Development Manager

Places for People; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Pension (7%)

35 days holiday + buy/sell holiday

Competitive bonus

Training & development

Employee discounts

Job summary

Places for People in Southeast England is seeking a Development Manager to lead mixed tenure residential projects from acquisition to delivery, covering Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Berkshire. You will identify, appraise, and secure sites, negotiate for land and planning, and drive business cases in line with the regional plan.

You will manage a cross-functional agile team, coordinate consultants, manage budgets and programmes, and ensure timely site starts.

Qualifications

• Proven land acquisition and planning experience.
• Experience managing large-scale projects (300+ homes).
• Strong project management with multiple stakeholders.
• Extensive network across South East England.
• Knowledge of conditional/unconditional land purchases.

Responsibilities

• Identify, appraise, and secure land opportunities and manage planning processes.
• Lead large-scale residential-led developments from acquisition through to delivery.
• Coordinate consultants, contractors and internal teams; manage budgets and programmes.
• Prepare business cases and negotiate legal agreements to unlock opportunities.
• Ensure projects align with Development Strategy and regional growth ambitions.

Skills

Land acquisition

Planning

Project management

Budget management

Stakeholder coordination

Job description

At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers! So, if you like the sound of one of our jobs, you could be just who we're looking for! Of course, experience and track record are important, but we're more interested in hiring someone that embodies our People Promises. That's someone that does the right thing, is enthusiastic and motivated to grow, believes in Community spirit, is respectful and enjoys their work. As the UK's leading Social Enterprise we're dedicated to creating inclusive and thriving Communities for both our Customers and Employees.

So, what are you waiting for? Join a community that cares about you!

More about your role

The role sits within the Southeast development business and will cover the Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire area. The South East is an active region delivering a number of large-scale mixed tenure development sites and requires a Development Manager to support the identification of new sites, as well as bringing forward sites already acquired, so they are viable and ready to start on site in line with the Regional Business Plan and affordable homes strategy.

As a Development Manager for the South East region, you will work within an agile development team taking the lead in managing mixed tenure residential led projects from acquisition through to delivery on site, including land acquisitions as well as new business plot purchases, in line with the approved Development Strategy and Group wide growth ambitions.

The role will include a range of responsibilities, including appraising and securing new opportunities for a range of tenures, undertaking pre-acquisition due diligence, negotiating legal agreements. managing planning applications on large scale sites, appointing consultants and managing project programmes and budgets, as well as preparing business cases. Knowledge of market and affordable housing tenures will be required in performing this role, as well as following internal processes for approvals.

For more information, please download our job profile available on our website, you will also find a map of the area you will cover.

More about you

To be eligible for an interview you must meet the essential criteria in a housebuilder environment as a Development Manager:

• Proven experience in land acquisition and planning – You'll need a strong track record of identifying, negotiating, and securing land opportunities, as well as navigating planning processes to unlock development potential.
• Managing large-scale projects (circa 300+ homes) – Demonstrable experience in overseeing large scale developments from inception through delivery, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to quality standards.
• Excellent project management skills – Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders, manage budgets, monitor programmes, and mitigate risks across the full development lifecycle. You should be confident in leading consultants, contractors, and internal teams to achieve strategic objectives.

In addition to project management, we are looking for someone with a strong network across the Southeast of England. Ideally you will have land buying experience and have knowledge of both conditional and unconditional land purchase agreements.

You will also be highly numerate,commerciallyminded, and be as at ease with complex models and appraisals as you are with planning and S106 negotiations. You will also need to be highly analytical, able to identify risks and opportunities from current and future developments and act accordingly.

Benefits

We are a large diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for.

We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package with each role, yours will include:

• Competitive salary, with a salary review yearly
• Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
• Excellent holiday package – up to 35 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell leave
• Competitive Bonus
• Training and development
• Extra perks including huge discounts and offers from shops, cinemas and much more.