Senior Project Manager – Housing & Community Development

Rate: £650 per day

IR35 status: Inside IR35

Contract duration: 20 weeks

Target dates: 16 November 2026 to 4 April 2027

Hours: 37 per week

Location: Whitechapel, East London

Working pattern: Hybrid, 3 days in the office and 2 days remote

Submission deadline: 6 November 2026

Target interview date: 13 November 2026, online

About the role

Salt Recruitment is recruiting a Senior Project Manager to join a London local authority and lead the delivery of high-profile housing, regeneration and community infrastructure projects.

The portfolio includes a strategic placemaking and regeneration programme, a new community centre, a housing development providing approximately 100 new homes and community space, and other priority projects as required.

Reporting to the senior lead responsible for priority projects, you will oversee strategic direction, development, delivery and community engagement. You will ensure projects deliver housing supply, community benefits and high-quality places while maintaining robust governance, financial oversight and programme control.

Key responsibilities

. Lead the development and delivery of multiple housing, regeneration and community infrastructure projects

. Oversee the full project lifecycle, including design development, planning, procurement and construction

. Manage capital budgets, funding arrangements, development viability models and commercial negotiations

. Establish and maintain effective governance, reporting, assurance and change control processes

. Prepare Cabinet reports, business cases and presentations for senior leadership, elected Members and external funders

. Lead resident, community and Member engagement, ensuring projects reflect local priorities and community needs

. Direct multidisciplinary teams and coordinate council departments, technical consultants, design teams and contractors

. Ensure projects meet applicable building and fire safety requirements, sustainability standards, accessibility requirements and social value obligations

. Identify and manage risks, issues and dependencies across interconnected projects

. Provide leadership and programme support across additional priority schemes as required

Essential skills and experience

. Significant senior-level experience delivering housing development, estate regeneration or community infrastructure projects within a local authority or similar public sector environment

. A proven track record of managing complex capital projects from concept through design, planning, procurement and construction to completion

. Experience delivering community buildings or public realm improvements

. Strong understanding of internal governance, with experience establishing project governance frameworks and managing assurance, risk, change control and reporting

. Experience writing Cabinet reports and presenting recommendations at senior leadership meetings

. Strong stakeholder management skills, including direct engagement with residents, tenant groups, community organisations and elected Members

. Experience managing capital budgets, assessing development viability and supporting commercial negotiations

. Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and maintain progress across multiple concurrent, high-profile projects

. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the preparation of business cases, reports and presentations

Knowledge

. In-depth understanding of housing development, estate regeneration, community infrastructure delivery and capital programme management

. Strong working knowledge of local authority housing strategies, funding routes, decant and rehousing processes, and affordability frameworks

. Understanding of community facility design, operational planning and long-term asset sustainability

. Detailed knowledge of planning, procurement, contract management and commercial structures for development projects

. Knowledge of building safety legislation, sustainability standards and social value obligations

. Understanding of inclusive community engagement, equalities duties and place-based working

Personal qualities

. Resident-focused, with a commitment to delivering projects around community needs

. Politically sensitive and able to build trust with elected Members and local partners

. Collaborative and effective at working across departments and organisations

. Proactive and solution-focused, with the ability to work independently and make sound decisions

. Committed to inclusive design, sustainability and high-quality placemaking

Qualifications

. Degree or equivalent in regeneration, housing, planning, architecture, project management or a related discipline

. Professional accreditation, such as RICS or CIOB, or equivalent

. Evidence of continuing professional and leadership development

Interview process

Online interviews are targeted for 13 November 2026. Candidates will be asked about their experience of internal governance and managing large-scale projects and programmes of work.

Eligibility

Applicants must be UK citizens, currently reside in the UK and hold a British passport. Relocation support and visa sponsorship are not available.

Applicants must be UK citizens, currently reside in the UK and hold a British passport. Relocation support and visa sponsorship are not available.