Development Director

Cobalt Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Cobalt Recruitment is working with a well-capitalised real estate business to appoint a Development Director to join the senior team and shape the platform as it grows in the UK.

You will oversee a portfolio of residential developments, with responsibility for viability, funding, governance and stakeholder relationships, while maintaining high delivery standards and quality across sites.

Qualifications

• Experience in living and residential development, including apartments and housing.
• Strong financial understanding: viability, cashflows, appraisals.
• Proven ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight across multiple development projects and tenures.
• Manage development viability, appraisals, cashflows and value creation.
• Understand development funding and debt requirements.

Skills

Residential development

Development finance

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Job description

Cobalt is working exclusively with a well-capitalised, institutionally backed real estate business that is establishing a new development platform to deliver a significant pipeline of residential assets across the UK.

With 5–6 sites already secured and a development pipeline expected to span the next 5–7 years at least, they are now looking to appoint a Development Director to join the senior team and help shape the platform as it grows.

The Organisation

The business has significant institutional backing and an existing portfolio of residential development and other opportunities and assets across the UK, including BTR, Build to Sell, apartments and housing.

This is an opportunity to join at an early stage of the platform's growth, working within a small, experienced team with committed projects already in place and the opportunity to influence how the development and construction function evolves.

The Role and Responsibilities

Working closely with the senior leadership team, you will take strategic and commercial oversight across a portfolio of residential developments. Key responsibilities will include:

• Providing strategic oversight across multiple development projects and tenures.
• Managing development viability, appraisals, cashflows and value creation.
• Understanding development funding and debt requirements.
• Managing risk, governance and compliance throughout the development lifecycle.
• Overseeing senior consultants, partners and other project stakeholders.
• Managing relationships with investors, Operators and Registered Providers where required.
• Supporting the continued development of the wider platform, processes and delivery strategy.
• Ensuring projects remain commercially robust while maintaining a strong focus on quality and delivery.

The Skills and Requirements

We are looking for an experienced residential development professional with:

• Strong experience across living and residential development, ideally including both apartments and housing.
• A strategic and commercially focused approach to development.
• Strong financial understanding, including viability and development appraisals.
• An understanding of development finance and debt.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships.
• Strong understanding of risk, governance and value creation.
• Experience working with Registered Providers and/or Operators would be beneficial.
• The ability to operate autonomously within a lean, entrepreneurial environment.

This is a rare opportunity to join a well-funded development platform at an early stage, with an established pipeline and significant scope to influence its future growth.

Due to the volume of applications, if you don't hear back from us, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

If you require any adjustments or additional support during the recruitment process for any reason whatsoever, please let your Cobalt consultant know.