At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage and maximise the value of our property portfolio across the North of England.
- Company: Join Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub and bar operator with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, bonus schemes, and exclusive discounts on food and drinks.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for career growth and professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by optimising land use and driving strategic development initiatives.
- Qualifications: Experience in corporate real estate and strong negotiation skills are preferred.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
About Us
Stonegate Group is the UK’s largest operator of pubs, bars, and late-night venues, including Slug & Lettuce, Be At One, and Popworld, to name a few. We’re proud of our diverse portfolio and deeply committed to creating an inclusive culture that embraces individuality in all its forms—including neurodiversity. By fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued, and supported, we reflect the vibrant communities we serve and empower our people to thrive.
The Opportunity
The EDM takes responsibility for the professional development/disposal of the organisation’s land/property portfolio, within a specified geography covering the north of England. Key elements of the role include maximisation of asset value through development (e.g. obtaining planning consent) and future disposal of properties and/or excess land in the estate. You will deliver exceptional customer service and support to our Operations teams through this process.
The purpose of the role is to actively support the execution of the organisations strategy by identifying and extracting optimum returns from the company’s portfolio of assets and land. These proceeds can then be used to support the organisations significant investment/conversion programme in the core operational estate.
A key activity of the role is to facilitate the identification of alternate use opportunities – this may be a carve out of operational assets, land or proposed redevelopment of an entire asset. Examples might be a carve out of pub car parking followed by the achievement of planning consent for alternative uses such as residential or retail and then finally the delivery of a disposal at attractive values. Another example might be obtaining planning/disposal for an entire pub site if the proceeds value is at exceptional multiples vs existing income.
The Estate Development Manager will work alongside a number of internal disciplines, particularly the Operations Directors and also a network of external professional contacts, agents and solicitors.
The position is field based but will require an appropriate proportion of time in the Solihull offices liaising with other head office functions. The role will involve travelling throughout the geographic area of responsibility and will include ongoing liaison with field-based operations and property colleagues, third party suppliers and agencies.
Key Responsibilities
- Identification of high value asset/land disposals
- Maximisation of value through development and disposal activity.
- Implementation and execution of the organisation value adding strategy.
- This will involve the identification/management of alternate use opportunities – including obtaining planning consent and disposing at attractive values – this may be for land, entire assets or upper floors.
- Proactive identification and realisation of the annual disposal proceeds target.
- Presentation of excellent individual development/disposal opportunities to the Estates Executive for approval.
- Participate in the asset planning process within the organisation, representing the strategic need for development/disposal proceeds in all decision making, to ensure that sub-optimal assets or gold bricks/excess land are sold at the appropriate time, mitigating the impact on net income.
- Optimise proceeds from disposal activities by challenging proposals, fees payable, suppliers and ensuring timing of transactions does not compromise value.
- To collaborate with Operations to effectively minimise the impact of disposal and development proposals on current income streams and Publicans.
- Establish relationships with external agencies, planning specialists, property professionals, JVs, developers and financial partners that can provide intelligence, optimise potential planning applications and timeframes for delivery, enabling us to deliver a ‘best in class’ service to the Group.
- Ensure optimum value and quality are obtained from all outsourced services and partners.
- Benchmark approach, practices service levels and outcomes against competitors and take appropriate action/innovate to deliver industry leading solutions and relationships.
- Provide insight and innovation to our services as we seek to continually improve and add value across the organisation.
- To undertake other Ad-hoc activities as the business requires – this may involve supporting the Estates Surveyor team should significant projects or workload come to light.
About You
- Ideally RICS qualified Chartered Surveyor or aspiring MRICS / Assoc.RICS but not essential
- Experience in Corporate Real Estate and the development/disposal of land/buildings, ideally licensed premises and/or retail.
- Strong and tenacious negotiator with flair for spotting opportunities and understanding property ‘angles’ and extracting maximum value from asset/land disposals.
- Experience in obtaining planning consent and disposing of alternate use opportunities.
- Well organised and able to maintain relevant administration, reporting and planning systems to ensure that all responsibilities are discharged within agreed guidelines and company policies and procedures
- Demonstrates a passion, commitment and focus on delivering best value.
- Successful track record of achieving challenging targets
- Exceptional communications skills at all levels.
- Able to build relationships and leverage their own established property/internal network
What makes Stonegate a great place to work?
- 25 days of annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year
- Bonus Scheme
- Access to discounted Private Medical Insurance through Vitality
- Exclusive discounts on Dental Insurance
- Reward Card via the MiXR app, giving you and your friends 25% off food and drinks as well as VIP entry across our Managed Estate
- Life Assurance which gives access to Help @ Hand
- Access to your pay early via Stream
- The Stonegate Xtra portal with access to a wide range of high street discounts and offers
- Discounted access to David Lloyd membership
- Award winning Learning & Development programmes to drive your career
If you have a disability as outlined by the Equality Act 2010 and require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process, please let us know in advance so that any support, aids or adaptations can be put in place to assist you. You can contact us on hrsupport@stonegategroup.co.uk.
Estates Development Manager (North) employer: Stonegate Group
Stonegate Group is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that values diversity and inclusivity. With a commitment to employee growth through award-winning learning and development programmes, as well as competitive benefits like generous annual leave and exclusive discounts, the Estates Development Manager role provides a unique opportunity to thrive in a dynamic environment while making a meaningful impact on the organisation's asset portfolio across the north of England.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Estates Development Manager (North)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! When you get the chance to meet potential employers or colleagues, be ready to discuss your past projects and successes. Bring along a portfolio or examples of your work to really make an impression.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies you’re interested in, like Stonegate Group, and express your enthusiasm for their work. A little initiative can go a long way!
✨Tip Number 4
Keep learning! The property and development sector is always evolving, so stay updated on trends and best practices. Consider taking online courses or attending workshops to boost your knowledge and make yourself even more attractive to employers.
We think you need these skills to ace Estates Development Manager (North)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Estates Development Manager role. Highlight your experience in corporate real estate and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how you can contribute to our team. Be sure to mention any specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to maximise asset value.
Showcase Your Negotiation Skills:As a key part of this role involves negotiation, make sure to highlight your experience in this area. Share examples of successful negotiations you've led, especially those that resulted in significant asset disposals or planning consents.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Stonegate Group
✨Know Your Portfolio
Before the interview, dive deep into Stonegate Group's property portfolio. Familiarise yourself with their venues and any recent developments or disposals. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your understanding of the business and how you can contribute to maximising asset value.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Prepare examples of past negotiations where you've successfully extracted maximum value from asset disposals. Be ready to discuss your approach and the strategies you used, as strong negotiation skills are crucial for the Estates Development Manager role.
✨Understand Planning Processes
Brush up on the planning consent process and any relevant legislation. Being able to discuss how you would navigate these processes to achieve alternative use opportunities will show that you're proactive and knowledgeable about the challenges in the role.
✨Build Relationships
Think about how you can establish and maintain relationships with external agencies and internal teams. Prepare to share your strategies for collaboration and communication, as this is key to delivering a 'best in class' service and achieving the organisation's goals.