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Senior Development Manager
We have several senior development manager roles available to support the delivery of our growing project pipeline.
Senior Development Manager role with responsibility across one or several development projects.
Projects at various stages, including early masterplan, pre-planning design development, and construction procurement and delivery.
Opportunity to join an established but small and growing company, reporting directly into a Development Director and Co-founders.
Full time, hybrid working, based in London at least 3 days in London or on site; however, we would be open to discussing alternative working arrangements.
Salary range of £80,000-110,000 pa FTE, subject to level of experience. Competitive range of benefits.
We also welcome applications from Development Managers who can demonstrate that they can deliver projects but may not currently hold a ‘Senior’ role in their organisation.
Other Benefits:
Private BUPA health insurance
3% employer pension contribution
Professional membership fees covered (where relevant, e.g. RICS, RTPI, RIBA, ACA)
Discretionary bonus scheme
“Friday My Day” – time and flexibility on Fridays for self-directed work or personal priorities
Enhanced parental leave policy
Application process: Please complete our online application form to apply for the role.
The role is available immediately, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We therefore encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready. Subject to the level of interest, we expect the application window to close in March 2026.
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About Stories
Stories is a purpose-led property development company, and a certified B Corp. We partner with long-term landowners and investors as principal developer, development manager and strategic advisor on projects that have a greater purpose than just financial returns.
We are at an exciting point in our growth. We have recently secured a number of new projects ranging from a central London living-led scheme, to town centre regeneration in Southampton. We will soon be on-site at our 50% affordable, build to rent housing at Mill Hill Broadway, and the first phase of a once-in-a-generation redevelopment of Mansfield College in Oxford.
We are continuing to grow our development team to ensure we effectively deliver our existing projects and are set up to deliver future projects.
Coming from different property backgrounds, we set up Stories so we could use our development skills to create positive outcomes for people. We’re currently a team of 14 and we have a rotating Advisory Board comprising some of our industry’s most experienced individuals.
What matters most to us is finding somebody that really cares about people, knows that property development can be a positive force for change and can bring a fresh perspective to what we are trying to achieve.
Equality, Diversity and inclusion
In support of the ongoing success of Stories’ staff, the teams we work with, the industry we work within and the wider communities that we both develop and work with, Stories is committed and accountable for advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms.
Our ED&I policy can be read here.
Job Description
We have several Senior Development Manager roles available to support our existing and future projects.
Although all our development managers are expected to be able to work on a range of projects, there are currently two types of project roles available:
Resi-led mixed-use plot development: the delivery of major living-led schemes, currently in RIBA stages 2 and 3, in partnership with long term landowners.
Masterplan and regeneration: Stories is Development Manager to a public-private partnership that will deliver a mixed-use regeneration on a strategically located city centre site. This role will include managing the partnership, developing the masterplan, delivering an interim use strategy and early phase plot delivery.
More information on the specific project roles will be provided during the interview process.
Wider responsibilities
As a small, dynamic organisation, you can expect your role to change as project or business needs change, and you may be required to quickly take on more responsibility. This responsibility may be across a new project or supporting colleagues during particularly intense periods.
You will report into a dedicated Development Director and will work closely with the Co-founders who will give you the support needed to allow you to take the lead role on your project. You will also work closely with other members of the team already engaged on the project.
If you can see the opportunity to make positive change in people’s lives through property development, we want to hear from you.
Candidates will need to be able to demonstrate that they have experience working on development projects of similar type, scale and complexity to Stories’ existing projects (see our website for more information) and relevant to the specific roles currently available.
Ideally candidates will be able to show that they have experience of both the planning and construction stages of a project, but we are open to candidates whose experience falls in only one of these areas.
We are not expecting you to have any specific qualifications, but we are looking for someone who has experience and competency in the development process, specifically:
Experience working on development projects and managing project teams through the feasibility, site assembly, planning, development or delivery stages.
A strong understanding of the fundamentals of property investment and development and of the planning and development process.
Excellent project management skills, internally and externally.
Competent financial modelling skills. You will be accountable for the project’s financial model and retain responsibility for day to day modelling and ownership of assumptions, working with finance colleagues on more technical matters.
Excellent communication and presentational skills.
A commercial approach, with a good handle on costs and values.
The general day-to-day and strategic skills needed for a successful development process.
You will also need to bring an open mind to help us do projects differently, support the wider team and help us build this business. Perhaps through curiosity, sometimes through necessity, you will find yourself expanding your experience substantially.
Some attributes that we think are important:
An engaging person – kind, thoughtful, hard-working, strong integrity and interested in the world and other people.
Problem solving aptitude – the ability to creatively problem solve in new situations, big or small, ask good questions and manage a solution through.
Strategic thinking – absorbing large amounts of information, working out what matters, and formulating (or helping to formulate) a plan to move things forward.
A self-starter – somebody who takes the initiative, sets and communicates a plan or takes an idea and runs with it. These individuals tend to thrive in less structured environments.
Equally comfortable with big visions and detailed numbers – competence in both and a willingness to do it yourself.
Good at communicating – experience of successfully conveying information to a diverse audience, both in writing and in person.
A good collaborator – as well as working individually, possessing a good team work ethic is important internally and externally.
Curiosity – whether about the world, their job, or someone else’s; we find curious people make excellent members of the team at Stories.
Responsibilities
This will never be an exhaustive list. We are a small but growing business. Sometimes we are pitching to major institutions, sometimes we’re having important funding meetings, sometimes we’re making the tea. To an extent, you will carve out your own particular role and help us to grow the company together. We hope you find this an exciting prospect.
Project execution:
Responsible for preparing and then managing projects against a business plan and programme.
Production of project development briefs, objectives, roles & responsibilities, programme and deliverables.
Lead planning applications through the planning process (submission, consultation, S106 Agreement) to secure consent within budget and programme.
Lead the main contractor procurement process and, working with lawyers, manage the appointment of main contractors and design team.
Lead the management of the main contractor, working with the Development Director, to ensure the construction period progresses effectively, on budget and programme and continues to deliver against the objectives of Stories and the project stakeholders.
Lead the negotiation of project related contracts to ensure compliance with development brief.
Financial management of live projects, including maintaining clear and accurate Excel models, including cashflows.
Produce and update project development appraisals in Excel.
Model and test development scenarios.
Lead the team:
Appoint and manage project professional teams in a way which engenders a positive, trusting and engaged environment.
Lead project teams through the feasibility, site assembly, planning, development, delivery and hand over process.
Stakeholder engagement:
Managing relationships and working collaboratively with our joint venture partners and other stakeholders.
Leading the community engagement process with support of third-party consultants.
Liaising with relevant parties in relation to negotiation of land and neighbourly matters.
Produce project reporting throughout for various internal and external stakeholders.
Specific responsibilities – Masterplan and Regen projects
Working alongside the Stories co-founders, you will:
Establish governance and managing public-private partnerships on behalf of the joint venture partners; providing leadership, creativity and drive to establish and maintain momentum.
Develop a strong vision and business plan for the site.
Lead on the development and implementation of an interim use strategy.
Managing the procurement and appointment of partners and the development of a site masterplan.
Application Process
To apply, please complete the online application form.
The role is available now, and we review applications on receipt. Subject to levels of interest, we anticipate the application window will close in March.
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