Interim Development Project Manager

Interim Development Lead

Midlands Local Authority | Interim Assignment

Deliver a flagship town-centre regeneration project through to completion.

A Midlands local authority is seeking an experienced Interim Development & Commercial Lead to provide strategic leadership on the final stages of a major cinema and leisure redevelopment project. This is a high-profile assignment, reporting directly to the Chief Executive where you will take ownership of the programme through construction completion, tenant mobilisation and operational readiness.

The authority has an established property team and dedicated project management resources already in place. What they require now is a senior leader who can bring commercial expertise, stakeholder management and delivery focus to ensure the project reaches completion on time, within budget and ready for opening in Spring 2027.

The Role

You will act as the senior accountable lead across the programme, bringing together contractors, occupiers, consultants, internal teams and elected members to maintain momentum and ensure successful delivery.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the final delivery phase of a landmark cinema and leisure development.
• Holding the principal contractor and professional team to agreed milestones and programme commitments.
• Managing key stakeholder relationships across senior officers, elected members, advisers and commercial partners.
• Leading the completion of leases, commercial agreements and tenant arrangements.
• Providing clear reporting, assurance and governance oversight.
• Supporting the transition from construction completion into fit-out and operational mobilisation.
• Creating clarity, accountability and pace across a complex stakeholder environment.

About You

We are interested in speaking with individuals who can demonstrate significant experience in:

• Regeneration and development projects.
• Commercial property and mixed-use developments.
• Major capital programmes.
• Leisure, retail, hospitality or town-centre developments.
• Development agreements, leases and commercial negotiations.
• Working within politically sensitive or highly scrutinised environments.
• Leading multidisciplinary teams and external delivery partners.

Local government experience would be advantageous but is not essential.

More important is your ability to navigate complexity, build confidence with stakeholders and successfully deliver projects through their final stages.

Assignment Details

Location: Midlands

Working Pattern: Approximately 4 days per week, with flexibility around project milestones

Duration: Interim assignment through to project completion and mobilisation

Why This Opportunity?

This is not a turnaround or strategy assignment. The vision is established, investment has been committed and delivery is underway.

The challenge is ensuring that a major regeneration scheme successfully crosses the finish line.

For the right individual, this is an opportunity to leave a visible legacy on a significant place-shaping project and deliver a development that will have a lasting impact on the local community.