Role Overview
Whilst the job description is for a Development Surveyor, you do not necessarily have to currently perform that role to be suitable. The National Strategic Development team provides responsible and specialist advice to both private and institutional landowners with strategic development land portfolios. Our clients generally have long term investment horizons and the team's objective is to maximise the value of their assets by promoting them through the planning process; taking them from greenfield, agricultural land to residential led mixed use development sites, whilst minimising risk and maximising opportunity. The role comprises three main service lines: Development Consultancy, Development/Promotion Management and Agency. The role would suit an individual with a background in consultancy, whether in development or other sectors such as Planning, Rural or Valuation.
Key Responsibilities
- Land Assembly - advise clients and engage with other landowners to enable development.
- Viability – deliver financially viable planning permissions and make recommendations on how to further maximise the value of a consent.
- Market Research – provide advice on local markets through the analysis of data and by liaising with our network of rural, residential, commercial and research teams.
- Financial Advice – capital budgeting / investment analysis, viability assessments, residual / development appraisals and sensitivity analysis.
- Co-ordination - assemble project teams comprising planning consultants, architects, engineers, master planners and others. Liaise with local planning authorities, consultants, solicitors and other stakeholders throughout the development process.
- Financial Management – undertake financial analysis and monitor financial objectives throughout the development life cycle.
- Disposal Strategy – produce exit strategy including negotiating; joint venture partnerships, option or promotion agreements, building licences, conditional contracts and other disposal options.
- Contacts - develop relationships with an extensive network of national housebuilders and developers.
- Marketing - manage sales programme, prepare marketing material and liaise with target buyers.
- Negotiation – advise on tender process and recommend preferred bidder, advise through contract and legal stage and recommend or analyse overage agreements.
- Acquisitions – advising on all aspects of potential acquisitions, including site assessments, IRR appraisals and price negotiations.
Key Skills
- MRICS qualified with 2 – 4 years' experience. MRTPI qualified candidates will be considered.An understanding of planning policy and the planning process.
- Experience in providing consultancy verbal advice to clients.
- Experience in writing reports on projects.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent numerical skills.
- Strong proficiency in using financial software and cash flows, particularly with MS Excel.
- Proactive approach to sourcing and winning new business particularly through liaising with Savills colleagues but also through expanding their existing network.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- An understanding of rural affairs such as farm tenancies, taxation, estate planning and landowner legacy is desirable but not essential.
Team Overview
The National Strategic Development team is currently made up four people - a Director, an AD, an Associate and a team PA. We sit in Margaret Street but have a national role advising landowners on all aspects of strategic land delivery, right from acquisition all the way through to disposal. We are a small, tight knit team with a flat hierarchy who share responsibilities and jobs and get on well together. We have a huge number of projects on the go at any one time which gives great variety of work and takes us all over the country. We are generally in the office 3-4 days a week, with the remaining days either working from home or out in regional offices or in meetings.
Find out more about Savills offer
Recruitment agencies
Savills only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and that agency has been previously contacted and directed by a member of our recruitment team. We do not pay agency fees when speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to Savills or any of our employees other than via our careers website and through our recruitment process. If this is not adhered to, agency fees will not be paid.
Submission of any unsolicited CVs or proposals to Savills will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this approach.