Development & Partnerships Manager

The company

From day one, we have been driven by a clear vision: to transform the way people think about new-built developments.

Over 20 years later, that ethos is still very much alive, reflected in our numerous awards and reputation in the sector. Today, we employ over 200 people.

An infrastructure-led community creator and strategic land promoter, we are committed to partnerships, innovation and creating amazing places to live and work. We are industry-leading in sustainability and biodiversity. We were one of the first to introduce Zero Bills homes in partnership with Octopus Energy.

We pride ourselves on our ‘Infrastructure first’ approach, ensuring communities release the benefits of new development at the outset, rather than later in the process. We deliver social, affordable and retirement housing for a wide range of housing associations and local authorities.

People are our most important asset, and this is reflected in the way we operate. We are proud to be listed in the Top 100 Best Large Companies to Work For 2024.

Our people enjoy excellent rewards and working conditions in an exciting and growing business. We offer exciting career opportunities, and are keen to develop, guide and support our employees, regardless of what stage they are in their careers.

We value diversity and encourage people to bring their full authentic selves to work. A Gold Armed Forces Covenant signatory and supporter of armed force’s charity Building Heroes, we operate a Talent for Development outreach campaign for military veterans and college leavers.

Work and fun should not be mutually exclusive and we offer a range of social events such as quiz nights, BBQs and all staff parties. We run informal lunch and learns and take on charity challenges such as the Housebuilder Challenge. We encourage people to volunteer in their communities, offering two paid days per year to do so. Where roles allow, our summer hours policy in June, July and August allows people to enjoy longer weekends with their loved ones. A flexible approach to working is available all year round.

We build communities, together.

The department

This role will work closely with other Land & Development Managers and Pre-Development roles in the business.

The majority of your time will be spent working for Thakeham Partnerships. This is the contracting side of the business that build for our public sector clients e.g. council’s and registered providers.

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic team member who is responsible for building relationships with RP’s and driving business development for new projects. They would also have good understanding of build cost, construction, technical, and planning processes. The ideal candidate will guide projects through the pre-development phase, from Heads of Terms to execution of a contract.

The role

The role holder’s primary responsibilities will be;

• Reporting to the Partnerships Director and working alongside the Partnerships team to deliver the company’s Business Plan. More specifically to primarily deliver the revenue targets associated with securing new projects  for Thakeham .

• Identifying and bringing forward new opportunities to work with our housing associations, single family housing providers and local authority clients.

• Occasionally working on opportunities for Thakeham’s own land bank.

• Working with the Partnership team to promote to external partners the added value that Thakeham offers.

• Networking to promote Thakeham both with individual RP’s and at industry functions and conferences.

• Demonstrating a clear understanding of how land deals can be concluded through the use of maximising any RP’s financial appraisal, red book, board approval process or value engineering their employer’s requirements.

• Assisting the internal project team, to take projects forward from early stages through to contract. This may also include planning applications.

• Co-ordinating information from internal teams, into a SMART format that can be issued to clients. The successful candidate for this post will be the focal point between Thakeham departments and the client.

• To communicate effectively with housing association clients, local authority and third parties such as employers agents.

• Attending / leading project meetings, from a Thakeham perspective, with clients / consultants / local authorities and other stakeholders.

• Help to coordinate and review key construction, technical and engineering cost data that feeds back into cost plans and appraisals.

• Challenge costs where required.

• Coordinate pre-development programmes and work with the team to deliver projects to defined timescales.

• Comply with all company policies and procedures and to uphold the Thakeham brand in all company dealings.

This list is not exhaustive. Tasks will be allocated to reflect increasing levels of development and experience.

The required skills

• Excellent knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel & Outlook)

• Excellent communication skills and confidence to liaise with people internally and externally and build strong relationships

• Good attention to detail and organisational skills

• Effective time management skills

• Professional approach with high degree of discretion

• Willing to be flexible and get involved with a wide range of tasks

• Ability to work on own initiative and generate solutions

• Good understanding of the planning system

• Good understanding of construction contracts and other legal documentation such as title reports and sectional agreements

• Ideally the applicant will have a residential housing background

• Understanding of the JCT build contract and Employer’s Requirements would be useful

• The ability to review and challenge budgets

• The ability to review programmes

The benefits

• Competitive salary 

• Car allowance

• Salary sacrifice car scheme 

• Annual holiday allowance 26 days increasing to 27 after 3yrs service and 28 after 5yrs service (plus bank holidays) 

• Life assurance 

• Private medical insurance 

• Health screening 

• Pension scheme 

• Bonus scheme 

• Flexible working hours in a modern office environment / Working from Home Policy 

• Excellent development and progression opportunities for the right candidate 

• Company Social events  

Plus a whole range of other employee benefits that we can tell you all about, our employees are rewarded for their performance, attitude and results.

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We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and treating people fairly. We will treat all job applicants and employees equally regardless of age, race, religious belief, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. We welcome applicants from all sectors of society and we are committed to promoting an inclusive environment for all.

Apply now