Business Development Director

Kadans Science Partner is expanding its UK portfolio with major developments across London, Cambridge, Manchester and Glasgow, including One North Quay in Canary Wharf, which will become Europe’s largest multi-tenant life sciences building. As Business Development Director, you will play a key role in the continued growth of Kadans within the UK science & innovation market. You will focus on building commercial relationships, identifying leasing opportunities and attracting new occupiers to our portfolio.

This is a senior commercial leadership role suited to someone with significant experience in business development, leasing or occupier engagement within life sciences, innovation or related sectors. Kadans Science Partner is a European developer, investor and operator of science & innovation locations. We focus exclusively on real estate for knowledge-intensive sectors, including life sciences, biotech, healthcare and high-tech. Our portfolio includes laboratories, cleanrooms, pilot plants, research facilities and office space designed around the needs of research-driven organisations. Kadans operates across six European countries, with 69 properties on 27 campuses and more than 450 tenants. In the UK, we manage and develop locations in Cambridge, Oxford, London, Manchester, Stevenage and Glasgow.

Responsibilities

• Lead business development activity across the UK portfolio, with a strong focus on leasing development assets and driving occupier growth.
• Develop commercial relationships with occupiers, advisors and ecosystem partners across the science & innovation sector.
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of prospective tenants through networking, referrals, market insights and proactive outreach.
• Drive leasing discussions, sales execution and negotiations in collaboration with internal teams across leasing, legal, marketing and asset management.
• Represent Kadans at industry events, conferences and international networking opportunities.
• Lead and develop the UK Business Development team while working closely with European colleagues to strengthen commercial performance across the portfolio.
• Monitor KPIs, leasing activity and market developments, providing regular updates and insights to the Director of Asset Management UK.

What we are looking for

• Significant experience in business development, leasing or commercial relationship management.
• Direct exposure to life sciences, innovation or research-driven environments.
• A strong commercial mindset with the ability to work across a diverse and growing portfolio.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and leading complex commercial discussions.
• Strong negotiation, presentation and relationship-building skills.
• A track record of delivering commercial results and building long-term client relationships.
• A proactive approach, with genuine interest in contributing to the continued growth of Kadans and its UK portfolio.

About the team

This role sits within Kadans’ Asset Management division and works closely with Business Development & Leasing teams across Europe. Due to the continued growth of our portfolio, Kadans is further strengthening its commercial teams across Europe with several senior positions. You will report directly to the Director of Asset Management UK and work alongside experienced colleagues across leasing, marketing and asset management.

What can you expect?

• Competitive salary with performance-related bonus.
• A visible role within a growing UK organisation.
• The opportunity to work on leading science & innovation projects.
• Freedom, responsibility and room for initiative.
• An international and professional working environment.
• Training and development opportunities.
• A flexible working environment based on trust and ownership.

Would you like to contribute to the continued growth of leading science & innovation locations across the UK? We would like to hear from you. If you have any questions about the role or process, please contact Hilda Jorritsma (Recruiter at Kadans Science Partner) on +31 6 11471129/ h.jorritsma@kadans.com.

Recruitment agency notice

Kadans does not work with external recruitment agencies for these roles and manages the recruitment process directly. We do not accept unsolicited CVs or candidate details. Any such submissions will be treated as direct applications and no fee will be payable.