Commercial Manager- Hospitality developer in London

Location: Central London head office - five days a week in the office

Reports to: Senior Commercial Manager

Sector: Real estate development - hotels and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)

The business: A privately held real estate developer focused on hotels and PBSA in London and other UK markets. As an owner-operator, the business runs the full lifecycle in-house, from site acquisition and feasibility through design, planning and delivery to fully operational handover, including FF&E and OS&E. The commercial function oversees c.1bn of pipeline works across pre-construction and construction. Each scheme is appraised on its own merits, with build cost considered alongside operational returns.

The opportunity: This is a role for a QS who wants real ownership of their projects. You will take responsibility for cost control across a portfolio of design and build hotel and PBSA schemes, from early cost planning and design challenge through procurement to final account. You will also work with the acquisitions and development teams to give a commercial view on opportunities from pre-acquisition onward, with scope to grow your remit as you prove yourself.

Core duties:

• Prepare cost plans and budgets aligned to the brief and investment parameters.
• Maintain cost estimates, procurement programmes and cash flow forecasts.
• Work with development managers and designers to keep schemes affordable and buildable.
• Run tenders for main contract, subcontract and FF&E/OS&E packages; assess returns and make recommendations.
• Manage budgets and change control, assessing cost and programme impact and protecting margin.
• Administer the contract (typically JCT D&B), including variations, claims and extensions of time.
• Report spend and budget position to finance and senior management.

How the role supports each project stage:

• Concept and feasibility (RIBA 0): Feasibility reviews and early cost estimates for prospective hotel and PBSA sites. Advise on the cost of design options, brand standards and operator requirements.
• Briefing (RIBA 1): Cost input into the brief; set up the first cost plan and budget.
• Concept design (RIBA 2): Keep the design affordable and deliverable; develop the cost plan.
• Developed design (RIBA 3): Direct external cost consultants; analyse tender returns; shape programme and cash flow.
• Technical design (RIBA 4): Review detailed design for cost implications; run procurement and assess tenders.
• Construction (RIBA 5): Control change; report on spend, budget and progress; visit site and value variations.
• Handover and close-out (RIBA 6): Agree final accounts, issue final cost reports and explain variances.

Wider remit:

• Governance: Attend monthly project reviews and keep senior management updated on progress and risk.
• Stakeholders: Internal: development, projects, acquisitions and hotel operations teams. External: contractors, suppliers, cost consultants, brand and operator representatives, and funders' monitoring surveyors.

A flavour of the live pipeline:

• PBSA scheme of around 700 beds in central London - tendering and on site
• Second central London PBSA scheme of around 700 beds - on site
• Hotel of around 900 rooms in London - tendering and on site
• Hotel of around 300 rooms in London - pre-contract and in planning

About you:

• A degree in quantity surveying or a related discipline.
• A client-side or developer-side QS, or a consultant QS ready to move client-side, with hotel or PBSA experience preferred.
• Ambitious and keen to take on greater ownership of schemes from inception to completion.
• Strong working knowledge of JCT contracts and procurement.
• Confident with Excel and cost estimating tools; analytical with a careful eye for detail.
• Clear communicator who builds strong relationships with contractors, consultants and internal teams.
• Resilient, proactive and able to manage several schemes at once.