Sales Recruitment

How to Hire a Commercial Manager in the UK (2026)

Where sales meets contracts, pricing and margin. How to hire a Commercial Manager.

By Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director of Coburg Banks

Mark has spent over 30 years in recruitment, placing sales people from SDR up to Sales Director for SMEs across the UK.

Commercial Manager is a broader beast than a straight sales role. It often takes in contracts, pricing, bids and margin as well as customer relationships. In construction, engineering and services especially, it's a distinct and valuable skill set.

⚡ In short

A UK Commercial Manager earns roughly £50k-£75k base plus bonus. Expect a placement in 6-10 weeks. Coburg Banks recruits them with no fee until your hire starts.

£50k-£75k

Typical base salary

6-10 weeks

Time to hire

48 hrs

To first shortlist

12 wks

Replacement guarantee

What to look for in a Commercial Manager

Margin literacy

This role protects profit, not just revenue. Ask how they've improved margin on a contract or a customer, with the numbers.

Contracts and terms

Many Commercial Managers own agreements and negotiations. Check they're comfortable in the detail, not just the relationship.

Cross-functional

They sit between sales, finance and delivery. Look for someone who can translate between all three without losing the plot.

How to run the hire

1. Scope the role precisely.
Commercial Manager spans sales, pricing, contracts and margin in different measures, so define which before you brief - this is where most mis-hires start.

2. Score for margin literacy.
Weight the ability to protect profit, not just win revenue.

3. Source for the mix.
Look for people comfortable across sales, finance and delivery.

4. Test the detail.
Ask how they've improved margin on a contract or customer, with numbers.

5. Reference ownership.
Confirm they owned commercial outcomes rather than just supporting them.

How much does it cost to hire a Commercial Manager?

Fees typically run 18-22% of first-year salary, capped and agreed upfront.

Nothing is due until your hire begins. The band reflects a search that has to find genuine commercial breadth, not just a strong salesperson.

How long does it take to hire a Commercial Manager?

Around 6-10 weeks.

Scope is the main driver. 'Commercial Manager' spans sales, pricing and contracts in different measures, so the more precisely you define the mix, the faster we find someone who truly fits it.

Is a Commercial Manager a sales role?

Partly. It usually blends sales with pricing, contracts, bids and margin - especially in construction, engineering and services.

We define the mix with you before searching, because a candidate strong on relationships but weak on commercial detail (or the reverse) will only do half the job.

Do you recruit Commercial Managers for construction and engineering?

Yes - those are common sectors for this role and a regular brief for us.

In those industries the role leans more towards contracts, bids and margin, so we match candidates with genuine commercial and contractual experience rather than pure sales.

What does a Commercial Manager do?

A Commercial Manager owns the commercial side of deals and contracts - pricing, terms, bids, margin and often key customer relationships.

In construction, engineering and services especially, it's a distinct discipline that sits between sales, finance and delivery. The exact focus varies, so scope it carefully.

What should I ask a Commercial Manager at interview?

Ask:

Tell me about a contract where you improved the margin - by how much?
How do you approach a pricing or terms negotiation?
How do you work with finance and delivery? and Talk me through a bid you owned. You want commercial detail, not just relationship talk.

External citations

Sources:
- REC
- ONS Labour Market
- Coburg Banks Trustpilot

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