Land Manager in Crawley

Some developers chase the obvious sites. Our client has spent three decades making a very good living from the ones everyone else walked past.

Redundant community buildings. Former commercial sites with contamination in the ground. Tight infill plots wedged between neighbours who all had opinions. The founder has a gift for seeing what a difficult brownfield site could become, and the patience to get it there. The result is a long run of well-designed apartment schemes across the South East, and a business with real financial strength behind it.

That strength matters. The business develops largely with its own money, backed by a credit facility from a long-standing funding partner. When it agrees a deal, it completes.

It’s also a business people don’t leave. Many of the team have been there for well over a decade, and the founder is proud of that. He believes in treating people fairly, rewarding them properly and keeping the ship steady.

Now he’s ready for the next chapter. The business is launching a greenfield focused arm delivering low rise housing schemes of up to 80 units. He knows brownfield inside out. What he needs is someone who knows greenfield land, has the contacts to prove it, and wants to build something rather than feed a land committee.

The Role

This is the first hire into the new division, and you’ll report directly to the founder. No regional board, no group investment committee, no six-week wait for an answer. Bring him a good site and you’ll get a straight decision quickly.

Your brief is to source, appraise, negotiate and secure three to four greenfield sites a year across Surrey, Sussex, Kent and the outer edges of south and south-west London. It’s a realistic target, set by someone who understands what good land buying actually involves.

You won’t be on your own. A long-serving in-house Technical Manager will work alongside you on site appraisals and planning strategy. You’ll also have the freedom to appoint consultants you already trust and to work your own contacts book in the way that suits you.

As the greenfield division grows, so does the role. There’s a clear route to Land Director as the venture scales, and the founder is genuinely keen to grow someone into it.

What you’ll be doing

• Sourcing greenfield opportunities of up to 80 units across Surrey, Sussex, Kent and the south and south-west London fringe.
• Building and maintaining relationships with land agents, landowners, promoters and planning consultants across the region.
• Approaching landowners directly, from farming families and estates to institutional owners, and earning their trust.
• Tracking Local Plan reviews, site allocations, calls for sites and five-year housing land supply positions to spot opportunities early.
• Assessing the potential of Green Belt edge sites under the latest NPPF, including grey belt release and the revised approach to housing need.
• Preparing residual land appraisals that properly account for affordable housing, S106, CIL, Biodiversity Net Gain, highways works and abnormals.
• Structuring the right deal for each site, whether an unconditional purchase, conditional contract subject to planning, option agreement or promotion agreement.
• Negotiating Heads of Terms, overage, minimum land price provisions and planning longstop dates, then working with solicitors through to exchange and completion.
• Commissioning early due diligence on ecology, drainage, utilities, ground conditions and access, including water neutrality constraints where they apply in parts of Sussex.
• Working closely with the Technical Manager and your chosen consultants to shape a credible planning strategy for each site.
• Reporting directly to the founder on pipeline, deal progress and acquisitions.
• Helping shape the strategy for the new division, and in time building a land team around you.
• What we’re looking for
• A proven track record of acquiring greenfield sites, ideally gained at a national or large regional housebuilder.
• An active network of land agents and landowners across Surrey, Sussex, Kent or the wider South East.
• Confidence with residual appraisals and a firm grasp of development viability.
• Experience negotiating options, promotion agreements and conditional contracts.
• A good working knowledge of the planning system, the NPPF, S106, CIL and Biodiversity Net Gain.
• Commercial sharpness balanced with integrity, as landowners need to trust you as much as the business does.
• The self-motivation to run your own diary and pipeline, and the judgement to know when to bring the founder in.
• MRICS, MRTPI or a relevant degree is welcome, but your deal record matters more.
• A full UK driving licence and a willingness to spend real time out in the region.

What’s on offer

• Basic salary of £60,000-90,000, depending on experience.
• A bonus for every site you secure.
• An annual profit share bonus.
• A clear route to Land Director as the greenfield division grows.
• Direct reporting to a founder who makes decisions quickly and backs his people.
• Support from an experienced in-house Technical Manager, plus the freedom to appoint your own trusted consultants.
• A realistic acquisition target of three to four sites a year.
• Flexible hybrid working, with a minimum of two days a week in the office.
• A stable, well-funded business where people are treated fairly, respected and stay for the long term.

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