Property Director – Portugal | €90k + bonus

Direct Recruitment; Lisboa; Sur place; EUR 80 000 - 85 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Direct Recruitment is seeking a Property Director for a leading international schools group in Portugal. You will lead high-profile campus developments and oversee CAPEX/OPEX across multiple sites with travel between campuses.

You will shape the long-term property strategy, manage budgets, procurement, and regulatory compliance, while coordinating with corporate executives, school leadership, investors, and local authorities to deliver outstanding educational environments.

Qualifications

• Senior property or estates leadership experience.
• Delivery of large-scale construction developments.
• CAPEX/OPEX budgeting and financial control.
• Contract negotiation and vendor management.
• Experience with regulatory frameworks and authorities.

Responsabilités

• Develop and execute a long-term property strategy aligned with expansion plans.
• Lead multi-million-euro construction, expansion and refurbishment projects.
• Manage annual and multi-year budgets with cost control and forecasting.
• Oversee procurement, SLAs and performance of architects, contractors, and suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with building codes, planning laws and safety regs.
• Serve as link between executives, school leaders, investors, regulators and authorities.

Connaissances

Executive leadership

Property management

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

English fluency

Portuguese advantageous

Description du poste

Property Director – Leading International Schools Group | €80k to €85k+ bonus

• Location: Portugal (Multi-site, with travel between campuses)
• Reporting to: Managing Director
• Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

The Opportunity

Are you a strategic property leader with a track record of delivering premium, large-scale developments? An established and growing international education provider is seeking a dynamic Property Director to oversee the development, management, and optimisation of a high-quality campus portfolio across Portugal.

This is a senior leadership position where you will hold full accountability for capital projects (CAPEX), operational estate management (OPEX), and long-term asset optimisation across multiple sites. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment that balances strategic commercial vision with rigorous project delivery, this role offers an exceptional platform to shape the physical environment of future-generation learning.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term property strategy aligned with the group’s ambitious expansion and growth plans in Portugal.
• Lead major multi-million-euro construction, expansion, and refurbishment projects from initial feasibility and planning applications through to delivery and final handover.
• Manage comprehensive annual and multi-year property budgets, ensuring robust cost control, precise forecasting, and strategic procurement to deliver maximum value.
• Oversee the procurement, SLAs, and performance metrics of architects, contractors, technical consultants, and facility suppliers.
• Maintain strict adherence to Portuguese building codes, planning laws, health & safety legislation, and educational facility regulations.
• Act as the pivotal link between corporate executives, local school leadership, investors, regulatory bodies, and municipal authorities.

About you

• Proven track record in a senior property or estates leadership role, ideally within education, healthcare, hospitality, or multi-site commercial portfolios.
• Demonstrated success in successfully delivering large-scale commercial or campus-style construction developments from scratch.
• Deep experience managing substantial CAPEX/OPEX budgets alongside navigating complex property contracts, leases, and local regulatory systems.
• Strong background in supplier procurement, contract negotiation, and vendor performance management.

Skills & Qualifications

• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency or fluency in Portuguese is highly advantageous to effectively manage local authorities and contractors.
• Exceptional negotiation skills, a commercial mindset, robust project management capabilities, and the emotional intelligence to manage diverse stakeholders.

What's on Offer

• A competitive executive salary package tailored to experience.
• The opportunity to lead high-profile, landmark educational developments in a booming European market.
• A permanent, stable career path within a highly collaborative and well-funded international organisation.