Commercial Manager

Heatherwick Studio is a global team of 200 problem solvers dedicated to making the physical world around us better for everyone. We are practical inventors with no signature style. Our motivation is to design soulful and interesting places, led by human experience rather than any fixed dogma.  

We enjoy pushing the boundaries of what is considered possible. We achieve this by placing collaboration, trust, and teamwork at the heart of everything we do. We look for studio members who have the entrepreneurial spirit to make things happen, and who also take delight in sharing their knowledge and experience. We want self-reflective people who are committed to their own growth and who are unafraid to support the growth of others.  

 We expect all studio members to work together with honesty and integrity, and to have genuine care for each other. The studio is a creative community and it’s important to use that everyone feels they belong.  We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all applicants will be considered without regard to ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, neurodiversity status or disability status.  We encourage all people from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply. If you want any help with your application, please let us know.

The Commercial Manager will be highly detail orientated, and enjoy working in a dynamic, energetic, and fast-paced environment while remaining calm under pressure. They can build and maintain strong working relationships across the studio at varying levels of seniority as well as gain consensus through a collaborative way of working. The role is pivotal in ensuring that we can secure amazing projects through a diligent and detailed process as a studio.  

            Key Responsibilities 

• Support Leadership team and New Business team in evaluating new opportunities
• Propose commercial strategy to respond to new opportunities and RfPs.
• Prepare proposals, including mobilisation plans, financial assumptions and letters/bid submissions
• Work with wider studio in all aspects of project set up analysis: scope, programme, team composition, etc.
• Negotiate fees for new projects, using general research and project budgets to inform fee levels and the fee negotiation process. 
• Assist with contractual disputes and potential claims and liaise with external professional advisers (legal, insurance, accountant, etc.)
• Review and negotiate design contracts discuss contract issues internally and use judgement to recommend the correct resolution of issues.
• Assist wider studio to deliver projects by providing regular updates, and summaries of the key obligations under the contract on all potential and current projects.

  Experience and Knowledge of

• Complex international design projects, with a focus on architectural projects
• Understanding of the legal conditions that apply to a creative design studio.
• Capacity to deal with both high-level and detailed information and to strategize commercial response to clients
• Ability to prepare and amend commercial and legal documentation, such as design agreements, consultant collaboration agreements, NDAs, fee proposals, scope of services
• Demonstrable experience of negotiating contracts in the UK and internationally. Key areas of interest would be in the United States, UK, Europe, Hong Kong, China, and Singapore.
• Experience of working with professional advisers i.e. accountants, insurance brokers and legal advisers

  Skills and qualities

• Methodical with excellent planning and organisational skills to keep contract documents and fee information in good order
• Self-discipline and confidence in a complex and fast paced environment.
• Personable to build relationships with prospective Clients and consultants. With the ability to handle high pressure situations such as representing the Studio’s position on contract matters in a firm but amicable manner.
• Skilled in communications and negotiations, with excellent inter-personal skills.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office; specifically Excel and word.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Proactive and flexible approach.
• Decision making skills

Training and Continuing Professional Development

The studio aims to attract and develop the best talent and create a supportive environment in which studio members can learn and develop. Training is provided to increase technical skills and to address identified professional development needs.