Managing Director - Residential Development

About the Role

We are a privately-backed London-based residential development company committed to building a long-term, sustainable development business in the UK. Our objective is not single-project arbitrage, but to establish a credible residential developer with institutional standards, a robust project pipeline, and strong local delivery capability.

We are seeking a Managing Director to take full ownership of establishing and operating our UK business. This role requires a proven leader with deep local development expertise and the capability to build an operating structure from the ground up. It is a strategic and execution-focused position.

Strategy & Business Development

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• Develop and execute the UK business strategy, covering land acquisition, planning, development, financing, and asset management.
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• Build a sustainable project pipeline and implement a land banking strategy to drive long-term business growth.
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Planning & Approvals

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• Lead planning engagement with London Boroughs and manage the full planning application process.
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• Navigate Section 106, CIL, and affordable housing requirements, mitigating planning risk effectively.
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Financing & Capital Structure

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• Lead the structuring and negotiation of development financing, establishing long-term relationships with UK banks and institutional capital providers.
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• Design appropriate capital structures to ensure financing availability and cost efficiency.
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Team Building & Operations

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• Recruit and lead a local professional team across development, finance, construction, and external advisory functions.
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• Establish corporate governance, internal processes, and decision-making frameworks.
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Compliance & Risk Management

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• Ensure full compliance with UK company law, tax regulations (including SDLT, Corporation Tax, CGT), anti-money laundering requirements, and overseas investor rules.
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• Identify and manage legal, financial, and operational risks across the development lifecycle.
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Project Delivery Framework

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• Coordinate design, cost, engineering, construction, and master programme planning to establish a comprehensive project delivery framework.
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• Assess and validate the commercial and operational viability of key delivery routes, including modular construction, main contractor/subcontractor models, and direct supply of materials – evaluated across cost, quality, programme, and risk.
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• Design the end-to-end delivery process, identifying critical path dependencies and establishing clear approval and decision-making protocols.
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• Ensure that every stage from design development through to on-site construction and handover is systematically planned, resourced, and governed.
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Candidate Profile

Essential:

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• Significant senior-level experience in UK residential development, with a track record of multiple full-cycle London projects from land acquisition through to delivery.
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• Deep knowledge of the London planning system, with proven experience negotiating planning applications, S106, CIL, and affordable housing with London Boroughs.
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• Demonstrable track record of securing development finance from major UK lenders, with a strong understanding of development loan terms, structures, and risk parameters.
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• Strong leadership capability with experience managing multi-disciplinary teams.
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• Sound understanding of UK property tax, legal frameworks, and compliance requirements for overseas investment structures.
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• Fluent in English (essential); Mandarin is an advantage but not required.
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Desirable:

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• Prior senior leadership experience with a major UK residential developer or established private development firm.
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• Hands-on experience with affordable housing and mixed-tenure schemes.
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• Established network of relationships with top-tier UK law firms, tax advisers, and planning consultants.
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