and change issues.
• Prepare narratives and entitlement documentation.
• Claims avoidance and management, including review of project schedules and forensic analysis of cost and schedule impacts in support of time-related and other claims submissions.
• Manage the team in administering subcontracts, including resolving contractual issues and reviewing change entitlement.
• Maintain excellent relationships with clients, consultants, subcontractors and the public.
• Participate in client, subcontractor and consultant meetings and lead the commercial and contractual components.
• Contribute to monthly and quarterly financial forecasting, project P&L reporting and presentations to District management.
• Contribute to Prime Contract negotiations in collaboration with Legal and Risk Management.
• Provide project management teams with summaries of contractual requirements and deliver training and information sessions during project kick-off and throughout project execution.
• Liaise with project teams on a variety of matters as required and provide key updates to the District Management and Risk Management groups as necessary when issues arise.
• Develop and implement District and Company-wide commercial management best practices, processes and policies.
• Conduct monthly reviews of potential claims and opportunities with the Industrial West Management Team and participate in monthly or quarterly forums to share commercial trends and lessons across projects.
• Prepare a quarterly commercial management best-practices report for District Management and Risk Management based on project performance, recurring trends and lessons learned.
• Develop and deliver regular lunch-and-learn sessions for District staff on key commercial management principles and lessons learned.
• Work with the internal Insurance team to place project-specific insurance and contract security, including surety bonds and letters of credit, and ensure subcontract security requirements are in place.

 

 

What We Are Looking For

 

• Post-secondary education, such as a degree or diploma in a related field, and/or relevant combination of experience.
• 10+ years’ leadership experience in the construction industry. Ten or more years of contract management experience is preferred.
• A strong background in project or contract management

• Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including Project Management, clients, consultants and engineers, subcontractors, Legal and Risk Management.
• Previous experience working directly with consultants, including engineering and architectural firms.
• Experience with a range of contract models, including lump sum, cost reimbursable, design-build, public-private partnerships (P3), alliance and integrated project delivery (IPD).
• Experience with construction claims and builders’ liens.
• Understanding of the respective obligations of general contractors, engineers and architects for construction project deliverables is an asset.
• Understanding of quality assurance and quality control processes in commercial and industrial construction settings.
• Understanding of contract security options, including surety, letters of credit and subcontractor default insurance (SDI).
• Thorough knowledge of construction methods, equipment and equipment performance, construction self-perform operations and construction management.
• Collaborative and performance-oriented, with the ability to operate as part of a support team and adapt to changing stakeholder requirements.
• Tactful and diplomatic, with strong conflict-resolution skills.

• Ability to use MS Word, Excel, Outlook, MS Project, Primavera P6. Experience with Procore and InEight is an asset.
• Excellent financial and numeracy management skills.
• Working knowledge of contract language and legal requirements of contracts.
• Ability to inspire trust in difficult situations by instilling confidence and engaging people on matters that affect them.
• Ability to forge, grow and maintain positive relationships.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and meet the demands of unpredictable activities while handling pressure and challenges.
• Ability to work within tight deadlines and prioritization of work to achieve them.
• Strong project management, organizational and investigative skills.
• Strong critical thinking, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts.
• Highly developed interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrates a sense of urgency and strong commitment to achieving goals in a challenging, fast-paced environment.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills at multiple levels.

What We Are Looking For

For Those Who Seek to Redefine

The greatest achievements in history are borne from the greatness within people – where human potential meets vision, and passion fuels evolution. Unlocking this potential is the most important thing we do at Bird.

As a leader in Canadian construction for over 100 years, the impact of our team is etched deeply within the core of our legacy. Beyond Bird, this impact is felt in the fundamental aspects of our everyday lives. From the critical infrastructure we depend on, to the energy and resources that keep us moving - we are powering our communities and shaping Canada’s skylines coast-to-coast-to-coast. Entrenched in the foundation of a culture built more than a century ago is an enduring quest to reimagine what is possible. Our impact is greater than ever, and we are looking for those who seek to redefine their story.

What We Believe In

We Put Safety First

A healthy and safe work environment is non-negotiable. We build a culture of operational and psychological safety through engagement, learning and leadership.

We Lead With Honesty

We speak and act with integrity, clarity and care so people can trust our word and our work. Being honest means we can deliver the best outcomes and consistent results.

We Are Stronger Together

Success is a team effort. Our inclusive workplace enables our combined expertise, humility and creativity to unlock our greater potential.

We Are Driven To Do Great Work

We built our name on quality. We have a passion for excellence in our work and relationships that honours our businesses and our industry.

We Create Opportunity

Rooted in a solid foundation, we adapt and grow to face the future. We are committed to elevating each other to chart the best path forward in an evolving world.

At Bird, we value Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) and believe it is essential to our success. We will continue to listen, learn, and take action in our commitment to building progress in our organization, and the industry as a whole. Cultivating an environment where all employees feel included, seen, and have a sense of belonging is core to Bird’s culture. We commit to proactively employing a workforce that reflects the communities in which we work, fostering an environment of continuous learning, and never compromising on our values.