Project Finance & Commercial Manager

Job Description

AECOM Advisory is seeking a dynamic Manager to support our growing global Advisory business line with a particular focus on commercial infrastructure advisory engagements. We are seeking talented management consultants to join AECOM Advisory who are mission-driven for the role of our clients in supporting economic, environmental and social vibrancy. We are recruiting for this role in the following locations: Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; Dallas, TX; Austin, TX; Chicago, IL.

Building off AECOM’s considerable expertise in infrastructure design and implementation, AECOM Advisory is a trusted adviser to senior level clients and executive teams on their most pressing enterprise and strategic needs. Projects range from supporting on a State DOT P3 procurement as the commercial advisor, advising public agencies on affordable housing procurement on publicly owned land, developing funding and financing strategies for major capital programs, supporting private-sector clients and investors with commercial and financial due diligence to assess the feasibility, viability and investment potential of infrastructure projects.  Our work spans the project lifecycle, from early-stage feasibility and investment decision support through procurement strategy, commercial structuring and transaction execution, to commercial delivery support and the reassessment through delivery.

We serve the full value chain of clients active in infrastructure, the built environment, and community vibrancy, including: national governments, regulatory entities, city agencies, utilities, transit agencies, infrastructure operators and investors. Our team of 400 staff globally comprises transaction advisors, business and policy analysts, economists, commercial strategists, technology architects, as well as human capital and change management practitioners. We help our clients generate value for their stakeholders and impact for their communities.

We are a new category of consulting firm; one that builds off true operational and technical expertise of our broader platform to bring industry depth and capability-driven insight to the clients we serve.

You will join a fast-paced and supportive team of diverse consulting professionals. We pride ourselves on our strong culture of mentorship and collaborative problem-solving, our mission of addressing our client’s most complex and impactful problems, paired with career pathways that nurture professional development and personal growth.

Role:

As a Manager in AECOM Advisory, your day-to-day role will be to develop, lead and manage client engagements. These tasks will include, but not be limited to:

• Building client relationships and managing interactions throughout the engagement lifecycle, bringing clients into engagement delivery and iteratively building their buy-in.
• Upwardly and laterally manage the inputs from regional leadership, Directors, Principals, Client Account Managers, and technical experts to flag key delivery choices, considerations and risks as they relate to technical scope, client satisfaction, and commercial constraints.
• Independently tailor existing/proven analytical frameworks and methodologies for client-specific needs.
• In collaboration with leadership, architect new analytical frameworks and methodologies for novel client-specific needs.

• Advising clients on funding, financing and delivery strategies for capital projects and programs, including P3/PPP, concessions and alternative delivery.
• Building and reviewing the financial case for a project:
  • business cases, feasibility studies, value-for-money analyses and economic cost-benefit analyses
  • comparisons of delivery options
• Developing blended funding and financing plans that combine diverse public and private sources. These include federal and state grant and loan programs, municipal debt, availability payments, revenue concessions and private equity.
• Build and run project finance, corporate finance and asset models, including scenario and sensitivity analysis.
• Supporting procurement and transactions from start to financial close:
  • procurement strategy
  • RFQ and RFP documents
  • market soundings with bidders and capital providers
  • evaluation of bids and developer proposals, covering financial capacity, models, governance and structure
  • negotiation support
• Advising on commercial structuring and risk allocation in project agreements, together with legal, technical, tax and valuation specialists.
• Writes memos, reports, board and executive presentations and financial analysis, and owns their quality.

• Drive (outline, supervise, and provide quality control over) delivery teams comprised of 2-5 Consultants and Senior Consultants across multiple and inter-dependent workstreams.
• Proactively coach and mentor junior staff on developing core consulting skills.

In addition, you will also have the opportunity to contribute to business development, through:

• Supporting Capture Managers with specific elements of proposal responses, including: narrative development, technical solutions development (incl. technical writing), pricing, team definition, subcontractor engagement, internal risk review, and compliance procedures.
• Creating pitch decks and defining AECOM Advisory’s value proposition.
• Bringing commercial acumen around client needs, budgetary requirements, researching client contexts.

Required competencies include:

• Strong interpersonal skills, client-service mindset and ability to act as a trusted adviser to clients.
• Ability to collaborate with internal teams across broad geographies and numerous different business lines
• Work in a high-tempo, high-context client-facing environment, with the ability to maintain poise, maturity and work well under pressure.
• Able to be self-directed, anticipatory and responsive to iterative feedback.
• Outstanding attention to detail.
• Exceptional numerical reasoning and quantitative skills.
• Sharp analytical, logical reasoning and structured problem-solving skills, employing abstraction techniques to solve ambiguous client problems, and ingest and parse out large volumes of client information.
• Strong commercial acumen and willingness to have an informed point-of-view, grounded in an interest in enterprise challenges (people, process, technology) and solid understanding of client industries and their context.
• Solid verbal communication and narrative development skills, with the ability to summarize and convey key insights to C-suite and senior management audiences.
• Collegial team-player who can work within a small, motivated team of diverse consulting professionals.

Desired competencies include:

• Functional experience in at least one of the following areas desired, but not required:
  • Proficiency in financial modelling and investment appraisal, including developing and reviewing Excel-based financial models, cash flow analysis, sources and uses of funds, scenario and sensitivity analysis, and evaluating the financial feasibility of infrastructure projects and programs.
  • Ability to perform quantitative and qualitative risk assessments on complex infrastructure budgets and schedules using techniques like Monte Carlo simulations, Reference Class Forecasting, and parametric modeling via industry-standard software such as @RISK or similar.
  • Proficiency with data science analytical techniques and familiarity using multiple public datasets including BLS, BEA, NAICS data, ACS and other geographically-defined socioeconomic datasets.
  • Proficiency with geospatial datasets and software e.g., ArcGIS.
• Domain expertise in at least one of the following areas desired, but not required:
  • Transit & Rail, Surface Transport, Water Infrastructure, Social Infrastructure, Ports, Real Estate, Energy & Utilities, Digital Infrastructure

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelors Degree and 5 years of commercial advisory, project finance, management consulting, project development or similar experience.

Preferred:

• MBA, or other Master’s degree in Finance, Economics,  Management, Management Science, Systems Engineering and/or related fields.

Additional Information

• Sponsorship is not available now or in the future for this role.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM 

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan. 

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com. 

What makes AECOM a great place to work 

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community—where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity. 

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. 

Compensation: 130000 to 170000 (USD) (YEARLY)