Special Projects Director
Salary: £95k-£115k

The Special Projects Director will lead on some of our most exciting and transformative regeneration projects to date. It’s a career-defining opportunity to create meaningful places, spaces and homes in one of the UK’s most iconic cities – while delivering on MKDP’s financial goals.

After the success of the past few years, MKDP has reached a crucial stage in its evolution. Milton Keynes has experienced significant growth in recent years and the organisation is uniquely placed to take advantage of this. There are a number of major sites that offer valuable commercial gains and need to be moved forward. As a result, we need the right leadership team in place to oversee these high-value regeneration projects and identify new opportunities, while also bringing tangible benefits to the local community through initiatives like the new Local Housing Company.

Alongside these immediate aims, MKDP will be central to ensuring the Council delivers on some of the objectives set out in their Futures 2050 Strategy, from bolstering the city’s green credentials and cultural offering, to ensuring good jobs and affordable housing for everyone. All against a backdrop of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon negative by 2050 – a challenge which we’re ready to embrace.

As such, we want to recruit a Special Projects Director to lead us through this exciting period of change and regeneration.

You’ll progress major land assembly and development projects from inception to a successful completion, identifying commercial and creative opportunities that stack up financially and double down on our strategic aims. You’ll shape the direction of the company, working closely with Milton Keynes Council to ensure it aligns with, and supports, their long-term objectives. And you’ll manage complex stakeholder networks, building collaborative relationships and partnerships that help drive our projects forward.

Most importantly, you’ll recognise the immense potential of Milton Keynes as a city, built on some of the best and most innovative planning and urban design principles in the country.

About the role

As the Special Projects Director at Milton Keynes Development Partnership, you’ll play a major role both in the development and regeneration of the city, and in crafting the strategic vision of the organisation at large.

The main project you’ll be responsible for is Renaissance:CMK, a hugely exciting initiative to regenerate Central Milton Keynes through high-quality office, leisure, retail, housing and community developments – as well as a brand new university specialising in future technologies and entrepreneurship. Sustainable transport and infrastructure is also on the agenda, as well as public realm transformation.

The successful candidate will have a track record in successfully leading mixed-use regeneration schemes within city centres, consolidating parcels of land and underused assets to deliver on outcomes. You’ll understand the links between assembly strategy, place-making, and value-adding, navigating complex planning regulations while maximising commercial gains. You’ll also have experience building and maintaining productive and profitable relationships. Our close relationship to Milton Keynes Council, for example, provides unparalleled funding opportunities and the political support to drive growth in community-focussed ways.

In return, you’ll lead a small team of talented professionals, with the freedom to bring your ideas and theirs to the table, identifying innovative opportunities and transforming them into viable business initiatives. You’ll also get the chance to build effective cross-sector networks, engaging stakeholders from the private sector, local authority and central government. All as part of an ambitious leadership team with a progressive culture and positive outlook. It’s a role for creative, strategic problem-solvers.