Development Manager

Role Overview

Development Manager at wasl, reporting to the Director of Real Estate Development within the Real Estate Development Department.

Role Purpose

The Development Manager manages assigned real estate development projects from feasibility and business planning through concept development, approvals, design coordination, and delivery. The role evaluates project viability through market, financial, and development analysis, supports formulation of appropriate development strategies, and coordinates consultants and internal stakeholders to progress projects in line with approved scope, programme, budget, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Project Strategy & Business Planning

• Develop project development strategies and business plans covering asset positioning, phasing, land-use considerations, development approach, and key commercial assumptions.
• Identify and recommend value-enhancement and value-engineering opportunities that improve project viability without compromising approved quality, positioning, or development objectives.

Market & Financial Analysis

• Conduct market research, supply-and-demand analysis, benchmarking, pricing studies, and asset-class assessments to support project positioning and development decisions.
• Prepare and review feasibility studies, financial models, development cash flows, investment returns, and sensitivity analyses to assess project viability and key value drivers.

Concept & Design Coordination

• Coordinate project concept development with Design, Projects, Commercial, Finance, and relevant functions, ensuring concepts remain aligned with approved business plans and market requirements.

Consultant Management

• Coordinate consultant scopes, selection, appointment, briefing, and performance monitoring in collaboration with Procurement, Commercial, Design, and Projects teams.
• Monitor consultant deliverables against approved scope, programme, budget, and quality requirements and address or escalate performance issues where required.

Approvals & Regulatory Compliance

• Coordinate internal and external approvals required for assigned projects, including relevant government, regulatory, and authority requirements.
• Ensure appropriate consideration of regulatory compliance, quality, safety, sustainability, and operational requirements throughout the development process.

Project Performance Monitoring & Risk Management

• Monitor project development performance against approved scope, programme, budget, quality, and business-plan objectives, highlighting material deviations and emerging risks.
• Coordinate mitigation actions for identified development, commercial, financial, programme, regulatory, and delivery risks with relevant stakeholders.

Stakeholder Coordination & Reporting

• Act as the development coordination interface across Projects, Design, Land, Asset Management, Hospitality, Commercial, Finance, Legal, Procurement, and Business Excellence.
• Coordinate development-related requirements with consultants, developers, operators, partners, investors, funds, government entities, and other external stakeholders.
• Prepare management reports, development updates, business cases, and recommendations to support project reviews and decision-making.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 5–7 years of relevant experience in real estate development, development management, or a related field.
• Experience across key stages of the development lifecycle, including feasibility, concept development, design, approvals, and delivery.
• Good knowledge of UAE real estate development practices, market dynamics, regulatory requirements, and approval processes.
• Strong capability in feasibility assessment, financial modelling, market analysis, project budgeting, and commercial evaluation.
• Master's degree in Real Estate, Finance, Development, Business Administration, or a related discipline (desirable).
• Experience with a UAE-based real estate developer or development-management organization (desirable).
• Exposure to residential, commercial, hospitality, or mixed-use developments (desirable).

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in Real Estate Development Strategy & Business Planning.
• Advanced proficiency in Market & Feasibility Analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Financial Modelling & Investment Analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Development Cost & Budget Analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Development Risk Management.
• Advanced proficiency in Concept & Development Coordination.
• Intermediate proficiency in Consultant Procurement & Management.
• Intermediate proficiency in Contract & Commercial Administration.
• Intermediate proficiency in Project Delivery Coordination.
• Advanced proficiency in UAE Real Estate Regulatory Knowledge.
• Advanced proficiency in Development Analytics & Reporting using financial models, Excel, Power BI, and reporting tools.
• Strong analytical, planning, stakeholder-management, problem-solving, presentation, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and relevant reporting and analytical tools.
• Working knowledge of Power BI and development reporting tools (desirable).

Additional Information

• No direct reports; may provide functional guidance, mentoring, and work oversight to Development Officers and other project resources without formal line-management accountability.
• Operates across multiple development projects and asset classes involving commercial, financial, technical, regulatory, and stakeholder considerations.
• Manages day-to-day development activities within approved business plans, budgets, policies, and delegated authority.
• Recommends development options, risk responses, and value-enhancement actions, while escalating material changes to approved scope, budget, programme, investment assumptions, or development strategy to the Director of Real Estate Development.
• Prepares and monitors project feasibility studies, financial models, development budgets, cash flows, and investment returns for assigned projects.
• Identifies financial variances and recommends corrective or value-enhancement actions within approved governance and delegated authority.