Project Director

AW Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonus

Pension

Major project leadership

Career progression

Job summary

AW Recruitment is seeking an experienced Project Manager ready to step up to Project Director for a major London PBSA development. The role covers overall leadership, programme delivery, health & safety, and coordination of all key workstreams to drive the project from enabling works through handover.

You will oversee the delivery strategy and lead multi-disciplinary teams to ensure the project meets commercial, technical and safety objectives, with strong senior leadership backing.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Project Manager stepping up to Project Director/Lead.
• Strong leadership and team-building capability.
• Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of Building Safety Regulator processes is desirable.
• Experience delivering large residential/PBSA or mixed-use schemes in London.

Responsibilities

• Take overall project leadership for the circa £70m development.
• Lead the scheme through the final stages of the Building Safety Regulator process.
• Coordinate technical, design and consultant teams to progress BS regulations.
• Develop and maintain the overall project delivery strategy.
• Lead enabling works through concrete frame, envelope, fit-out and handover.
• Establish and manage the master construction programme.
• Drive logistics, sequencing and buildability strategy.
• Lead and develop the project management and site delivery teams.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

London PBSA experience

Job description

Project Director – Major London PBSA Development

Location: South London

Sector: PBSA / Residential

Position: Permanent

Career Level: Project Manager stepping up to Project Director / Project Lead

The Opportunity:

An excellent opportunity for an experienced Project Manager ready to step up into a Project Director position and take overall leadership of a major new-build circa 600-unit PBSA development in London.

The scheme comprises two concrete-frame blocks, with demolition already underway and enabling works scheduled to commence in June 2027.

This appointment is ideally suited to a strong Project Manager who has successfully delivered substantial residential, PBSA or mixed-use projects and is now ready to take the next step — moving from managing a major element or workstream to becoming the overall project lead.

You will join at an important stage of the development, taking responsibility for progressing the project through the final stages of the Building Safety Regulator process, helping shape the delivery strategy and ultimately leading the scheme through construction, completion and handover.

This is a genuine opportunity to make the transition into Project Director level with the backing of an experienced senior leadership team.

The Role:

As Project Director, you will become the senior operational lead for the development, taking overall responsibility for the project team, programme, delivery strategy, quality, health & safety and coordination across all key workstreams.

You will work closely with the Commercial, Technical, Design and Development teams while providing the leadership required to bring all disciplines together around a clear delivery plan.

For someone stepping up from Project Manager level, the role offers the opportunity to take ownership of the complete project rather than one specific section or discipline.

You will be expected to lead from the front, maintain control of the programme and key risks, challenge the team where necessary and ensure the project continues to progress against its commercial, technical and delivery objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Take overall project leadership for the circa £70m development
• Lead the scheme through the final stages of the Building Safety Regulator process
• Coordinate Technical, Design and consultant teams to progress outstanding BSR requirements
• Develop and maintain the overall project delivery strategy
• Lead enabling works through concrete frame, envelope, fit-out, commissioning and handover
• Establish and manage the master construction programme
• Drive logistics, sequencing and buildability strategy
• Lead and develop the project management and site delivery teams
• Set clear responsibilities, expectations and performance standards
• Coordinate Commercial, Technical, Design and Development functions
• Identify and manage programme, construction and delivery risks
• Challenge design, procurement and sequencing decisions where required
• Oversee subcontractor and supply-chain performance
• Maintain strong control of health & safety, quality and programme
• Chair key project and coordination meetings
• Report clearly to senior management on progress, risk and key decisions
• Lead the development through completion, commissioning and successful handover

About You:

This role is particularly suited to an experienced Project Manager looking for their first opportunity to step into Project Director / overall project lead responsibility.

You will ideally have:

• Strong experience as a Project Manager on substantial London developments
• Experience taking significant responsibility for projects from early works through construction
• Good understanding of the Building Safety Regulator process
• Strong knowledge of programme, sequencing, logistics and buildability
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project and site teams
• Confidence managing subcontractors and major supply-chain partners
• Strong working relationships with Commercial, Technical and Design teams
• Ability to identify risk early and make clear, decisive decisions
• Strong leadership, communication and stakeholder-management skills
• The ambition and capability to step up and take overall ownership of a major scheme

Previous Project Director experience is not essential, as long as you can demonstrate the experience, leadership capability, and project knowledge required to make the step up successfully.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

The major attraction is the opportunity to make a genuine career step.

Rather than requiring someone who has already spent years operating as a Project Director, the business is open to appointing a strong Project Manager who has demonstrated the ability to take on greater responsibility and is ready to lead their own major development.

The position offers:

• First opportunity to step into a Project Director position
• Overall leadership of a circa £70m development
• Leadership through the final stages of BSR
• Opportunity to shape the project before the main construction phase
• Full responsibility from early works through to handover
• Ability to build and lead the project team
• Direct exposure to senior business leadership
• Long-term progression with a leading London developer

What’s on Offer

• Competitive basic salary
• Performance-related bonus
• Pension
• Genuine step-up opportunity into Project Director level
• Major project leadership responsibility
• Long-term career progression within a leading developer

Interested or know someone who might be?

*Please note that all conversations will be treated in the strictest confidence. Any CV or personal information shared will remain confidential and will not be sent to any client or third party without your prior written consent.