New Business Manager, WEST KENT HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Job title: New Business Manager

Job type: Permanent, full time (37 hours per week)

Location: Sevenoaks, Kent (Hybrid working available)

Salary: £62,850 per annum

About West Kent

At West Kent we are passionate about the role a housing association can play in society and believe the values of an organisation are what makes it special. We have an exceptional reputation for providing quality homes and excellent community services across Kent.

We are highly successful, deliver on our promises, are committed to Kent and our communities and we want to do even more.

About The Role

We’re looking for someone to join our busy development team to source and progress new development opportunities.

You’ll be responsible for managing our development pipeline, so you’ll have a good knowledge of contract structures and planning processes.

You’ll be working with our partners and stakeholders including landowners, developers, planners, legal advisors, valuers, architects, and be writing regular reports for our board and executive team, so you’ll need to have great verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

You should have been working in development some time, and ideally have a professional qualification in construction, surveying or project management.

The role will be based in our Sevenoaks office but hybrid working is available.

In return we offer a great package – we offer training, a staff benefits scheme, including discounted medical treatments, generous leave allowance, including paid time off to volunteer and an annual grant to support your wellbeing.

We will only consider applications submitted with a full CV and completed supporting statement, there is information on our website about our recruitment process.

Responsibilities

• Day to day lead and management of the business development team; to source, progress and secure into legal contract, new development opportunities
• To lead on securing a pipeline of residential led sites within Kent for development by the organisation for a range of tenures.
• To commission and liaise with landowners, developers, planners, legal advisors, valuers, architects and stakeholders to acquire sites and procure new residential led developments in partnership.
• To be responsible for securing planning consents, planning conditions, S106 agreements and to procure construction contracts.
• To appraise schemes and produce reports for Executive team and Board of Management to secure approval before entering contract
• To liaise with all internal West Kent departments to secure agreement to acquire sites and ensure competing priorities are resolved
• To assist in the preparation of bids for sites and grant applications
• To take lead responsibility for progressing more complex sites, if required.
• To implement the necessary controls and assurances for business development investment and audit purposes
• To ensure projects are handed over to the Delivery team with a clear, comprehensive and accurate brief.
• To represent and promote the organization at external meetings
• Adopt and comply with legislative and regulatory requirements, organisational values, policies and procedures, including Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity, Procurement, Safeguarding, Value for money
• Cultivate relationships with key statutory and private sector stakeholders, appraising potential schemes and negotiating funding where applicable.
• Identify and manage risks, escalating concerns where appropriate, to ensure problems are resolved in a timely and cost-effective way.
• Provide accurate and detailed reports with analysis to facilitate business decision making.
• Comply with all current legislation, polices, standards, procedures and standing orders.
• Build and maintain positive and productive relationships with colleagues, communicating effectively to ensure a successful team approach.
• Maximise use of the available technology and systems to work effectively and efficiently, including administering the HE Investment Management System.
• Share and apply learning from reviewing projects to continuously improve processes and practices.
• Resolve problems and conflicts in order to achieve positive outcomes.
• Promote equality, value diversity and treat everyone fairly and with respect ensuring that others experience you living West Kent’s values.
• Undertake any other duties to achieve the purpose of the job or as required by your line manager/director.

Experience, Knowledge And Skills

• A demonstrable understanding of the Development process across a range of building and tenure types.
• Comprehensive understanding of planning law, process and practice, including
• Taking Strategic Land through the planning process, and link to infrastructure requirements;
• S106 Agreements
• CIL
• Appeal processes etc.
• Comprehensive understanding of the financial elements of development projects and their impact on scheme viability.
• An understanding of site valuation and appraisal methodologies, including full understanding of how returns are calculated, as well as using development appraisal software.
• Comprehensive understanding of contract structures for
• Options
• JVs
• SPVs
• Conditional contracts e.g. STP, overage arrangements
• D&B contracts
• Development agreements
• Sale Agreements
• Head leases and agreements to lease
• S106 golden brick arrangements etc.
• Understanding of other legal aspects of development and planning including;
• Public rights of way
• Easements
• Rights of Light
• Party walls
• Restrictive covenants
• CPOs.
• Understanding of HE standards, requirements and procedures, and the ability to optimise levels of grant into schemes.
• Understanding of lenders requirements for charging.
• Understanding the impact of tax issues on scheme viabilities, including the use of subsidiaries.
• Knowledge of relevant land markets, and what it takes to be competitive in them.
• Demonstrable experience of effectively managing development programmes and complex schemes.
• Understanding of modern methods of construction and ‘green’ infrastructure and technologies.
• Excellent financial and numerical skills including budget and cashflow management.
• Good Communication skills (written, oral).
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to form long lasting productive relationships with vendors, developers, consultants, valuers, local authorities and other key partners.
• Excellent negotiating skills, with a track record of securing land deals.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to collaborate with others and build successful relationships to achieve positive outcomes.
• Ability to produce and interpret KPIs and Management Information.
• Ability to write clear and comprehensive reports.
• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads.
• Ability to effectively manage, motivate and inspire staff, focusing them on successful outcomes.
• Ability to identify and manage risks.
• Ability to support and challenge to resolve conflict.
• Ability to spot opportunities to create value through land assembly, longer term deals, acquiring sites without planning, innovative solutions.
• Commercially astute, but with a commitment to long term value creation and place making, not just short-term returns.
• Proficiency in Microsoft packages including Excel. HE IMS. Confident in learning and maximising the use of in house and other software databases and systems.

Qualifications

• A construction, surveying or project management degree or qualification relevant to the role.
• Demonstrable experience in a new business development or development role focussed on business development in the private or social housing sector.
• Valid driving licence and use of an insured vehicle to be able to pursue new business opportunities and visit development sites across Kent.

Advert closing date: 21 March 2022 at 9am.

Interview date: 31 March 2022.

If you think this role is for you, we’d love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion, please contact Adam Jenner, Delivery Manager by calling 01732 749400