Construction Director Urban The Crown Estate, 1 St James Market

Advert Close date: 19th August 2026

Construction Director at The Crown Estate Purpose of Role

At The Crown Estate, our purpose is to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation. As Construction Director, you will provide strategic leadership across a complex portfolio of development projects, ensuring construction activity is delivered safely, sustainably, efficiently and to the highest standards.

Reporting to the Head of Delivery and Programme Management, you will lead the construction agenda across our Urban Development portfolio, shaping delivery strategy, governance, assurance and best practice from early feasibility through to completion and post-project learning. You will play a critical role in protecting long-term asset value, delivering positive outcomes for customers and communities, and embedding our commitment to safety, sustainability and responsible stewardship.

Context of Opportunity / Main Accountabilities

This is a rare opportunity to influence some of the UK's most significant and high-profile development activity. Working across a diverse portfolio of projects, you will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including Development, Design, Programme Management, Sustainability, Finance, Legal, Procurement and Health & Safety to ensure exceptional delivery outcomes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing leadership for construction delivery across the Urban Development portfolio, establishing strategy, standards, governance and assurance frameworks.

• Championing a best-in-class safety culture, ensuring health, safety and wellbeing remain at the forefront of every project and decision.

• Overseeing programme, cost, risk and quality performance across multiple projects, driving certainty of delivery and proactive risk management.

• Leading construction involvement from feasibility, design and procurement through to commissioning, handover and operational transition.

• Driving effective contractor, consultant and supply chain partnerships that support high-quality, commercially disciplined delivery.

• Embedding sustainable delivery practices, including low-carbon construction, responsible procurement, circular economy principles and social value outcomes.

• Providing clear reporting, assurance and recommendations to senior stakeholders and governance forums to support informed decision making.

• Developing and leading a high-performing team culture built on accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and inclusion.

Most Important Skills Based Requirements

We're looking for a strategic construction leader who can balance long-term stewardship with exceptional delivery focus.

You will bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience within construction, development or major project delivery environments.

• Detailed technical knowledge of how buildings are designed, engineered and constructed, enabling effective oversight of complex development projects, informed decision-making and credible engagement with consultants, contractors and technical specialists.

• A proven track record of delivering large, complex and high-value construction programmes, ideally within commercial, mixed-use, residential, public realm or estate-based developments.

• Demonstrable experience creating and embedding a strong health, safety and wellbeing culture across project portfolios.

• Deep knowledge of UK construction delivery, including regulatory, planning, building safety and CDM requirements.

• Strong commercial and contractual expertise, including procurement strategy, risk management, change control and contract administration.

• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and aligning a broad range of internal and external stakeholders towards shared outcomes.

• The ability to communicate complex information clearly, influence senior decision makers and provide robust governance and assurance.

• A strong understanding of sustainability, ESG principles, whole-life value and responsible development practices.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, underpinned by a data-led approach to delivery and performance management.

• Relevant professional qualifications (such as MRICS, MCIOB, MAPM, CEng or MICE) or equivalent experience within the built environment are desirable.

As a leader at The Crown Estate, you will be committed to creating environments where people can thrive, fostering trusted partnerships, and delivering outcomes that create lasting value for customers, communities and the country.

Our Offering / benefits:

As well as a competitive salary, pension and performance relatedbonus offering, we have a wealth of benefits available ranging from flexible working; market leading family policies and shopping discounts in the West End,to private healthcare; life andcritical illness cover and 28 days holiday with the option to buy more. We value work life balance and your wellbeing highly,enabling you to be your best self to work.

Disability Disclaimer:

We are a proud disability confident employer and operate the offer of interview scheme Disability Confident employer scheme - GOV.UK ().

We are happy to offer alternative application methods or formats and can be flexible on our process to enable you to have the best opportunity.

If you have any questions about our recruitment process or would like to talk about adjustments, please contact us directly, or at