Senior Development Manager

My client a leading Real Estate Developer in the UAE has an urgent requirement for a Senior Development Manager to join there Abu Dhabi office,

The Senior Development Manager will lead and manage end-to-end development activities for assigned projects, ensuring alignment with the company's strategic goals and profitability targets. This role demands close coordination with internal departments and external stakeholders to ensure seamless project delivery from concept through to handover, while maintaining adherence to design guidelines, commercial viability, and market relevance.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Development & Planning

• Contribute to country-level development strategy to drive targeted financial returns.
• Provide market-relevant insights to influence product mix and project pipeline.
• Ensure alignment of product-specific plans with the overall masterplan and development objectives.

Project & Design Management

• Lead product design management in accordance with company standards, identity, and budgetary constraints.
• Drive the appointment of consultants and contractors with appropriate scopes and contracts.
• Monitor project execution to ensure alignment with design vision, cost, time, and quality standards.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Facilitate strong collaboration across departments (Projects, Sales, Marketing, CRM, etc.) to ensure timely execution.
• Support due diligence and feasibility analysis with development-specific insights.
• Coordinate sales centre setup, marketing rollouts, and customer journey planning to optimize commercial outcomes.

Financial & Commercial Oversight

• Monitor development costs and budgets to maximize financial returns and maintain project profitability.
• Prepare and present development updates and reports to senior leadership.
• Ensure proper risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and commercial structuring are in place.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage relationships with consultants, contractors, JV partners, authorities, and other external stakeholders.
• Interface with internal departments to ensure project milestones are met and processes adhered to.
  

Qualifications & Experience:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, or Real Estate Development (required)
• MBA or Master's in Real Estate, Finance, or Economics (preferred)

Experience:

• 10+ years in real estate development, with at least 6 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Experience in delivering large-scale, commercially viable real estate projects in dynamic markets.
  

Key Skills & Attributes:

• Deep understanding of property market dynamics and financial modelling.
• Strong project and design management capabilities.
• Commercial acumen with a focus on profitability and value creation.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
  

Performance Metrics (KPIs):

• Achievement of Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for products
• Percentage of project milestones delivered on time
• Net profit and budget adherence for assigned products
• Cost variance vs. planned construction expenditure
• Unanticipated design change cost impacts