Development Manager - High End Residential

As a Development Manager in the high-end residential property sector, you'll oversee and coordinate construction projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. Based in London, this role plays a key part in managing the day-to-day operations and ensuring smooth project progression.

Client Details

Our client is a highly regarded luxury residential developer and investor with a track record of delivering some of London's most prestigious residential addresses. Operating across acquisition, planning, development, construction oversight, sales and long-term operational management, the business has established itself as a significant player within the Prime Central London market.

They are known for creating design-led residential developments in partnership with globally recognised architects, designers and consultants, whilst maintaining an integrated approach that extends beyond development into hospitality, operations and resident experience.

Due to continued growth and the progression of a Prime Central London Regeneration scheme, the business is looking for an experienced Development Manager.

Description

This is an exceptional opportunity to join a lean, high-performing development platform and play a pivotal role in the delivery of one of Central London's most significant residential-led regeneration projects.

As Development Manager, you will be responsible for supporting and driving projects across the full development lifecycle, acting as a key interface between internal stakeholders, consultants, advisors and delivery partners.

The role will focus on driving a major Prime Central London residential scheme through the next stages of planning, design development, procurement and construction delivery. The wider project comprises luxury private residences, affordable housing, extensive public realm improvements, retail and community uses, and significant resident amenity provision.

This is not a role for someone seeking a step-up opportunity. The client is looking for an individual who is already operating successfully at Development Manager level and can quickly take ownership of complex workstreams within an active development environment.

Key responsibilities will include:

Development Management

• Managing residential developments from planning and design through procurement, construction and completion.
• Driving project programmes and maintaining delivery momentum across multiple workstreams.
• Coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams.
• Identifying and mitigating development risks

Planning & Design Management

• Supporting planning strategy and application processes.
• Leading design development activities.
• Managing architects, engineers, planning consultants and specialist advisors.
• Ensuring schemes remain commercially viable, deliverable and aligned with project objectives.

Commercial & Procurement

• Monitoring development appraisals, budgets and cashflow assumptions.
• Supporting procurement strategies and consultant appointments.
• Working alongside cost consultants and commercial teams to manage project performance.
• Reviewing risks, opportunities and value engineering initiatives.

Construction & Delivery

• Supporting pre-construction and construction activities.
• Monitoring quality, programme and delivery performance.
• Managing key project milestones through to completion and handover.

Stakeholder Leadership

• Acting as a central point of coordination across project stakeholders.
• Building strong working relationships with consultants, contractors, authorities and internal teams.
• Producing clear and concise reporting for senior leadership.
• Ensuring alignment across development, sales, marketing, finance, operations and customer experience functions

Profile

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

Essential

• Existing Development Manager or Senior Development Manager experience.
• Proven end-to-end development management capability.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience managing complex consultant teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and programme management capability.
• Ability to operate autonomously within a lean environment.

Development Experience

• Demonstrable track record delivering Prime or Super Prime residential developments.
• Experience working on schemes with development values typically exceeding 250m GDV.
• Exposure to Central London residential developments.
• Experience progressing projects from RIBA Stage 3 onwards through detailed design, procurement and delivery.
• Strong understanding of planning, technical, commercial and construction interfaces.

Personal Attributes

• Proactive and forward-thinking.
• Highly organised and detail-oriented.
• Confident operating within ambiguity and changing project environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commercially minded with a delivery-focused approach.

Job Offer

• Opportunity to work on a flagship Prime Central London development.
• Significant autonomy and responsibility.
• Direct exposure to senior leadership and executive decision-makers.
• Broad involvement across strategy, planning, design, commercial management and delivery.
• Long-term career progression within a growing development platform.
• Salary up to 120,000 plus bonus and benefits package for the right individual.