Development Lead

Land Development Agency; Dublin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Land Development Agency is seeking a Development Lead to steer a portfolio of residential and regeneration projects across the country, from inception through construction. You will lead cross-functional teams, manage relationships with stakeholders, and ensure delivery of ambitious objectives.

Reporting to the Head of Property, you will drive commercial viability, governance processes, budgets and timelines while mentoring a development team and upholding the LDA’s core values.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in property development lifecycle
• Degree in construction or development sector; postgraduate credentials a plus
• Experience taking developments through feasibility, planning, tendering and handover
• Proactive management style with solutions focus
• Ability to lead and mentor a team
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Commercial acumen with cost drivers and investment appraisals
• Experience with public procurement is an asset

Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of development projects across the full lifecycle.
• Own the commercial viability of each development and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
• Set development strategies and secure internal approvals and budgets.
• Oversee governance processes, including Investment Committee and Board papers.
• Provide leadership to cross-functional teams and manage performance.
• Represent the organisation and build partnerships with key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to coordinate delivery.
• Oversee procurement of design teams, contractors and development partners.

Skills

Leadership

Development lifecycle

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

People management

Public procurement

Governance

Strategic thinking

Education

Degree in construction/development

Postgraduate qualifications

Job description

About The Land Development Agency

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is the State’s affordable housing delivery body. Its main role is to acquire and develop State and other land to deliver affordable homes, supporting the creation of thriving communities and delivering ongoing positive social impact. It is overseen by an independent Board of Directors and has total capitalisation of up to €8.75bn. To date €6.25 billion of equity capital has been committed by Government and a further €2.5bn capitalisation is permitted under legislation from other sources/debt.

The LDA is active on more than 20 State Land sites and has a delivery pipeline in excess of 25,000 homes. The Agency also works in partnership with the country’s largest and most experienced homebuilders and will deliver a further 8,000 homes under its Project Tosaigh initiative.
Additionally, the LDA is working on large-scale longer-term strategic areas by master-planning and bringing forward planning applications in locations such as Limerick Colbert Quarter, the Digital Hub in Dublin and Sandy Road in Galway.

The Role

The Development Lead role is a diverse role that will offer the right candidate an exciting opportunity to lead and drive the delivery of a wide range of transformative residential and regeneration development opportunities across the country. The ideal candidate will be solutions orientated and results-focused with a wide breath of knowledge and experience across the full development lifecycle and a demonstrable track record of delivering developments of scale. They will have the ability to think strategically, be commercially astute and have a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and building relationships with diverse ranges of stakeholders. The successful candidate will have direct people management responsibilities and will have a proven ability to lead and inspire professionals at all stages of their career.

Reporting to the Head of Property, the Development Lead will be responsible for a portfolio of development projects across all stages of the development life cycle from early concept, acquisition, planning, design, procurement through to delivery and handover. The role will have a particular focus on the development lifecycle from inception through to commencement of construction on-site, with the construction team then managing on site construction and the Development Lead retaining responsibility for overseeing the development overall.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and drive the delivery of a portfolio of development projects across the full development lifecycle with responsibility for ensuring the delivery of agreed objectives.
• Take ownership of each development’s commercial viability and ensure schemes advanced are aligned with LDA development brief and objectives.
• Set out proposed development strategies and the supporting rationale and investment case. Play a leading role in securing relevant internal approvals and associated budgets for implementing proposals.
• Manage the internal and external governance approval processes, including overseeing preparation of Investment Committee and Board papers and monthly reporting. Support engagement with external governance stakeholders.
• Provide a clear leadership voice and direction to cross-functional internal and multidisciplinary external teams. Develop clear and realistic objectives and address performance issues if they arise.
• Represent the organisation externally. Be pro-active in the development of key partnerships, working with key stakeholders to ensure effective coordination and efficient delivery.
• Collaborate and build relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders across diverse functions, including managing and resolving competing interests. Take account of broader issues, agendas, sensitivities and related implications when making decisions.
• Negotiate development agreements, licences and interface agreements with landowners and development partners.
• Oversee the procurement and appointment of design teams, other professional service providers, main contractors and development partners. In collaboration with the Legal team, review and sign off on appointments, contracts and development agreements prior to execution.
• Oversee effective administration and management of all project documentation and governance including, risk management, monthly reports, programmes, development budgets and cashflows, contracts administration, project registers and trackers.
• Proactively oversee each development’s progress versus objectives, take corrective action where necessary based on well-reasoned rationale.
• Manage and mentor a team of direct report LDA development professionals, lead by example. Contribute to building the Development team and take an active role in candidate sourcing and the recruitment process.
• Build strong working relationships with internal functional leads and teams to ensure effective coordination and achievement of organisational goals.
• Proactively contribute to wider business development and strategic initiatives, challenge the status quo, identify areas for improvement and bring forward initiatives that will improve ways of working and benefit the wider organisation.
• Maintain the LDA’s Core values at all times.

Person Specifications / Requirements

• At least 15 years’ experience in the various stages of the property development sector.
• Hold a recognised degree level qualification in construction / development sector. Post graduate qualifications will be an advantage.
• Breadth of experience of taking developments through initial feasibility, planning, design, tendering, pre-construction, construction and handover.
• Proactive management style, solutions oriented and results focused.
• Ability to lead, mentor and empower a team.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including ability to foster positive working relationships and work collaboratively with various stakeholders.
• Excellent written and spoken communicator – ability to communicate with focus, simplicity and clarity, adapting to audience.
• Strong analysis and problem-solving skills with good attention to detail and ability to think strategically and use sound judgement on complex issues.
• Technical knowledge – broad understanding of technical disciplines / promote sustainable climate resilient development / strong knowledge of planning system / understanding of construction buildability / informed challenging of technical solutions.
• Commercial acumen – strong understanding of viability and cost drivers / ability to drive optioneering and commercial analysis / to draw insights from cost plans & investment appraisals / oversee budgets & cashflows / mitigate cost variations.
• Experience of public procurement is an advantage.
• Ambition to meet and exceed the highest level of industry standards.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on the 12th of November 2026

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promote and support a diverse and inclusive workforce, and we endeavour to provide reasonable accommodations where requested.