Commercial Lead

Aquatec is Australia's leading advisor and innovator in water, wastewater, and odour management solutions.

We're more than a company — we're a catalyst for positive change in the water industry.

With over 30 years of local and international experience, we design, build, and deliver end-to-end solutions across a wide range of environmental sewerage and water infrastructure systems. Our projects span large-scale developments, councils, water authorities, developers, and a strong network of retail and channel partners.

At Aquatec, we're passionate about collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Our people are at the heart of our success, and we're proud to offer a culture that fosters both professional and personal growth.

We partner with government, business, and residential clients to tackle the water challenges our communities face — today and into the future. As a recognised leader in water infrastructure, we're committed to delivering long-term, sustainable solutions that improve both infrastructure and the quality of life for communities everywhere.

Join us and be part of a team that's reshaping the future of the water industry.

The Role

We are seeking a commercially minded and delivery focused Commercial Lead to strengthen the front-end success of Aquatec's bids and pre-contract activities.

This role is responsible for reviewing and negotiating head contract terms, assessing and mitigating commercial risks and ensuring subcontractor agreements align with client requirements. You will work closely with Sales, Estimating, Procurement, and Operations, while also representing Aquatec in client-facing discussions to safeguard our commercial position.

As Commercial Lead, you will play a critical role in ensuring projects are set up for success, with clear risk management strategies and contractual clarity from the outset. This is a hands-on, high-impact role ideal for someone who thrives in fast-paced bid environments.

Key responsibilities include, but aren't limited to:

• Review and negotiate head contracts (NEC4, AS, bespoke), preparing deviation registers, mark-ups and risk matrices that clearly communicate commercial positions.
• Identify and assess commercial risks during the bid phase, developing mitigation strategies and escalating high-risk terms to leadership for approval.
• Contribute to Pre-Tender Submission Reports (PTSRs) with detailed commercial analysis, contractual qualifications and negotiation positions.
• Work closely with Sales and Estimating teams to ensure contractual assumptions, risk provisions and bid qualifications are accurate and defensible.
• Align subcontractor and supplier agreements with head contract obligations, ensuring appropriate risk management and compliance.
• Engage directly with clients during pre-award negotiations and clarifications, representing Aquatec's position professionally and constructively.
• Support governance and executive approvals by preparing concise reports and maintaining accurate commercial documentation across live bids.
• Facilitate project handovers post-award, briefing Project teams on commercial assumptions, risks and client negotiations to ensure seamless transition.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by capturing contract trends, refining bid-phase templates and sharing learnings across the Commercial & Contracts team.

About You

You are a commercial professional with strong contract management expertise, ideally within the D&C infrastructure, utilities or construction sectors. You combine technical contract knowledge with pragmatic risk management and the ability to influence outcomes in competitive bid environments.

Your strength lies in interpreting complex contract terms, balancing risk with commercial opportunity and building trust with both internal stakeholders and clients. Highly organised, detail focused, and solutions-driven you thrive when working across multiple bids under tight timeframes.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Proven commercial expertise with 5+ years' experience in contracts or commercial management within D&C infrastructure, utilities, or construction, ideally with exposure to water and wastewater projects.
• Strong contract knowledge, with demonstrated ability to review, interpret and negotiate NEC4, Australian Standard driving head contracts under tight bid deadlines.
• Practical risk management skills, able to balance commercial competitiveness with protection of Aquatec's contractual position, escalating where appropriate.
• Subcontractor and supplier alignment experience, ensuring obligations and risks are accurately flowed down to subcontract agreements and procurement scopes.
• Confident communication and negotiation ability, able to engage directly with clients, authorities, subcontractors and senior internal stakeholders to secure positive outcomes.
• High-level analytical and problem-solving skills, with the capacity to identify contractual risks early and propose practical, solution-focused strategies.
• Strong organisational capability, managing multiple concurrent bids and commercial reviews with precision, accuracy and attention to detail.
• Collaborative approach, building trust and alignment Sales, Estimating, Procurement, and Operations teams to drive successful outcomes.

At Aquatec, you'll be part of a collaborative and high-performing team that thrives on innovation, collaboration, and excellence, all aligned with making a real impact. This role offers the opportunity to shape the commercial success of critical water infrastructure projects, influence high-value bids and work alongside industry leaders in a culture that values both professional achievement and personal wellbeing. If you're ready to take the next step in your career, apply today with your resume and cover letter and join a team that's redefining what's possible in water infrastructure delivery