Graduate Commercial (Systems)

2026 Commercial Graduate (Quantity Surveying)

HS2s Graduate programmes have been designed to create meaning opportunities for hands on experience and broad exposure across the project and within specified discipline areas.

Graduates will learn directly from industry experts gaining valuable insight into real world practices whilst building their professional network.

The programmes offer a range of learning and development opportunities from technical development to core skills development equipping graduates with the skills knowledge and confidence needed to grow and succeed at HS2 and beyond

There are eight x Commercial graduate opportunities available this year four based in London and four based in positions will involve regular travel to various site locations along the HS2 route. Half of these roles will focus on supporting our stations team and the remaining four will support railway systems.

The Commercial graduate programme has been specifically tailored to build capability and competence in various aspects of Commercial Stations and Commercial Systems. It will provide you with experience and exposure to the different aspects through role rotations on-the-job training technical qualifications and support from technical leads and mentoring.

Commercial

As a commercial Graduate there will be a variety of opportunities available within the commercial teams to work with company experts and learn from their experience.

Joining HS2 as a Commercial Graduate provides the best opportunity to learn how a commercial function ensures a project as large and complex as HS2 is delivered effectively with value for money in mind and robust governance in place.

The Chief Commercial Office Directorate (CCO) is responsible for overseeing the commercial strategy commercial contract management and capability for HS2. It leads on all commercial and procurement aspects of HS2 Ltds operations with a particular focus on commercial strategy and integration commercial negotiation post contract commercial value management and strategic supplier management as well as driving cost efficiencies and assuring the whole-life cost model to maintain transparency and alignment with project goals.

The CCO Directorate is responsible for delivery across the full commercial lifecycle driving value for money compliance and effective risk management in commercial activities within HS2 Ltd the HS2 Programme and its Supply Chain.

The Commercial Team play an integral part in the management of all major infrastructure contracts required to deliver the HS2 programme providing commercial assurance to ensure value for money managing costs and contractual risk exposure when protecting public funds supporting effective delivery whilst complying with relevant standards funding rules and accountability requirements.

Your Commercial programme will be made up of relevant placement rotations within the Commercial functions of the Directorate.

At HS2 we offer a two-year rotational graduate programme providing opportunities for learning and development across a range of programme related placements.

All graduate programmes are designed to provide enabling practical experience and exposure to discipline relevant aspects of the project alongside discipline specific technical training.

What youll do

Dependant on placement rotations accountabilities will likely include:

• Contract management change management and project management
• Support on Tender Evaluation processes
• Managing Contract spend and delivering value
• Managing risks Contractor/Supplier Engagement
• Working closely with the Project Delivery teams

Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives policies and procedures on EDI.

About You

Skills:

• We particularly welcome applications from candidates with a RICSaccredited Commercial Management & Quantity Surveying degree
• Planning and organisational skills - the ability to prioritise and deliver day to day tasks.
• Prioritisation skills the ability to coordinate and deliver multiple tasks and responsibilities to agreed time and quality standards
• Data Analysis skills the ability to review and analyse data and produce and present documents and reports to a variety of audiences
• Stakeholder engagement skills - the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels
• Communication Skills the ability to review convert and communicate technical information into a format that is understood by non-technical audiences in a persuasive and engaging way
• Problem solving the ability to understand complex issues to carry out problem solving.
• Creative thinking skills the ability to develop creative ideas to support continuous improvement.

Knowledge:

• 2:2 (or equivalent) in a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying undergraduate or masters degree
• Be willing to work towards a professionally recognised qualification leading to Chartered status under the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• Awareness of how a commercial function supports major infrastructure projects
• Awareness of the standard forms of Construction Contract available in the industry such as NEC.
• IT knowledge including; Word Excel PowerPoint or equivalent.

Does HS2 offer sponsorship if I do not have the Right to Work in the UK

To be eligible to apply for HS2s 2026 Graduate programmes all applicants will need to already hold the on-going Right to Work in the UK that is not timebound in any way.

Due to the nature of our organisation HS2 arenot able to sponsor any applicationsas we do not hold the required sponsorship license from the UK Home Office and candidates are not allowed to sponsor themselves.

We appreciate the Right to Work question can be complex to understand so if you are unsure of your Right to Work status in the UK please email us atand we will be happy to advise further.

Please note to enable HS2 to comply with UK Home Office policy Right to Work status will be checked early in the recruitment process.

Graduate programme salaries:

Salaries are currently pending pay review however please see below figures based on 2025;

• London: Basic 26871 + 15% Flexible allowance 30902
• Birmingham: Basic 24022 + 15% Flexible allowance 27625

Please note the rotational placements may vary and are subject to business requirements.