Savills

Savills Status  

Director

Business Area  

Capital Markets

Location  

London

Role / Team Overview  

Role Overview

An opportunity exists for a Director level candidate to be brought alongside the two current directors to grow the National Development Consultancy (NDC) team in terms of revenue, profitability and headcount. Alongside servicing our clients’ needs in the residential and investment development sectors, the candidate will also focus on the career development of our colleagues as professional advisors.

The overall objective of the team is to enhance the value of our clients’ assets over the long-term investment horizon, taking them from green or brownfield under-utilised assets to completed residential-led mixed-use schemes whilst minimising risk and maximising opportunity.

The candidate will need to be an experienced development and planning surveyor with exceptional knowledge of the sectors, schemes client networks and emerging innovations.

Team Overview

National Development Consultancy (NDC) is a niche team of 6 advisors. We currently advise many blue chip, private equity and institutional clients across the private and public sectors on their development assets, many of which will be delivered to create income producing residential investments.

We are providing advice on c. 60,000 residential plots under management at any one time.

The team also works within and coordinates a virtual cross-Savills team on mergers and acquisitions in the residential development sector. More recently, these workstreams have been bolstered by the growth of our Corporate Finance team. In 2021-22, we led transactions worth c. £3bn.

The team sits within the Operational Capital Markets (OCM) business made up of 85 professionals. A fast paced and friendly team working with clients across the living sectors including Multifamily, Single-family, PBSA, Co-living, Senior Housing and Healthcare, and providing corporate finance and debt advisory services through our FCA regulated Savills Capital Advisors team. The Team also works closely with Savills Development Division; the market leading land, planning and new home specialists of 800 people across the country.
Savills culture is one of trust and respect, teamwork and collaboration. Our teams and clients benefit when we work together, listening to and learning from each other.  Above all, we value the motivation of our people. This is evidenced by our wellbeing offer, our capability to facilitate flexible working and our support to enjoy a healthy work life balance.

Key Responsibilities of the Role

The successful candidate will be part of a dynamic team advising a range of client types on:

•    Fully understanding our client’s needs, objectives, strategies and reporting lines, as well as answering their questions or providing them with outputs and tools to progress their investment or development strategies.
•    The planning, promotion, funding and deliverability of large-scale residential development schemes.
•    Strategic Development Management and Project Management activities across a range of different development projects.
•    Complex and structured sales of residential development assets, including simple land agency through to complex joint venturing / partnerships structuring.
•    Pre- and post-planning development advice, as well as advising landowners, institutions and corporates on increasing the value of land portfolios.
•    Facilitating the change of use of client’s portfolios where their historical performance is under threat – such as ageing shopping centres.
•    Corporate mergers and acquisitions in the residential development sector, including asset-level due diligence advice and project management on major sector-leading transactions.
•    Advisory work streams across the Operational Capital Markets sector, including Build to Rent, Key Worker Housing, Student and Healthcare.

As the sector and NDC team are growing at a rapid pace there are excellent opportunities for career progression across Savills (UK) Limited.

Key responsibilities will be:

Internal
•    Be an active and energetic team member of NDC.
•    Meeting with a range of clients on a regular basis.
•    Client care for existing clients.
•    Support the less experienced members of the team to develop as professionals and become active participants in the marketplace
•    Support multi-disciplinary and significant projects across OCM and Development Divisions across the UK. 
•    Contribute to the growth of the team by winning and leading on key and profitable instructions.

External:
•    Supporting our client’s objectives.
•    Advising on the most appropriate development or investment strategy for assets.
•    Managing strategic development schemes and consultant teams to secure planning permission and sell assets which achieve maximum value, either financially, socially and/or environmentally.
•    Pricing, valuing and modelling a range of development assets across the UK.
•    Handling the complex sale of residential development land assets.
•    Providing written, graphic or financial information as part of the consultancy service.
•    Carrying out comprehensive property, market and legal due diligence enquiries.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience 

•    MRICS qualified, with 7+years’ experience – preferably Planning and Development pathway. MRTPI candidates.
•    We will also consider self-taught innovators with experience that is equivalent to or greater than the professional pathways asset out above. Developers looking for a change will also be considered.
•    Knowledge of the residential development sector, particularly housebuilder activity as well as housing and planning policy.
•    Knowledge of ESG initiatives and solutions being deployed across the sector.
•    Experience in providing consultancy verbal advice to clients in the residential or development sector.
•    Experience in writing reports on projects in the residential or development sector.
•    Track record in advising on major residential schemes and leading project teams.
•    Proficient in valuation software and cash flows, specifically with MS Excel, Argus Investor and Developer
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•    Excellent and transferrable client relationships.
•    Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
•    Team player.
•    Strategic approach to problem solving.
•    A desire to progress and generate new business within the residential and development sectors.
•    Full clean driving licence.

Assessment applicants can expect during selection

•    I/2/3 stage interview
•    Presentation
•    Personality Profile
•    Leadership Profile
•    Skills Testing (eg excel, word)