We’re seeking a driven and experienced leader to join our Croydon Development Team as Development Director. This is a pivotal opportunity to help shape one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration programmes, delivering a multi-project masterplan that will redefine the area for years to come.
In this fast-paced, collaborative environment, you’ll have the chance to make a meaningful impact where innovation, scale, and purpose come together.
As Development Director, you’ll lead all aspects of investment, land acquisition, funding, and disposal for the programme. Acting as deputy to the Strategic Development Director, you’ll oversee the full development lifecycle — working closely with Project Directors, Development Managers, and Analysts to ensure strategic alignment, delivery excellence, and long-term value creation for Croydon.

WHAT SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE WILL YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

• A minimum of fifteen years relevant post-qualification experience gained working in property development, either at a developer, development manager or at a leading property consultancy.
• A member of the RICS or similar property-related professional qualification.
• A depth of expertise in Development Management, combining knowledge of the UK property market, with the technical and leadership skills needed to put together and deliver complex, mixed-use development schemes.
• A demonstrable track record of leading large and complex office, residential, retail and mixed-use schemes from inception, through design and planning, and delivery, as the development manager or developer.
• Comfortable preparing financial models in Excel.
• In depth and up-to-date knowledge of both the commercial and residential sectors, with an emphasis on London and major cities across the UK.
• Extensive and high-level contacts across the property industry with strong networking skills.
• Keen to take on responsibility and play a key role in growing the Development team at URW.
• Level-headed with an ability to intelligently and diplomatically engage with at all levels, both within the URW business and externally with shareholders, local stakeholders and authorities.
• Entrepreneurial minded, creative thinker with high intellectual curiosity.
• Good knowledge of ESG and an interest in progressing this within the business.

• Taking ownership of projects and leading a multi-disciplined team across the URW business, including development, design, construction and operations/asset management to progress and successfully deliver the project(s) whilst achieving/exceeding the quality, performance and financial parameters.
• Leading feasibility studies to identify the optimum use of sites or buildings, taking full account of the specific circumstances, opportunities, constraints, the market, and wider URW business requirements.
• Preparing development appraisals and financial modelling to assess the viability of schemes, guide decision making and inform value engineering.
• Financial and investment work to obtain third-party private and public funding
• Appointing, managing, and leading multi-disciplinary design teams through the design, planning and delivery stages of projects, with an emphasis on the front end of projects.
• Ensuring projects remain on programme and within budget, and identifying opportunities to add value at every stage.
• Maintain ongoing communications with all stakeholders (both internal and external) to provide periodic updates on the progress against the programme, financial viability and budgets, resolve issues that may compromise the project programme and viability, and respond quickly and professionally to questions, concerns, and requests for information.
• Lead and monitor the negotiation and implementation of sale and purchase agreements for approved projects and future pipeline, including Joint Venture relationships.
• Develop and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders, including local authorities, occupiers and adjacent owners and appropriately manage ongoing communications related to the proposed development.
• Collaborate with other teams across the URW Global business to share knowledge and promote joint opportunities.
• Act as a role model for the wider business; acting with integrity to achieve success by striking the right balance for our people, stakeholders, shareholders and local communities.