Development Manager

Development Manager

Salary: £64,690 - £70,021 per annum

Job Reference: 6093

Location: North Acton

Application closing date: 18 November 2026 at 23:59:00

Interview date: w/c 7 December 2026 (may be subject to change)

Grade: 10

Contract type: Permanent

Contract details: Full-Time

About the role

Reporting to the Senior Development Manager, you will be responsible for managing strategic development projects that will help facilitate the comprehensive redevelopment of Old Oak and other OPDC led projects within the OPDC area.

You will support the wider Delivery team – including land assembly, development, infrastructure, and design teams – to achieve OPDC’s strategic housing and regeneration objectives and provide technical support within the directorate. You will take a key role on project delivery, utilising planning and development experience to support the analysis of both land transactions and wider project opportunities. You will also be responsible for the financial control of projects, delivering to key milestones, and delivering outcomes in accordance with project objectives.

You will have experience of development and regeneration, as well as relevant project management skills. You will need strong organisational skills and personal resilience to thrive in a busy and demanding environment. Ideal candidates will be confident communicators, excellent relationship managers, and share our commitment and enthusiasm for regeneration.

What your day will look like

Your days will be varied as you respond to different stakeholder and organisational requirements. Working closely with Senior Development Managers, you will work across the following areas:

• Supporting OPDC’s strategic development plans for Old Oak and Park Royal including development viability, phasing, land assembly and delivery.
• Providing financial analysis to support the Delivery Directorate for a range of purposes, including: developer procurement, land transactions, scheme optimisation to support the preparation of development briefs, and budget forecasting.
• Effectively managing development projects and ensuring that all records are accurately maintained and updated.
• Providing solution focused advice on capital projects including the acquisition and development of land, the commercialisation of existing land and direct or joint venture development activity.
• Working with the Senior Development Manager and Finance and Governance teams to support business planning with accurate budget monitoring and forecasting / modelling of development cashflows including expenditure, receipts and valuations over time.
• Preparing decision papers and managing governance / finance reporting and ensuring that risk management is embedded in all aspects of delivery and reporting.
• Leading on the procurement of services required by the programme or project in line with the OPDC’s procurement procedures.
• Commissioning and coordinating multi-disciplinary consultancy teams and professionally appraising consultancy outputs.
• Developing key relationships with landowners, developers, investors, joint-venture partners, and other key commercial stakeholders.

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• Professional qualification (chartered surveyor or similar) and appropriate experience in real estate development, property regeneration, or major residential/mixed-use delivery.
• Negotiating ability within complex and political environments.
• Experience of planning and development and understanding of place making principles.
• Awareness of project financing and management structures with the ability to interpret and interrogate financial appraisals thoroughly and convincingly.
• Experience of managing supply contracts including professional services, and good financial and contract management in the property sector.
• Good commercial awareness and understanding of London housing and regeneration issues.

In line with the GLA Competency Framework Guidelines you are also expected to demonstrate the following Behavioural Competencies in your role.

Building & Managing Relationships

… is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Develops new professional relationships
• Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement
• Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action
• Fosters an environment where others feel respected
• Identifies opportunities for joint working to minimise duplication and deliver shared goals.

Communication & Influencing

… is presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly so that others see us as credible and articulate, and engage with us.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Communicates openly and inclusively with internal and external stakeholders
• Clearly articulates the key points of an argument, both in verbal and written communication
• Persuades others, using evidence based knowledge, modifying approach to deliver message effectively
• Challenges the views of others in an open and constructive way
• Presents a credible and positive image both internally and externally

Decision making

…is forming sound, evidence-based judgements, making choices, assessing risks to delivery, and taking accountability for results.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Takes decisions as necessary on the basis of the information available
• Makes decisions without unnecessarily referring to others
• Involves and consults internal and external stakeholders early in decisions that impact them
• Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long term impacts, before committing to action.
• Demonstrates awareness of the GLA’s decision making processes and how to use them

Operational awareness

…is understanding and being sensitive to organisational dynamics, culture and politics across and beyond the OPDC and shaping our approach accordingly.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Challenges unethical behaviour
• Uses understanding of the GLA’s complex partnership arrangements to deliver effectively
• Recognises how political changes and sensitivities impact on own and team’s work
• Translates changing political agendas into tangible actions
• Follows the GLA’s position in the media and understands how it impacts on work

Problem Solving

… is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Processes and distils a variety of information to understand a problem fully
• Proposes options for solutions to presented problems
• Builds on the ideas of others to encourage creative problem solving
• Thinks laterally about own work, considering different ways to approach problems
• Seeks the opinions and experiences of others to understand different approaches to problem solving

Planning & Organising

… is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and to a high standard.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Prioritises work in line with key team or project deliverables
• Makes contingency plans to account for changing work priorities, deadlines and milestones
• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work
• Pays close attention to detail, ensuring team’s work is delivered to a high standard
• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can be met

OPDC follows the GLA Competency Framework Guidelines. Further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA Competency Framework

How to apply

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

• Up to date CV

• Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

• Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘CV and Cover Letters’ section’ of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

• Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g., “CV – applicant name - 012345)

• As part of OPDC’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination.

If you have questions about the role

If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring managers Iain Savill and Agnes Callaghan would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at ***email_hidden*** & [email protected]

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, contact the [email protected] who support the OPDC with recruitment.

This role DOES NOT meet the criteria for sponsorship for external candidates. It may meet the criteria for sponsorship for some internal candidates, in limited circumstances. Please contact the hiring manager if you wish to discuss this further.

Assessment process

• Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel.
• If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview/assessment.
• The interview/assessment date is: w/c 7 December 2026 (may be subject to change)
• We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some
• interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.
• We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

London's diversity is its biggest asset, and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share.

Please note we are a Disability Confident Employer so for candidates who wish to be considered under the scheme and meet the essential criteria, they will automatically be invited to interview. Please note, should you require any adjustments through the process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

Benefits

OPDC staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme with the option to add to build up pension benefits with a separate provider alongside your LGPS pension via additional voluntary contributions.

Learning and development

At OPDC we are dedicated to empowering team members through ongoing learning opportunities and professional development initiatives. Our commitment to learning and development means that we will provide you with the resources and support to expand your skills and grow your career.

Additional Information

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.

More Support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact [email protected].