Job Description

Watford Community Housing

Salary: 65,000 - 75,000 - 37 hours per week

The vacancy

37 hours per week (requests for part-time work considered)


As a Community Gateway housing association, our core purpose is to provide good-quality homes in partnership with our residents and key stakeholders, focusing on making a real difference to our communities by prioritising services for people on lower incomes.





We are looking for a delivery focused Senior Development Manager (SDM) to help facilitate the successful delivery of circa 750 quality homes by 2030.

What's the role?

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Development and Sales, the SDM will facilitate the successful delivery of developments from RIBA stages 3 - 7, leading a team to delivery high quality homes that are safe and represent value for money. In addition, your expertise will also help shape the early stages of projects, during RIBA stages 1 and 2.


You will work collaboratively with internal clients and other key stakeholders to develop sustainable partnerships that deliver the Watford Community Housing business priorities.





In this role you will need to:

Demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion. Ensure that health and safety are promoted, and risk assessments completed across all projects, adhering to appropriate best practice, regulations and statute. Contribute to a strong team ethic, working collaboratively with New Business colleagues from the inception new developments, working closely with all colleagues and line managing a team whilst actively encouraging professional development. Collaborate with the operational and sales teams throughout the construction and handover phases to facilitate meeting and exceeding agreed targets. Lead and give direction on the design, legal and technical due diligence, programme and viability of development schemes, leading into the procurement phase, through to practical completion and throughout the defects liability period. Prepare delivery assurance monitoring and gateway decision reports and ensure schemes are managed in accordance with governance requirements. Commission, coordinate and evaluate technical and legal due diligence for all developments. Ensure the delivery of high quality and financially viable development is aligned with the company's priorities, funders and regulatory requirements and client design and technical requirements. Effectively manage internal and external project teams, controlling commercial, financial and quality aspects of schemes. Resolve complex challenges independently and in a proactive manner. Manage the scheme appraisal and budget for multi-million-pound contracts, providing a minimum of monthly updates on forecasted spend, risks and opportunities. Ensure company programme and project management and governance arrangements are complied with. Work with the contractor and project team to resolve complex issues and proactively anticipate and mitigate problems. Proactively identify and remediate risks and issues, conduct lessons learnt exercises, escalating matters as necessary. Ensure consultations with key stakeholders are planned and carried out where needed in line with agreed processes, including Member briefings, internal stakeholders and the community. Ensure communication is regularly provided to the community on scheme updates. Ensure appropriate records are kept for the purpose of internal, funder and regulatory audits and information for grant funding applications is provided in good time. Keep abreast of regulatory, policy changes and best practice particularly to assist with the future needs for new homes. Respond to complaints and enquiries, in line with the approved process and timescales required.

What are we looking for?

Your Experience:


Project management of contractors and consultant design teams throughout the RIBA 3-7 design Stage(s). Successful contract and performance management of both direct reports and third party multi-disciplinary teams, delivering development programmes and schemes; actively leading and motivating. Have a clear and efficient way of budget setting and the management of financial, programme and quality targets. Have an in depth and current knowledge of the development process, planning processes, building regulations, building safety and other relevant statutes and procedures. Have a working knowledge of Homes England grant funding requirements and an ability to work Local Authority Partners.


Your Skills and Knowledge:

Knowledge of the construction industry associated contract structures and construction terms. Thorough understanding of the various types of risk, methods of analysis and mitigations. Ability to present complex financial and non-financial information in clear and accessible ways to facilitate prompt and effective decision making. Highly articulate in written, presentation and interpersonal communication, with the ability to appreciate the diverse needs of different audiences. Knowledge and understanding of how to build and sustain high performing teams. Excellent engagement, influencing and negotiating skills to secure the buy-in of staff, suppliers, client and external stakeholders. Exceptional IT skills and the ability to organise, chair and record meetings effectively.


Your Personal Attributes

Contribute to Watford Community Housing's culture by reflecting our values in all that you do: Professional, Forward-thinking and Collaborative. Professionally resilient and experienced in managing complex and multiple priorities. Be solution focused. Committed to the promotion and delivery of diversity and inclusion, particularly as it relates to colleagues and customers. A champion of innovation and proactively encourages creativity, ideas, and new approaches.

What can we offer you?

We know that people are our most valuable assets, so we offer a range of benefits including 28 days' annual leave pro rata, an employer pension contribution of up to 11%, development opportunities and access to a comprehensive employee rewards scheme.

How we work

We are committed to embracing the most positive aspects of agile working. We take a blended approach to how we work, so that colleagues have the flexibility to strike the right balance between working in our communities, in our shared spaces and remotely. With digital technology at the heart of our work, teams and individuals are empowered to decide the best way to meet the needs of their role.

How to apply

If this sounds like your next role, click 'apply now', tell us why you've got what it takes and send us a copy of your current CV.



The closing date is Tuesday 26 August 2025, (but please note

we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a large response

).



Interviews will take place on Monday 1 September, Tuesday 2 September, Tuesday 9 September and Wednesday 10 September 2025.