Development Manager - Real Estate in Leicester

Organisation: Leicestershire County Council

Work Location: County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA

Salary: £72,024 - £81,300 per annum (pro rata for part-time), pay award pending

Working Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 31st August 2026

Interview Date(s): 11th September 2026

Are you an experienced property professional with the commercial judgement and strategic insight to lead complex, high-value development and land projects?

About the Role

At Leicestershire County Council, we manage a significant and diverse property portfolio, including commercial assets, strategic land and major development opportunities. We are looking for a Development Manager to lead and shape how these opportunities are brought forward, making best use of Council land and property, supporting growth, generating income and delivering long-term benefit for communities across Leicestershire.

This is a senior and influential role within Strategic Property Services. You will lead major property development and strategic land projects from early feasibility through to delivery, disposal or other agreed outcomes. You will work on high-profile schemes, including the Investing in Leicestershire Programme, the Lutterworth East Strategic Development Area and other major development sites. Your work will include shaping delivery strategies, developing business cases, managing commercial negotiations, coordinating specialist advice and ensuring projects are financially robust, well-governed and aligned with Council priorities.

You will bring people together to solve complex development challenges. This will include working closely with colleagues in property, planning, highways, legal, finance, procurement, environment and transport, as well as external advisers, developers, landowners, public sector partners and other stakeholders. Through your work, you will help deliver projects that support financial sustainability, infrastructure delivery, housing and employment growth, climate resilience, biodiversity, social value and lasting community benefit. This is an opportunity to play a key role in bringing forward development opportunities that shape places, support services and deliver lasting benefits for the people of Leicestershire.

About You

To apply for this post, you must be able to evidence in your application how you meet the following criteria:

• A relevant qualification and a chartered RICS member, with substantial senior-level experience of leading complex property development, regeneration, strategic land or infrastructure-related schemes, including major projects from feasibility and business case through to procurement, negotiation, delivery and/or disposal.
• Knowledge and experience of development delivery mechanisms such as land assembly, development agreements, option agreements, overage, equalisation, disposals, phased delivery, procurement routes, infrastructure delivery and partnership approaches.
• Excellent understanding of local government and the public sector environment, including governance, political sensitivity, best value, public sector finance, procurement rules, legal considerations, drivers for transformation, financial sustainability, economic growth, housing delivery, infrastructure, net zero, and social value.
• Proven ability to manage project budgets, risk registers, governance and performance reporting, and to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, senior officers, elected members, external advisers, developers, landowners, public sector partners and communities on complex, high-value or politically sensitive development schemes.
• Evidence of delivering a commercial culture through managing costs, generating income and/or capital receipts, developing commercial initiatives and delivery models, and of commissioning, procuring and managing external consultants, professional advisers, contractors and technical specialists to support the delivery of property development projects.
• Strong expertise in property development, strategic land, regeneration and commercial property, including appraisal, valuation, viability, market engagement, planning, highways, Section 106 matters, infrastructure delivery and the relationship between planning consent and development delivery.
• Excellent knowledge of procurement practices, property systems, project records and information management, including managing external advisers and securely handling commercially sensitive information.

In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and to delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability. We are a Disability Confident Employer.

Further information on vacancies in Strategic Property at Leicestershire County Council.

Interested in Flexible Working? We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.