Construction Director

Watkin Jones, the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent homes with a focus on the build to rent (BTR), co-living and student accommodation (PBSA) sectors, are looking to appoint an experienced, driven Construction Director to manage a growing area of the business. Joining the senior leadership team during this exciting period of development you’ll have the opportunity to help shape the future of the business. 

Reporting directly to the Operations Director you'll be accountable for managing PBSA and BTR site-based activities ensuring developments are delivered on time, to the required standards and within budget, including the co-ordinating of site works and management of subcontractors resulting in a successful project completion. 

Your Role 

We can be flexible on your location as you'll have accountability for our UK wide construction sites - travel across the UK (specifically in and around London) will be a part of your role. 

You’ll be responsible for: 

• Providing accurate and timely project performance reports, ensuring projects are on track and contract requirements are met. 
• Providing solutions to any highlighted areas of concern 
• Lead on the construction aspects of projects in your portfolio
• Providing strategic and professional guidance to the Construction Managers, Project Managers and wider members of the team 
• Working collaboratively with the project teams and sub-contractors, building strong and trusted working relationships 
• Developing team capabilities and shaping the future strategy

About You                                        

We're looking for someone who is a team player with the ability to lead and motivate. You'll need to demonstrate a real passion for construction and project delivery, and be an excellent communicator with the ability to build strong, trusting relationships and able to influence at all levels. Experienced in managing senior people and teams your leadership skills will be the key to success in this role. You’ll be both quality and customer focused whilst still able to operate commercially.

Through experience and strategic thinking, you’ll be confident making high risk decisions whilst maintaining your commitment to excellence with the best interests of clients and the wider business. Previous experience of student accommodation and/or the BTR sector is essential. 

Ideally you will hold the following: 

• SMSTS certificate 
• First Aid certificate 
• Scaffolding certificate 
• CSCS Card 

Why Join Us?

In return for your hard work and dedication, we can offer you some extensive benefits which include 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing after 2 years’ service by 1 day up to a max of 29 days per annum), discretionary annual bonus, a range of benefits including life insurance, discounted gym memberships, exclusive shopping discounts, healthcare Cashback Scheme and a 7% contributory pension scheme.

Watkin Jones’ success to date has been based on our emphasis on building relationships of trust, our customer focus, and our forward-thinking structure. Our intention is to create the future of living, which to us means high quality rental homes, community focus and sustainably driven development.

About Us

Watkin Jones Group is the UK’s leading developer, builder, and manager of residential for rent homes, with 52,000+ homes developed and in-build across 135 schemes. Our operating arm, Fresh, manages over 22,000 units across 64 schemes, reflecting approximately £1.7bn of assets under management, giving us unique and unrivalled insight into what tenants and investors desire.

Our company was established in 1791 and has been building homes since 1927. More recently, we listed on the AIM market in 2016, and have a current market cap of c.£250m. In FY2022 we generated gross revenue of £407m and a Gross Profit of £67m. Our position in the market is based on a ‘capital light’ model, where we typically work with institutional forward funders.