Senior Commercial Administrator

Watkin Jones plc; Chester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading residential development firm seeks a Senior Commercial Administrator for a 12-month maternity cover. Your responsibilities will involve coordinating payment processes, liaising with Quantity Surveyors, and ensuring documentation accuracy. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organised, and proficient in Excel, with great communication skills. The firm offers professional growth, a discretionary bonus, and a flexible work-life balance. Join a market leader focused on creating high-quality rental homes and fostering sustainable development.

Benefits

Discretionary annual bonus

Health cash plan

Life insurance

25 days annual leave

Flexible working from home

Discounted gym memberships

Company car or allowance

Exclusive shopping discounts

Contributory pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in construction or working with subcontractor payments would be an advantage.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks within deadlines.
• High confidence in working with financial data and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Working with Quantity Surveyors to discuss payments.
• Creating and issuing payment notices to subcontractors.
• Updating accounts and figures for reports.

Skills

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Proficiency in Excel

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Job description

We’re looking to appoint a Senior Commercial Administrator to support for a period 12 months to cover maternity leave.

Reporting directly to the Commercial Director you be accountable for providing crucial information and support to the commercial team to maintain a consistency with payments and subcontractors.

There will be various duties to completed on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to ensure the department runs with minimal disruption.

Duties will include:

• Working with Quantity Surveyors to discuss payments that are due.
• Obtaining summary sheets from Quantity Surveyors, ensuring they match payment values, and correcting if required, retrieving Excel payment files.
• Converting Excel payment files to PDF, renaming them in the correct format, and informing relevant parties that payments are ready for review.
• Updating the accounts BACS sheet with expected labour-only payments.
• Creating payment notices for labour-only payments, issuing them to subcontractors, and saving issue emails and delivery reports.
• Saving remittances to relevant locations and checking that remittances exist for each monthly payment submitted.
• Updating figures from accounts into the Quantity Surveyors’ Excel spreadsheet.
• Checking for any outstanding contra charges with the sales ledger before raising retention payments.
• Updating painting schedules in line with subcontractor payments.

About you:

You’ll be highly organised, detail-oriented, and confident working with financial data and documentation. With strong administrative skills and proficiency in Excel, you can manage payment processes accurately and efficiently. You’ll have excellent attention to detail to ensure figures and summaries match, and you’re comfortable converting and formatting files for clear reporting.

Communication is key, you’ll liaise effectively with Quantity Surveyors, subcontractors, and internal teams to keep payment workflows on track. A proactive approach to problem-solving and the ability to manage multiple tasks within deadlines will help you succeed in this role. Experience in construction or working with subcontractor payments would be an advantage, but your ability to learn quickly and maintain accuracy under pressure is essential.

Why Join Us?

At Watkin Jones, we believe in investing in our people. Here’s what we can offer you:

• Professional Growth: Individual support for your career advancement.
• Rewards: Discretionary annual bonus, health cash plan, life insurance, and more.
• Work-Life Balance: 25 days of annual leave (increasing with tenure), flexible working from home, and discounted gym memberships.
• Benefits: Company car or allowance, exclusive shopping discounts, and a contributory pension scheme.

Why Choose Watkin Jones Group?

Watkin Jones Group is the UK’s leading developer, builder, and manager of residential-for-rent homes, with a rich history dating back to 1791. With 54,000+ homes developed and in-build across over 254 schemes, we have a proven track record of success. Our operating arm, Fresh, manages over 18,500 units across 58 schemes, representing approximately £1.7bn of assets under management.

Joining us means becoming part of a company that’s not only deeply rooted in history but also firmly focused on the future. We’re committed to creating high-quality rental homes, fostering vibrant communities, and driving sustainable development. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to grow your career in a fast-paced, innovative environment. If you’re ready to make a significant impact and advance your career with a market leader, we’d love to hear from you!