Development and Investments Director

With the current Director of Economic Growth and Investment due to retire, the Chief Executive is appointing his successor into a new role as Director of Development and Investments. This represents an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate who will develop, implement, and lead an investment and business development strategy that supports the strategic objectives of Advance Northumberland and Northumberland County Council.

Please note that a full pack of comprehensive information on the role and the organisation and its business plan will be provided upon confirmation of interest – please see below for recommendations for application.

The Company
Advance Northumberland is a commercial developer and the primary regeneration vehicle for Northumberland County Council. Run as a separate organisation to the Council, yet owned by the council, its purpose as a commercial outfit is to drive investment in and the development and regeneration of Northumberland, and also therefore to promote the opportunities for economic growth and prosperity in the County.

The organisation operates through its four key business sectors namely Housing, Commercial Property and Investments, Homes (Construction) and Project Management. In addition, it is supported by a central business team which oversees a range of finance, people, marketing, information systems and programme management functions to ensure effective governance, planning and oversight of performance.

The Role
The Development and Investment Director role is a key appointment as it comes with overarching responsibility for developing the strategic plan for investment and business development and the commercial and retail property portfolio, as well as working alongside colleagues at the Council to attract and secure inward investment targets leading to the creation, growth and safeguarding of jobs and businesses in Northumberland.

The role reports directly to the Chief Executive, forms part of the Executive Leadership Team and is a senior leadership role, leading and managing the Investment and Commercial Property teams. Additionally, it is both ambassadorial and commercial and therefore the appointed candidate will need to be highly visible both internally and fully externally, building strategic partnerships with the company’s shareholder, internal and external customers, professional bodies, contractors, and the community.

In order to ensure that Advance Northumberland continues, together with Northumberland County Council, to be positioned to maximise economic growth and investment opportunities in the wider economy, the Developments and Investment Director will also collaborate with colleagues across the whole Advance Northumberland group to deliver investment and infrastructure projects that contribute to the optimum level of return for the organisation.

Experience Required
Ideally qualified to relevant degree level in Estate Management and/or a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), candidates will need to possess an entrepreneurial mind set together with significant experience in a senior business leadership role, including strong budgetary and financial management skills.  This role requires an excellent communicator and negotiator, and someone who is proven in seeing projects through to completion. Critical to the role are the following requirements:

• Proven commercial property management skills including a comprehensive knowledge of relevant legislation;
• Detailed knowledge of local authority property legislation, governance, and the role of arms-length local authority companies in inward investment and regeneration;
• Experience of working with the public sector, if not directly within it, and ideally experience of working with a combination of both the private and public sectors;
• Strong influencing skills;
• Commercial drive;
• A full understanding of the processes involved in bidding for funding from government and other funding bodies;
• Presence and credibility with professional peers and other agencies and partners;
• Experience of developing significant compelling business cases;
• Extensive networks within central and local Government, NECA, investors, landowners, external influencers, and decision makers.

Remuneration
£80,000 to £95,000 per annum in addition to an attractive employee benefits package.

Recommendations for Application
Anyone with a serious interest in applying for this role is encouraged to ring Victoria Storer, Hawthorn Blue, in the first instance for an initial informal discussion about the role and the application process. Alternatively, email or simply apply online. 

Please note that Hawthorn Blue is the specialist subsidiary of Corepeople Recruitment Ltd for the recruitment of executive appointments.

This is a permanent position and Corepeople Recruitment Limited will be acting as an employment agency for permanent recruitment on behalf of our client.

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