Land-Led Sales Director in London

This is a strategic, full-cycle commercial leadership role. You will be accountable not only for sales and marketing but also for shaping land investment decisions as a core member of the team. You will engage from the earliest stage of site acquisition, working alongside land, finance, design and construction colleagues to assess site value, define product strategy, optimise schemes and ultimately lead sales and marketing execution to deliver profit across the full project lifecycle. We are looking for a candidate with a genuine developer mindset – not purely a marketing mindset – who is comfortable combining strategic leadership with hands-on delivery in a fast-growing organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Land Acquisition (c. 40%)
  • Lead the marketing input into site feasibility assessments, evaluating potential sites from a sales and demand perspective.
  • Work jointly with land and finance teams to inform financial appraisals, providing professional judgement on site value, IRR and risk-adjusted returns.
  • Present clear recommendations to Board or Investment Committee: proceed, proceed subject to conditions, or decline.
  • Define target customer profiles, unit mix, product positioning, expected pricing and sales absorption rates at the pre-acquisition stage.
  • Undertake competitor analysis, supply/demand assessment and pricing trend forecasts to support land bidding strategy.
  • For JV, regeneration and local authority schemes, engage early-stage negotiations to ensure sales viability.
• Pre-Construction & Pre-Sales (c. 30%)
  • Refine product design, internal layouts, specification and amenity provision in collaboration with design and construction teams to enhance value.
  • Develop detailed pricing models, price positioning, escalation strategy and phased launch plans.
  • Lead all pre-sales marketing activities including brand positioning, marketing suite, show homes, CGI, collateral and website.
  • Drive implementation of CRM, customer data platform and website infrastructure ahead of launch.
  • Work with legal teams to complete leasehold/freehold documentation, sales contracts and management company structures.
  • Recruit, train and embed on-site sales teams and marketing staff, establishing clear sales processes and standards.
• Sales & Marketing Delivery (c. 30%)
  • Manage the full customer journey from lead generation through to legal completion, achieving target sales rates and pricing.
  • Deliver integrated online and offline marketing campaigns, including international strategies where applicable (e.g., Chinese and Middle Eastern buyers).
  • Manage external agents, brokers, finance partners and creative/PR/media suppliers.
  • Lead, motivate and performance-manage on-site sales teams and central marketing teams.
  • Establish customer segmentation and service protocols, using feedback to improve future projects.
  • Ensure compliance with consumer protection and property legislation.
  • Where required, act as director of the management company and approve service charge budgets.

Person Specification

• Professional Qualifications
  • Essential: FCIM / FNAEA or equivalent chartered marketer status.
  • Highly desirable: RICS membership.
  • Degree in marketing, real estate, finance or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Experience
  • 10+ years of UK residential development experience, with at least 5 years involving pre-acquisition market assessment.
  • Verifiable track record of direct involvement in site feasibility, land value recommendations and Investment Committee decisions.
  • Full-cycle project experience from pre-acquisition to post-completion.
  • Experience of major developments, regeneration and joint venture projects.
• Skills & Competencies
  • Financial acumen: able to read, challenge and contribute to financial appraisals (IRR, NPV, ROI).
  • Decision-making: willing to recommend declining a site, supported by robust evidence.
  • Cross-functional leadership: able to work as an equal with land, design, construction and legal colleagues, not simply taking instructions.
  • Strategic and hands-on: equally comfortable producing board papers and visiting sites or meeting customers.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity: thrives in a fast-growing environment where processes are still evolving.
• Languages
  • Fluent English required.
  • Mandarin Chinese preferred (but not essential) for engagement with Chinese investors or channels.