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Strategic Land and Planning Director

Employer
Southern Housing
Location
Croydon (London Borough), London (Greater)
Salary
Competitive salary
Closing date
29 Sep 2019

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Job Details

We’re one of the largest housing providers in the UK, our 44,000 homes give 90,000 people in London, the South East and the Midlands, somewhere affordable to call their own.

Job Title: Strategic Land and Planning Director

Type of Contract: Permanent

Hours: 36 hours week, full time

Starting Salary: Competitive salary

Job Profile:

To contribute towards growing a sustainable development programme of at least 1,500 homes year on year.  This role will be responsible for sourcing land options, off market strategic land, and other forms of deferred payment land acquisitions to create a forward bank of opportunities for bringing forward 3 to10 years ahead, and to promote the deals through the planning process. 

Initially to work in matrix with current departmental staff, but build specialist roles as required as the strategic land programme grows.

To be responsible for sourcing strategic land that can be brought forward to develop in the medium term (3 to 10 years).  The role is based in our head office in Croydon but has a remit covering our whole geographic operational areas.  London, the wider Southeast, and West Midlands.

Knowledge/Experience

  • A demonstrable and successful track record of securing options and promoting sites from initial identification through to ultimate delivery.
  • Director level experience of strategic and unconditional land across a range of building and tenure types.
  • Demonstrable track record of securing ‘off market’ opportunities, either planning led or through network.
  • Comprehensive understanding of the planning process, including taking strategic land through the planning process, and links to infrastructure requirements.
  • Comprehensive understanding of the financial elements of development projects and their impact on scheme viability and valuations. Includes full understanding of how returns are calculated, as well as using development appraisal software.
  • An understanding of wider economic and policy issues affecting the housing market.
  • Comprehensive understanding of contract structures for strategic land.
  • Understanding of other legal aspects of land and planning.
  • Knowledge of land markets, and what it takes to be competitive in them.
  • Thorough understanding of and ability to identify and manage risks, ensuring responsibility for risks rests with appropriate party.
  • Understanding of impact of tax on scheme viabilities and experience of tax efficient procurement routes.
  • A professional planning qualification or closely related field.

 

Abilities/ Skills

  • Excellent financial and numerical skills.
  • Site appraisal skills including the ability to maximise value.
  • Strong commercial awareness but with a commitment to long term value creation and place making, not just short term returns.
  • Excellent communication skills (written, oral) across a wide range of audiences with the ability to present complex information in a user-friendly way.
  • Excellent customer service skills.
  • Strong organisational skills.
  • A ‘can–do’ attitude.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to form long lasting productive relationships with vendors, developers, consultants, valuers, local authorities and other key partners.
  • Proven experience of working across all regions of a matrix / large operation.
  • Experience of producing, analysing and interpreting KPIs and management Information.
  • Proven experience of writing, and producing clear concise high quality Executive and Board reports.
  • Experience of effectively managing, motivating and inspiring staff, focusing them on successful outcomes.
  • Proven experience of sourcing and analysing complex and detailed numerical and financial information, including producing development viability reports.
  • Proven experience of optimising maximum value of and returns on schemes.
  • Proven experience of horizon scanning and identifying opportunities to create value through land assembly, longer term deals, acquiring sites without planning, innovative solutions.
  • Proven experience of building and maintaining strategic relationships.
  • Ability to promote and position Optivo to be the partner of choice.
  • Ability to understand when to proceed solely as Optivo, and when to partner with others and why.
  • Excellent negotiating skills, with a track record of doing good deals.

Relationships

  • Land and property owners
  • Planners
  • Local Authorities and County Councils
  • Homes England and GLA
  • Valuers and other consultants
  • Internal colleagues including finance, housing management, asset management, sales, new business, and construction teams

Optivo benefits

  • Pension- We offer up to 10% of basic salary as a company contribution to your pension. You can contribute from 3% to 5% and Optivo will double your contribution.
  • Annual Leave Holidays- start with 27 days plus your bank holidays. Your allowance goes up to 30 days with long service and we give everyone a day off for their birthday, which you can you use anytime in your birthday month. We also offer the opportunity to buy extra annual leave and sell what you might not use up.
  • Life Assurance - Peace of mind for your loved ones, should the worst happen. Our scheme will pay three times your annual base salary to your nominated beneficiary.
  • Employee Assistance Programme - Our team have access to a free confidential counselling service, offering support and advice on stress and anxiety, debt, lifestyle and relationships.
  • Healthcare - Cash Plan Claim back on the costs of healthcare including the opticians, dentist and more via Simply Health.
  • Discounts- Get discounts at your favourite retailers through Perkz including a variety of outlets, activities and more.
  • Cycle to Work- Optivo provides access to approved cycle to work scheme, allowing employees the opportunity to buy a bike and accessories and saving tax contributions.
  • Season Ticket Loans- We provide interest free loans to purchase a season ticket or car parking pass for your commute allowing you to make savings.
  • Long Service Awards- We like to recognise, celebrate and thank employees for their long service.

If you this sounds like you, we look forward to receiving your application! 

Equal Opportunities

At Optivo our aim is to have a diverse and inclusive workforce where people are respected for who they are. We embrace and celebrate cultural diversity in the workplace and value the strengths it brings us as an organisation. We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect irrespective of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We treat everyone we house, serve, employ and work with fairly and expect and encourage others to do the same.

Company

About us

At Southern Housing, our residents are at the heart of everything we do. As one of the largest housing providers in the UK with over 77,000 homes across London, the Southeast, the Isle of Wight, and the Midlands, we give over 167,000 people somewhere affordable to call their own! We also understand the difference that safe, secure, and affordable homes can make to people’s lives.

A career at Southern Housing will allow you to make a difference every day you come to work. Working in the housing sector with us will bring fresh challenges and give you the opportunity to grow and develop, too.

What’s in it for you?

  • Pension
  • Life assurance
  • Healthcare cash plan
  • Eyecare & dental
  • Birthday leave
  • Retailers discounts
  • Cycle to work
  • Buy & sell annual leave
  • Season ticket loan
  • In-house academy & career development
  • Flexible working

Inclusion and Diversity
We work hard to create a diverse and inclusive culture and environment where people are respected for who they are. Encouraging inclusion is not just about protected characteristics, it’s about celebrating differences of thought, opinion, experience and perspective of each individual. We’re all different in our own way and we want our colleagues to feel comfortable, that they belong, and are safe to be themselves at work, without fear of being judged or excluded, but valued for their contribution to our One Team approach.

 

 

 

Company info
Website
Mini-site
Southern Housing
Telephone
0800 121 60 60
Location
Grosvenor House 125 High St
London
Surrey
CR0 9XP
United Kingdom

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