Senior Project Manager - Housing & Community Development

About the role

Salt Recruitment is recruiting a Senior Project Manager to join a London local authority and lead the delivery of high-profile housing, regeneration and community infrastructure projects.

The portfolio includes a strategic placemaking and regeneration programme, a new community centre, a housing development providing approximately 100 new homes and community space, and other priority projects as required.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of multiple housing, regeneration and community infrastructure projects.
• Oversee the full project lifecycle, including design development, planning, procurement and construction.
• Manage capital budgets, funding arrangements, development viability models and commercial negotiations.
• Establish and maintain effective governance, reporting, assurance and change control processes.
• Prepare Cabinet reports, business cases and presentations for senior leadership, elected Members and external funders.
• Lead resident, community and Member engagement, ensuring projects reflect local priorities and community needs.
• Direct multidisciplinary teams and coordinate council departments, technical consultants, design teams and contractors.
• Ensure projects meet applicable building and fire safety requirements, sustainability standards, accessibility requirements and social value obligations.
• Identify and manage risks, issues and dependencies across interconnected projects.
• Provide leadership and programme support across additional priority schemes as required.

Essential skills and experience

• Significant senior-level experience delivering housing development, estate regeneration or community infrastructure projects within a local authority or similar public sector environment.
• A proven track record of managing complex capital projects from concept through design, planning, procurement and construction to completion.
• Experience delivering community buildings or public realm improvements.
• Strong understanding of internal governance, with experience establishing project governance frameworks and managing assurance, risk, change control and reporting.
• Experience writing Cabinet reports and presenting recommendations at senior leadership meetings.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including direct engagement with residents, tenant groups, community organisations and elected Members.
• Experience managing capital budgets, assessing development viability and supporting commercial negotiations.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and maintain progress across multiple concurrent, high-profile projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the preparation of business cases, reports and presentations.

Knowledge

• In-depth understanding of housing development, estate regeneration, community infrastructure delivery and capital programme management.
• Strong working knowledge of local authority housing strategies, funding routes, decant and rehousing processes, and affordability frameworks.
• Understanding of community facility design, operational planning and long-term asset sustainability.
• Detailed knowledge of planning, procurement, contract management and commercial structures for development projects.
• Knowledge of building safety legislation, sustainability standards and social value obligations.
• Understanding of inclusive community engagement, equalities duties and place-based working.

Personal qualities

• Resident-focused, with a commitment to delivering projects around community needs.
• Politically sensitive and able to build trust with elected Members and local partners.
• Collaborative and effective at working across departments and organisations.
• Proactive and solution-focused, with the ability to work independently and make sound decisions.
• Committed to inclusive design, sustainability and high-quality placemaking.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in regeneration, housing, planning, architecture, project management or a related discipline.
• Professional accreditation, such as RICS or CIOB, or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional and leadership development.

Interview process

Online interviews are targeted for 13 November 2026.

Candidates will be asked about their experience of internal governance and managing large-scale projects and programmes of work.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be UK citizens, currently reside in the UK and hold a British passport.
• Relocation support and visa sponsorship are not available.