Construction Director

Bowdon Associates Limited; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Bowdon Associates Limited in Manchester seeks a Construction Director to lead the contracting arm, delivering client schemes on time and to margin while winning external contracts with housing associations and public clients.

This founding role builds systems, accreditations, bid capability and a high-performing team, freeing the MD to focus on acquisitions and development strategy; requires senior contracting leadership and a track record in residential delivery.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in contracting with senior leadership experience.
• Proven track record in public sector or housing association work.
• Experience writing and leading quality submissions.
• Experience with ISO 9001/14001/45001 management systems.
• Strong commercial grounding in JCT and NEC contracts.
• Residential delivery experience.
• Able to operate without large support teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the contracting business plan and growth targets.
• Lead tendering end-to-end and bid decisions.
• Set up estimating, pricing, and review processes.
• Deliver Constructionline Gold, CHAS, and ISO certifications.
• Oversee live sites, programme, cost, quality and safety.
• Manage contracting P&L and cash flow.
• Lead and develop the construction team.
• Report to the board on pipeline and risk.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Tender writing

Contracting (JCT/NEC)

CVR & cash flow

Residential development

Education

Degree or CIOB/RICS chartership

Tools

Construction management systems

ISO 9001/14001/45001

Tendering tools

Job description

Job Title: Construction Director

Location:Manchester

Salary:Up to £80,000 - £100,000

The Client

Our client are a growing residential developer who partner with investors to design, build and create apartments, homes and commercial spaces across Greater Manchester and Cheshire. They are looking to add an experienced Construction Director to their team.

The Role of Construction Director

The Construction Director is a board-level director who builds and lead the contracting arm of the business. The role owns two things: delivering our clients own schemes to programme and margin and winning external contracts with housing associations, local authorities and private clients.

This is a founding role, not an inherited department. The person will build the systems, accreditations, bid capability and team that let the business operate as a credible, bankable main contractor alongside its development business.

They take construction and contracting off the MD's desk entirely, so the MD can focus on acquisitions, funding and development strategy.

Key responsibilities

Strategy and growth

• Write and own the contracting business plan: target sectors, clients, contract sizes and turnover mix (in-house vs external).
• Build relationships with housing associations, Stockport MBC and other public clients and position the business for frameworks.
• Identify, qualify and prioritise tender opportunities; decide bid/no-bid.

Bidding and pre-construction

• Lead PQQs, tenders and quality submissions end to end.
• Set up estimating, supply chain pricing and tender review processes.
• Develop the whole-life affordability and energy performance offer as a bid differentiator.

Systems and accreditation

• Deliver Constructionline Gold, CHAS and ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001.
• Implement a construction management system: H&S, quality, document control, procurement, subcontractor onboarding and handover.
• Put in place standard contract forms, subcontract orders and risk registers.

Delivery

• Overall accountability for all live sites, including our clients own schemes.
• Programme, cost, quality and safety performance across the portfolio.
• Monthly cost-value reconciliation (CVR) with the QS and finance.

Commercial and people

• Own the contracting arm's P&L, margin and cash flow forecasting.
• Lead, develop and grow the construction team, including Joel's apprenticeship.
• Report to the board monthly on pipeline, delivery and risk.

Candidate Profile

The right person has built or grown a regional contractor, not just run sites for one. They are strategic enough for the board and hands‑on enough to write a tender themselves.

Essential

• 15+ years in contracting, including 5+ years at director or senior commercial/operations level with a Tier 2 or Tier 3 main contractor.
• Track record of winning public sector or housing association work, including frameworks.
• Has written and led quality submissions, not just priced them.
• Has implemented or run ISO 9001/14001/45001 management systems.
• Strong commercial grounding: JCT and NEC contracts, CVRs, margin and cash flow.
• Residential delivery experience, ideally including conversions or refurbishment.
• Comfortable working without large support teams in a growing business.

Desirable

• Existing relationships with North West housing associations or councils.
• Experience with net zero, Future Homes Standard or high energy-performance housing.
• Has helped take a contracting business through a growth phase or spin‑out.
• Degree or chartership (CIOB, RICS) in construction or a related field.
• The ideal candidate will have a successful track record within the residential building industry for a minimum of 10 years'.

They must be highly organised, familiar with coordinating multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive on working to deadlines. Excellent communication skills and a high attention to detail, are qualities they will possess, in addition to being self‑motivated, professional, positive and a team player. Interested candidates must have previous new build apartment experience to undertake this opportunity.

Keywords: Construction Director, Frameworks, Housing Associations, Social Housing, Operations Director