Delivery Development Manager for an international real estate developer growing in the UK
The Challenge
HOH Capital Partners is an overseas investment arm of House of Hirandani, a leading real estate developer in India. Following increased investment into the UK and the acquisition of sites, HOH got in touch with Cobalt to search and select a Delivery Development Manager to join their close-knit UK team in London. As the business strategy had moved from investment-led to development-led, HoH needed a specialist recruiter to help them source a suitable candidate with experience working in a similar environment, delivering residential and commercial property.
As HOH were new to the UK development market, we consulted with them on their current schemes and the true requirements needed in the role. We were then able to advise on the background of different potential candidates, and what would be best suited for the client’s position in the development lifecycle.
The Solution
Due to their structure, we ascertained that they required a mid-level candidate that could grow with the business as they look to expand their team over the next 2 years. The best candidate would be one from a technical background of Quantity Surveying or Architectural design, that had moved into Project Management within a consultancy practice, before making a move ‘client-side’ with a small to medium-sized developer.
As part of our targeting efforts, we also made HOH aware of the potential pitfalls in recruiting for this type of candidate. Many candidates typically at this level tend to want to build their experience to a senior-level in a consultancy before moving into the ‘client’ environment. But, acutely aware that corporate consultancies are not for everyone, we’d embark on a targeted headhunt of those that would consider this opportunity at this point in their career. We agreed a dedicated exclusive agreement with HOH and started the search through mapping the market for similar-sized developers in London. We were able to produce two initial shortlists to review and compiled these into two types of background - one of design, and one of cost management. We held two in-person review meetings where each candidate’s profile was discussed, and we were able to advise on the best 10 candidates for interview. Of those 10, 4 went through to a second stage.
The results
After a period of 7 weeks from initial search to the culmination of second-round interviews, we successfully secured an offer for a candidate who accepted quickly and started with the business in late 2024, successfully completing their probation with HOH at the time of writing.
Development specialists across asset classes and all stages of a build. Our Development team work with the UK's leading Developers, Landed Estates, Housebuilders, REITs, Funds and Prop Co’s, other ‘client-side’ organisations, as well as national, international, and SME consultancies. We offer a specialist Development network based on the requirements of our clients from Graduate to Director-level – both for Development Management and MRICS Development Surveyors. Whether you are looking for a pure “Development Manager” or those with backgrounds in investment, planning, surveying or project delivery, we can assist you. Get in touch with us here.
