When the opportunity at Macmahon came up, it just seemed like a great fit,” Paul says. “The timing was perfect for me.”
Paul appreciates his team and enjoys the degree of autonomy and independence his role affords. “I feel supported by Macmahon’s management team,” he shares. However, he acknowledges that the job comes with its fair share of challenges. “Working with multiple information sources to get the end-of-month reporting done can be tricky.”
Describing his role, Paul explains, “As a Commercial Superintendent, I link physical production directly to the site’s financial results. This helps identify areas for improvement, whether in expanding revenue or finding cost-saving opportunities.”
Since joining Macmahon, Paul has honed his patience and learned not to get flustered when things don’t go according to plan. “General planning skills and the ability to interpret contracts are areas I continue to improve upon,” he notes. “I’ve also grown in my financial and data analysis skills, especially in determining causal links between activities and financial results.”
Paul’s typical day involves a mix of office work and meetings. “At the beginning of the month, I focus on issuing progress claims to our client for work completed the previous month, assessing similar documents from sub-contractors, and internal leadership reporting. This covers safety, production, financial performance, risk management, and more. “The second half of the month is about daily profit and loss reports, preparing and responding to correspondence and developing any potential Claims, as well as preparing spreadsheets and documents for the upcoming month-end reporting,” he explains.
For anyone considering joining Macmahon’s commercial team, Paul has some practical advice.
You need a good understanding of contracts and financial management,” he says. “Importantly, you should have a strong interest in data management and analysis—and strong Excel spreadsheet skills.”
Finally, Paul emphasises that to succeed at Macmahon, you need an interest in understanding the organisation, a desire to see the company succeed, and a lot of patience and perseverance. “You also need to be able to interact with external clients and internal personnel—both up and down.”
On a personal note, Paul is a father of five, with children ranging from 14 to 35 years old. He has travelled extensively for both work and leisure, with recent trips to India, Zanzibar, and Kenya. “I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to see so much of the world,” he says.