Senior Development Manager

The Senior Development Manager leads the delivery of significant development projects within the region and acts as a senior professional resource – contributing to regional pipeline origination, managing complex stakeholder relationships and developing more junior colleagues. The role operates with a high degree of professional autonomy and is expected to resolve issues independently rather than escalate by default.

Operates within the regional team. May include line management responsibility for Development team members on specific projects. Key interfaces include Network Rail, joint venture partners, Planning authorities, Homes England regional contacts, local/ combined authorities, private sector partners and professional advisors. Planning horizon: in-year operational and may extend across multiple years.

• Lead the delivery of allocated development projects from planning through to completion – managing programme, budget, quality and stakeholder relationships
• Lead multi-disciplinary consultant teams and professional advisers
• Contribute to regional pipeline origination – identifying and qualifying new development opportunities and bringing them to the attention of the Regional Director
• Build and maintain productive relationships with planning authorities, local stakeholders and development partners
• Provide professional development expertise to the Regional Director and contribute to regional strategy
• Supervise and develop junior colleagues on allocated projects – providing guidance, feedback and technical support
• Ensure all projects comply with Platform4 and the railway’s governance, safety and statutory requirements
• Support the safe and efficient operation and improvement of the railway by providing excellent professional property and town planning services
• Additional projects or workstreams as directed by the Regional Director/Principal Development Manager

• Project delivery – Manage allocated projects across the full development lifecycle. Drive programme and manage cost & viability. Identify and resolve risks without defaulting to escalation.
• Pipeline Development – Identify new development opportunities in the region. Gather market intelligence and bring qualifying opportunities forward with a clear recommendation.
• Stakeholder management – Build productive relationships with planning authorities, local authorities and development partners. Represent Platform4 confidently in external meetings and forums.
• People development – Supervise and develop direct reports on allocated projects. Provide timely, honest feedback and support their professional development.

• Allocated projects delivered on time, on budget and meeting key milestones
• New pipeline opportunities identified and progressed
• External relationships managed with confidence
• Junior colleagues developed through active supervision and feedback

Essential

• RICS, RTPI or equivalent professional qualification or demonstrable & recognised industry experience with specialist skills/knowledge and proficiency operating in a complex environment
• Track record of delivering development or regeneration projects across the development lifecycle
• Strong commercial acumen and experience maintaining development appraisals and cashflows
• Experience of managing external stakeholders including public & private sector partners, planning authorities & local/combined authorities

Desirable

• Familiarity with the rail sector and the direction of GBR/IBU reform.
• Experience of Joint Venture & Development agreements

• Development delivery – manages projects across the full lifecycle with professional confidence and commercial rigour
• Pipeline origination – identifies and qualifies new opportunities and brings them forward with clear recommendation
• Stakeholder management – builds productive relationships with planning and delivery partners
• People development – develops junior colleagues through supervision, coaching and honest feedback
• Operational discipline – resolves issues at the right level and maintains delivery focus under pressure

The role is expected to demonstrate Platform4’s four values — Can-do, Collaborative, Pioneering and Responsible — in observable daily practice.