Development Manager

Interview date: w/c 7 December 2026 (may be subject to change)

OPDC Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) is a Mayoral Development Corporation with planning, delivery, and compulsory purchase powers and a remit to deliver regeneration in its area. Old Oak is OPDC's core regeneration project located in an area with a rich, cultural heritage and adjacent to London's most successful industrial estate, Park Royal. It is one of London's largest brownfield sites and is catalysed by significant investment in the HS2 Old Oak Common station, making it one of the largest and best-connected regeneration projects in the UK.

OPDC has ambitious plans for Old Oak, enabling the construction of an exemplary mixed-use urban district, incorporating approximately 8,000 homes and up to 200,000sq.m of commercial and community floorspace, alongside significant investment in infrastructure and placemaking.

Old Oak is a priority across government and has already received significant investment from the GLA, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Transport, and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The Old Oak project is at a pivotal stage with the selection of a development partner to deliver the new urban district for west London well underway, OPDC is looking to grow its delivery team with a range of roles to supplement its skills as it prepares to enter the next stage of delivery.

To support in this growth, we are seeking an experienced and passionate Development Manager to join the team and support the development team in transforming the Old Oak and wider OPDC areas.

This is a unique opening for an individual with an interest in working across commercial, residential, industrial and infrastructure development. As part of a close-knit team, and working closely with internal and external stakeholders, you will be involved in activities that could include funding and financing; developer procurement; strategy development; infrastructure investment and land and property acquisition.

Delivery Directorate You will join the Delivery Directorate who are responsible for driving the physical, economic, and social regeneration of the Old Oak and Park Royal areas. This includes overseeing land assembly, infrastructure development, and the implementation of regeneration strategies.

Now is an exciting time to join the team. The programme of work is fast paced, the team is ambitious, and the scale of the Old Oak project and other OPDC led-projects affords unique opportunities to drive innovation and create change.

About the role Reporting to the Senior Development Manager, you will be responsible for managing strategic development projects that will help facilitate the comprehensive redevelopment of Old Oak and other OPDC led projects within the OPDC area.

You will support the wider Delivery team - including land assembly, development, infrastructure, and design teams - to achieve OPDC's strategic housing and regeneration objectives and provide technical support within the directorate. You will take a key role on project delivery, utilising planning and development experience to support the analysis of both land transactions and wider project opportunities. You will also be responsible for the financial control of projects, delivering to key milestones, and delivering outcomes in accordance with project objectives.

You will have experience of development and regeneration, as well as relevant project management skills. You will need strong organisational skills and personal resilience to thrive in a busy and demanding environment. Ideal candidates will be confident communicators, excellent relationship managers, and share our commitment and enthusiasm for regeneration.

What your day will look like Your days will be varied as you respond to different stakeholder and organisational requirements. Working closely with Senior Development Managers, you will work across the following areas:

• Supporting OPDC's strategic development plans for Old Oak and Park Royal including development viability, phasing, land assembly and delivery.
• Providing financial analysis to support the Delivery Directorate for a range of purposes, including: developer procurement, land transactions, scheme optimisation to support the preparation of development briefs, and budget forecasting.
• Effectively managing development projects and ensuring that all records are accurately maintained and updated.
• Providing solution focused advice on capital projects including the acquisition and development of land, the commercialisation of existing land and direct or joint venture development activity.
• Working with the Senior Development Manager and Finance and Governance teams to support business planning with accurate budget monitoring and forecasting / modelling of development cashflows including expenditure, receipts and valuations over time.
• Preparing decision papers and managing governance / finance reporting and ensuring that risk management is embedded in all aspects of delivery and reporting.
• Leading on the procurement of services required by the programme or project in line with the OPDC's procurement procedures.
• Commissioning and coordinating multi-disciplinary consultancy teams and professionally appraising consultancy outputs.
• Developing key relationships with landowners, developers, investors, joint-venture partners, and other key commercial stakeholders.

Skills, knowledge and experience To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• Professional qualification (chartered surveyor or similar) and appropriate experience in real estate development, property regeneration, or major residential/mixed-use delivery.
• Negotiating ability within complex and political environments.
• Experience of planning and development and understanding of place making principles.
• Awareness of project financing and management structures with the ability to interpret and interrogate financial appraisals thoroughly and convincingly.
• Experience of managing supply contracts including professional services, and good financial and contract management in the property sector.
• Good commercial awareness and understanding of London housing and regeneration issues.

Building & Managing Relationships Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Develops new professional relationships
• Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement
• Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action
• Fosters an environment where others feel respected
• Identifies opportunities for joint working to minimise duplication and deliver shared goals.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Communicates openly and inclusively with internal and external stakeholders
• Clearly articulates the key points of an argument, both in verbal and written communication
• Persuades others, using evidence based knowledge, modifying approach to deliver message effectively
• Challenges the views of others in an open and constructive way
• Presents a credible and positive image both internal and externally

Decision making Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Takes decisions as necessary on the basis of the information available
• Makes decisions without unnecessarily referring to others
• Involves and consults internal and external stakeholders early in decisions that impact them
• Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long term impacts, before committing to action.
• Demonstrates awareness of the GLA's decision making processes and how to use them

Operational awareness Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Challenges unethical behaviour
• Uses understanding of the GLA's complex partnership arrangements to deliver effectively
• Recognises how political changes and sensitivities impact on own and team's work
• Translates changing political agendas into tangible actions
• Follows the GLA's position in the media and understands how it impacts on work

Problem Solving Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Processes and distils a variety of information to understand a problem fully
• Proposes options for solutions to presented problems
• Builds on the ideas of others to encourage creative problem solving
• Thinks laterally about own work, considering different ways to approach problems
• Seeks the opinions and experiences of others to understand different approaches to problem solving

Planning & Organising Level 2 indicators of effective performance

• Prioritises work in line with key team or project deliverables
• Makes contingency plans to account for changing work priorities, deadlines and milestones
• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work
• Pays close attention to detail, ensuring team's work is delivered to a high standard
• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can be met

OPDC follows the GLA Competency Framework Guidelines. Further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA Competency Framework

Assessment process Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel.

If shortlisted, you'll be invited to an interview/assessment.
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