Development Manager (Finance)

Application Reference Number: 0203
Function: Land & Planning
Location: Colmore Row, Birmingham
Position Type: Permanent
Application End Date: 05/02/2021

Responsibilities and Accountabilities: 

• Monitor and consider both financial and non-financial risks on prospective sites. Keep FD advised of all project financial and risk matters in a timely manner.
• Proactively contribute to land, planning and project teams to aid the strategic development of sites.
• Develop a close connection with technical, commercial and sales teams to assist cost planning/estimating, attend land and planning meetings and other detailed meetings, providing analytical support, help challenge assumptions and stack forecasting decisions for the betterment of the project, balancing with likelihood of success at acquisition or planning.
• Work across all departments to build a strong network and understanding, business partnering to provide financial analysis and commercial acumen.
• Facilitate clear communication between Directors of Finance, Land and Development.
• Constantly monitor the prospective project stack from a commercial perspective, proposing options to minimise costs and maximise revenue and ROCE wherever possible.
• Maintain system for allocated projects, with regards to:

1. Forecast Build APC dates for each phase
2. Manage Land stack model, Planning stack model
3. Prepare memos to communicate stack performance to wider group
4. Present stack to FD and set out key assumptions, risks and opportunities
5. Uploading updated stacks following a land & planning milestone
6. Cashflow forecasting in detail for land & planning stack models and fees budget
7. Understand S106 for projects and convert into a cashflow forecast

• Prepare cost reconciliations for land & planning expenditure on a monthly basis, update forecast and explain variances on a monthly basis.
• Affordable Viability: Co-ordination between Berkeley Partnerships and the Development / Land team.
• Undertake CIL forecasting and monitor CIL / s106 payments throughout projects.
• Reporting to Central Finance for Board Reports (land & planning stacks, land & planning timing trackers, land & planning strategies, preproduction cashflow forecasting).
• Assist in project management and programming of planning timelines and collateral delivery to wider business in line with the 10 year business plan.
• Providing information to Central Finance via the monthly System Review process.
• Co-ordinate and complete ad-hoc Divisional and Group requests.
• Delivery of commercial property projects and affordable housing deals, e.g. coordination of letting of commercial space, input into development agreement, lease and sales agreement drafting.
• Ensure land & planning consultants and service providers correctly appointed in line with correct approvals process and challenging best value.
• Provide accurate analysis of development/optimisation options and provide commercial recommendations.
• Be responsible for the preparation of the black book, pre-planning and post-planning stacks and any stack memos.
• Monitor the build programme, working closely with the project planner and Finance Director to provide analysis in support of budgeting and business planning.
• Review comparable sales and provide feedback on pricing and mix where appropriate.
• Ensure the project is compliant with standard business processes and fulfils the obligations and requests of the Group and Division Internal Audit teams.
• Prepare SDLT returns for new acquisitions and consider tax planning impacts of deal structures.
• Preparation and maintenance of planning divergence tracker.
• Facilitate clear handover of projects financial information between different departments as they move through acquisition and planning lifecycle into operational teams.

Technical Competencies:

• Experience in similar role desirable.
• Basic IT skills required.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.

Person Specification:

• Proactive, self-driven with a positive outlook.
• Keen to deliver quality product.
• Problem solver.
• Keen to improve the project efficiency and performance.
• Keen to learn and develop.
• Flexible and reliable.
• Credible, and comfortable in dealing with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Tolerant, and determined.
• Team player.

Please note our standard working hours are 8am until 5:30pm Monday to Friday.

Our Culture & Values

Here at the Berkeley Group we proactively appoint trusted suppliers when we require support from Recruitment Companies. The Berkeley Group does not accept unsolicited CVs from recruiters or employment agencies without consent.