Senior Development Manager

Roles and Responsibilities

Manage the performance and delivery of the Portfolio Management team’s residential, commercial, and other applicable development projects from Pre-Concept Design to BCC, with the goal of enhancing value and maximizing return of the portfolio.

Roles And Responsibilities

• Perform business development activities for land, residential retail, and mixed-use assets.
• Identify new own developments opportunities.
• Recommend developments portfolio strategy (including sub-segment mix).
• Support in sourcing new investment with third parties (e.g., JVs, project finance, etc.).
• Support in sourcing developments pre-selling/pre-leasing guarantee from end-users.
• Develop and prioritize pipeline of potential new developments on land bank.
• Identify long-list of potential opportunities.
• Develop framework for preliminary prioritization/screening.
• Develop feasibility studies for residential, retail, and mixed-use assets and seek approval from line manager.
• Perform project costing in coordination with Project Management.
• Develop financial model in collaboration with Partnerships & Investment and other relevant functions.
• Manage development appraisal to ensure accuracy and identify factors impacting the development performance at the earliest opportunity.
• Manage developments from inception to completion in accordance with the Investment Control Process to ensure timely delivery within established parameters.
• Make recommendations to the Director on optimal and balanced solutions to problems arising during the development process.
• Support in deciding on design brief and manage input and performance from Project Management.
• Critique, analyze, and challenge the design proposals presented by consultants and recommendations by internal resources to ensure that key development criteria are achieved.
• Develop and manage the Phasing and Procurement strategy in collaboration with Project Management.
• Support in deciding on detailed project costs based on Procurement and Project Management input.
• Support in the selection, negotiation, appointment of consultants, contractors, and service providers based on Procurement’s recommendation.
• Support in deciding on project schedule, anticipate and resolve possible roadblocks to completion of construction to ensure on-time project delivery.
• Address key procurement contract variations arising from differences in project design, raising major issues to the line manager.
• Produce and manage the development’s Risk Register.
• Perform continuous monitoring of design and project deliverables, program, and risk register.
• Provide constant progress updates and monthly written reports on construction progress.
• Identify major issues or conflicts and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Monitor development budgets against projected and actual costs and recommend appropriate solutions on deviations.
• Support in the negotiation of the Heads of Terms for asset purchase and lease agreements with all 3rd party entities in collaboration with internal leasing and legal departments.
• Support in collaboration with internal sales, leasing, and legal departments in the production of the Heads of Terms for sales contracts and retail leases.
• Support in deciding on refined commercial strategy based on recommendations from Commercial (e.g., ERV, retail mix, phasing, market timing, etc.).
• Support in deciding on marketing strategy (e.g., marketing calendar, branding, etc.).
• Support in deciding on Asset, PM, and FM strategy, ensure proper handover and coordination with PM and FM entities and Asset Manager.

Desired Candidate Profile

Qualifications & Experience

RELATED YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 12+ minimum years of development management experience in managing the development of large retail real estate assets of over AED 500 million in value.

FIELD OF EXPERIENCE: Real estate development.

TECHNICAL AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

• Strong understanding of valuation, appraisals, and financial modeling of residential and commercial development.
• Strong knowledge and exposure to the GCC real estate market with large master developers with annual revenue of at least AED 2 billion.
• Strong understanding of architectural design and construction.
• Solid understanding of contract procurement policies and procedures gained in the Procurement function of a real estate developer in the GCC real estate industry.

QUALIFICATION(S):

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate, land economics, property valuation, architecture, or engineering.