Commercial Director On Demand
Get boardroom judgment within 48 hours.
No recruitment, no notice period, no £150k+ salary.
Two retainer spots available for Q1 2026
The Problem You’re Facing
Your commercial director handed in their notice.
Three to six months to replace them. £150k salary plus benefits.
Meanwhile:
£3.2m contract needs signing by Friday
Subcontractors threatening adjudication
Cash forecast showing holes you can't explain
£180k variation claim needs building
Team needs commercial leadership
Final accounts need negotiating
You can't wait six months. You can't afford the exposure during vacancy.
How The Retainer Works
48-Hour Response Time
Commercial director judgment when you need it.
Contract decisions, dispute strategy, cash flow diagnosis, claims preparation, team leadership, final account negotiation.
What’s Included
Strategic Commercial Direction
Board-level commercial advisory
Contract decision support
Risk and opportunity identification
Commercial policy development
Monthly strategic review sessions
Live Project Support
Dispute strategy and preparation
Complex variation assessment
Payment application review
Cash flow forecasting and diagnosis
Final account strategy and negotiation
Team Leadership
Commercial team mentoring
Capability assessment
Process improvement
Decision-making frameworks
Escalation support
Crisis Response
Emergency contract reviews
Adjudication preparation
Settlement negotiation
Cash flow crisis intervention
Immediate commercial decisions
Investment
Packages Starting at
£5,000 per Month
You get commercial judgment when you need it, without the six-month wait, risk exposure and missed opportunities.
Compare:
Full-time Commercial Director:
£150k+ salary, 3-6 month recruitment, 6-month notice period, full overheads
Commercial Director On Demand Retainer:
£5k/month, 48-hour response, no recruitment, cancel anytime
What you're actually paying for:
Decisions that prevent six-figure mistake
Judgment that wins disputes
Strategy that protects margin
Leadership that develops your team
Availability when you need it most
Who This Is For
Main Contractors
£20m+ turnover, scaling businesses
CD vacancy or understaffed commercial function
Complex contracts requiring specialist oversight
Senior commercial capability needed but can't justify full-time hire
Subcontractors
£5m+ turnover, scaling businesses
Growing into more complex contracts
Need boardroom commercial judgment without full-time cost
Facing commercial decisions beyond current team capability
Your Situation:
Experienced commercial pain (disputes, claims, cash flow crises in last 2-3 years)
Taking on increasingly complex contracts
Some commercial capability in-house but lacking depth/bandwidth
Need strategic commercial firepower without £150k+ commitment
What Clients Say
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Matt's management skills, in-depth understanding of complexities and his results-oriented approach make a positive impact on our operations. He demonstrates resilience and agility towards all challenges, manoeuvring projects towards a successful completion.
Richard Carmichael
MANAGING DIRECTOR
EQUANS -
Matt's pragmatic, professional and detailed approach instils confidence in the senior team, enabling us to quickly understand complex issues and make informed decisions. Matt is an invaluable commercial asset to the business, known for his intelligence, integrity and reliability.
Matt Hiley
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Novus Property Solutions -
Working with Matt has been invaluable to our company; his understanding of UK construction and his commercial support is impeccable, even more so when it comes to challenging projects where his strategies have mitigated potential risks. His practical advice is always direct, tailored to our needs, and incredibly effective.
Jake Clarke
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Enviroply Roofing -
Matt's expertise has assisted us in mitigating significant project risks, resulting in a high level of client satisfaction and improved profits. He is a highly credible professional with excellent communication skills.
Stewart Quinn
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
Slingco Limited
Typical Engagement Examples
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Contract Decision Crisis
Situation: Tier 2 contractor, CD resigned, £4.2m NEC contract needs signing within 7 days
Action: 48-hour contract review, identified payment mechanism creating 120-day cash exposure, negotiated revised payment terms
Outcome: Contract signed on time with commercial risk eliminated, no CD recruitment delay
Timeline: 10 days intensive, then monthly retainer for ongoing support
-
Dispute Strategy
Situation: MEP subcontractor, adjudication notice received, £340k claim, commercial manager overwhelmed
Action: Assessed claim strength, built response strategy, prepared evidence bundle, mentored commercial manager through process
Outcome: Claim dismissed, £340k retained, commercial manager gained adjudication capability
Timeline: 2 weeks intensive preparation, monthly retainer continues
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Cash Flow Rescue
Situation: Main contractor, sudden £280k forecast hole discovered week 9, CD on notice period
Action: Forensic cash flow analysis, identified payment application errors and missed variations, implemented weekly tracking discipline
Outcome: £180k recovered through corrected applications, forecast accuracy restored, crisis averted
Timeline: 1 week diagnosis, 3 weeks implementation, monthly retainer for ongoing oversight
-
Team Leadership Gap
Situation: Regional contractor, CD left suddenly, junior commercial team needs direction on three live projects
Action: Weekly team sessions, decision-making frameworks implemented, escalation process established, mentoring on complex issues
Outcome: Team operated effectively through 4-month CD vacancy, all projects delivered commercially sound
Timeline: 4 months intensive support on monthly retainer
How To Get Started
Step 1
Initial Consultation
30 minutes, free
Understand your commercial situation
Assess immediate needs and ongoing requirements
Confirm retainer package and terms
No obligation, no pitch
Step 2
Retainer Agreement
24-48 hours
Fixed monthly investment agreed
Clear scope and response time commitments
Engagement terms and cancellation policy
First month begins immediately
Step 3
Immediate Access
48-hour response time from day one
Direct phone and email access
Monthly strategic review session
Ongoing support as needed
Availability
We maintain a small client base to ensure 48-hour response time and quality of service. This means genuine availability when you need commercial judgment.
If you need commercial director capability without the recruitment timeline and full-time cost, these spots are for contractors:
Facing commercial decisions beyond current team capability
Working on contracts over £500k where mistakes cost six figures
Need strategic commercial oversight without £150k+ commitment
Value judgment and implementation over reports and advice
FAQs
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Immediate. Book consultation today, retainer can begin within 48 hours of agreement. No recruitment, no onboarding delay.
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Retainer includes 48-hour response time for all commercial issues.
Emergency situations (adjudication deadlines, contract crises) get same-day response.
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Yes. No long-term lock-in.
Most clients stay because the value delivered exceeds the investment.
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Day-rate consultants bill for time, creating cost uncertainty.
Retainer gives fixed monthly cost, unlimited access within scope, and incentivises efficiency.
We’re solving problems, not selling days.
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Retainer clients get priority access. If I'm genuinely unavailable (rare), response goes to next business day. I maintain small client base specifically to ensure availability.
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Both. Strategic work is typically remote. Project-specific work often requires site presence.
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We discuss it. Either adjust retainer package or scope specific project work separately.
Full transparency, no surprise invoices.
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Book the free consultation. I'll tell you honestly whether retainer makes sense for your situation.
If your commercial challenges are under £50k exposure, you probably don't need this level of support.
Next Steps
Ready to discuss your commercial situation?
Option 1
Book 30-Minute Consultation
https://calendly.com/matt-lockett/30m
Discuss your needs, assess fit, outline retainer package
Option 2
Call Direct
07545 533968
If you need Commercial Director judgment this week, call now
Option 3
Email Enquiry
Brief outline of the situation, I'll respond within 24 hours