Development Manager

Wmjobs; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

EV car benefit scheme

Healthcare plans

Discounted gym membership

Will writing, mortgage advice

Bicycle purchase program

Volunteer leave

Costco membership

Eye care scheme

Job summary

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) seeks a Development Manager (Grants) to accelerate housing and regeneration across the region from 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham. You will identify grant opportunities, shape funding strategies and manage projects end-to-end to unlock public investment and deliver community benefits.

You will work with local authorities, developers and investors, appraising viability, negotiating packages and guiding projects through approvals in a dynamic, public-sector

Qualifications

• Experience in residential and/or commercial real estate markets.
• Originating, appraising and delivering complex real estate funding interventions.
• Developing business cases and assessing development viability.
• Understanding development appraisals and project viability.
• Negotiating funding agreements and managing multi-stage approvals.
• Structured risk identification and management.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with authorities, developers and sector stakeholders to create a strong pipeline.
• Source projects requiring grant intervention and manage applications through to funding approval.
• Appraise funding applications, assess viability, deliverability and value for money.
• Conduct due diligence, commercial appraisal and risk assessment for investment recommendations.
• Negotiate grant funding packages and agreements for best project outcomes.
• Lead complex development projects overcoming viability, infrastructure or planning challenges.
• Collaborate with Finance, Legal and Programme Assurance for governance.
• Monitor project performance and intervene when outcomes are at risk.

Skills

Real estate

Grant funding

Business cases

Development appraisals

Funding agreements

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Multi-stakeholder delivery

Time management

Communication skills

Funding programs knowledge

Job description

Do you have the drive to unlock housing and regeneration projects that would otherwise fail to progress?

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is looking for a Development Manager (Grants) to join our Housing, Property and Regeneration Directorate.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in accelerating the delivery of housing and regeneration projects across the West Midlands. You will work with local authorities, developers, housebuilders and investors to identify opportunities where grant funding can unlock development, overcome viability challenges and bring forward schemes that deliver lasting benefits for communities.

You will manage projects from initial engagement through to funding approval and delivery, ensuring public investment is targeted effectively and delivers maximum value. Working on complex projects, you will assess development opportunities, negotiate funding solutions, manage risks and help shape regeneration outcomes across the region.

This is not a traditional development or investment role. You'll use your commercial and development expertise to identify market failures, structure grant interventions and help bring forward projects that may otherwise stall.

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract.

What you will be doing.

• Building relationships with local authorities, developers, housebuilders and property sector stakeholders to identify and develop a strong pipeline of housing and regeneration opportunities.
• Sourcing projects requiring grant intervention and managing respective applications from initial concept through to funding approval, contract execution and delivery.
• Appraising funding applications and development opportunities, assessing viability, deliverability and value for money.
• Undertaking due diligence, commercial appraisal and risk assessment to support investment recommendations.
• Negotiating grant funding packages and funding agreements to achieve the best outcomes for both projects and the public purse.
• Managing complex development and regeneration projects where viability, infrastructure, planning or other challenges need to be overcome.
• Working closely with colleagues across Finance, Legal and Programme Assurance to ensure robust decision-making and governance.
• Monitoring project performance and proactively intervening where projects are at risk of not delivering agreed outcomes.

What’s essential.

• Experience working within residential and/or commercial real estate markets.
• Significant experience originating, appraising and delivering complex real estate funding interventions, such as grants, loans or equity investments.
• Experience developing business cases and assessing the viability of development projects.
• Strong understanding of development appraisals, project viability and the commercial factors that influence development decisions.
• Experience negotiating funding agreements and managing projects through multiple approval stages.
• A structured approach to identifying, assessing and managing risk.
• The ability to build strong partnerships and influence stakeholders across both the public and private sectors.
• Experience delivering projects through collaboration with multiple stakeholders who may have differing priorities.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and deliver outcomes within challenging timescales.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of government funding programmes and how public funding can be used to address market failure.

Location.

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, with at least two days per week spent in the office.

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing,and mortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e-bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest-free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big-name retailers, and more. You can now also obtain a Costco membership through the WMCA.
• Boundless unlocks unlimited entry to top-rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• Eye Care Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses.

For more information, please visit the benefits page on our career site.

Why join WMCA?

WMCA is laser-focused on improving the West Midlands, bringing economic growth, jobs, homes, and better journeys to the region. We target local needs where it matters most, ensuring everyone has a job that pays well and has access to safe and affordable places they can call home.

We put people and place at the heart of everything we do, working hand in hand with our partners to direct funding where it's needed most. What you do, really matters. Your expertise will help make a big difference, improving people's lives, every day.

Our Values and Behaviours.

• Collaborative -We work as one organisation. Together we build trust, connection and shared purpose across teams, partners and residents to create the biggest impact for our region.
• Driven -We are focused on outcomes. We perform at our best to unlock productivity and delivery, achieving the greatest regional impact.
• Inclusive - We value difference. Creating an environment where people belong, and feel psychologically safe, so we can all thrive and shape a West Midlands built for everyone.
• Innovative -We are courageous. We embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo to continuously improve and shape the future of the West Midlands.

Creating an inclusive workplace.

WMCA holds diversity accreditations, such as the RACE Code Quality Mark, Armed Forces Covenant (Gold status) and has been recognised as one of the Inclusive Top 50 Employers and The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. We’re a Disability Confident Employer with ‘Leader’ status, committed to interviewing applicants with disabilities who meet all the essential role criteria.

We are also proud to be a Ban the Box employer, which means we do not ask about criminal convictions at the initial application stage, and will only ask after an offer is made as part of our onboarding checks, which helps us remove barriers for people with past convictions and supporting fair opportunities for all.

We recognise that certain groups, such as women and people of colour, may be less likely to apply for roles if they feel they do not meet all the requirements. However, we encourage individuals who are passionate about the role and want to make a difference to still apply. We value potential and encourage applicants to highlight their skills, including transferable ones, even if they don't fit the traditional "perfect candidate" mould.

We gladly consider part-time, flexible, and job share arrangements, so please don't let these factors deter you from applying.

Right to Work in the UK

Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

Attached documents

Development Manager HPR Grants.pdf