Director - Development - Retail

About the Role

The Director of Development leads the Commercial Office Business Unit's development portfolio, overseeing the strategic planning, execution, and delivery of commercial office assets and districts. This senior leader ensures alignment across the full development lifecycle including business planning, feasibility studies, investment analysis, design oversight, procurement, construction management, operational readiness, and asset performance optimization.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate practical implementation strategies, set delivery schedules, and coordinate activities to align with business goals, development requirements, and asset positioning for cohesive project delivery and successful outcomes.
• Oversee sequencing, integration, and planning of multiple developments to meet planned timelines and development objectives.
• Provide commercial insights regarding market demands and asset positioning to guide development toward commercially viable and sustainable solutions.
• Manage development from concept through delivery and operational readiness to meet target quality, timing, costs, and operational standards.
• Maintain continuity across development phases and milestones to ensure smooth project execution and consistent results.
• Review feasibility and financial assessments to support investment decisions and align development with commercial strategies.
• Drive value enhancement by aligning project scope, identifying commercial opportunities, considering lifecycle costs, and improving delivery efficiencies to maximize long-term asset return.
• Ensure strict adherence to financial parameters, commercial controls, and investment policies to manage expenditure responsibly.
• Guarantee compliance with organizational standards, governance policies, and legal regulations to reduce risks and ensure compliant project delivery.
• Evaluate governance documentation and approval stages to ensure development progression aligns with organizational priorities and controls.
• Monitor governance compliance and reporting to facilitate transparent oversight and timely escalation of development risks and issues.
• Coordinate across planning, design, commercial, construction, and operations teams to achieve integrated project execution and effective management.
• Promote collaboration among internal departments, external consultants, contractors, operators, and partners to align project objectives and delivery expectations.
• Track interdependencies and sequencing among multiple stakeholders to ensure integrated execution and readiness.
• Engage with tenants, operators, partners, brands, and service providers to support operational integration and activation preparedness.
• Contribute development perspectives to operational readiness and activation plans to preserve asset functionality and operational goals.
• Incorporate operator and partner requirements into development planning and delivery to support successful asset activation and long-term operations.
• Monitor development progress and performance against approved objectives to ensure successful delivery and operational readiness.
• Identify and manage project risks, implement mitigation and recovery plans, and resolve issues swiftly to minimize disruptions.
• Aggregate reporting and performance data to support informed decision-making, governance oversight, and prompt management action.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate Development, Property Development, Urban Planning, Architecture, Construction Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required.
• A Master’s degree in Real Estate Development, Property/ Retail/ Urban Development, MBA, or related fields is preferred.
• Between 10 to 12 years of experience in retail, mixed-use, commercial real estate, destination, or integrated developments, including managerial experience in development management or coordination roles.
• Professional certifications or memberships such as RICS, ULI, PMI, CIOB, or ICSC are advantageous.