Development Director — UK Social Housing (London / National (UK-wide)

Company: Stratael
Apply for the Development Director — UK Social Housing (London / National (UK-wide)
Location: London
Job Description:

About this search

Stratael is retained on a confidential search for a founding Development Director / Director of Acquisitions & Growth to help build a new for-profit Registered Provider in UK social and affordable housing — from the ground up, with serious institutional backing and a clear ambition to scale nationally and exit.

This is a builder’s role for a dealmaker. If you source stock, win tenders and close deals in affordable housing — and you’d rather build something you have a stake in than be one more cog in a large institution — this is a rare opportunity at an exceptional moment for the sector.

Our client is established and well-capitalised. Their identity is shared with shortlisted candidates under confidentiality.

What you’ll do

  • Originate and secure accommodation pipelines from landlords, developers and property owners
  • Lead competitive bids and tenders to councils and non-profit allocators across the social-housing categories
  • Build and manage relationships with Registered Providers and referral partners
  • Identify, appraise and execute acquisitions of portfolios — and of RPs looking to exit
  • Underwrite deals (yields, cash flow, partnership terms) and structure transactions
  • Feed the corporate-development pipeline toward national scale and an institutional exit

What you’ll bring

  • Hands-on origination, acquisition or development experience in UK affordable / social housing
  • A genuine track record of winning tenders and/or closing housing transactions at volume
  • Deal fluency: underwriting, yields, structuring, negotiation
  • Established relationships across councils, RPs, developers and landlords
  • An entrepreneurial, pipeline-driven mindset and the appetite to build

What’s on offer

Market-rate base plus a meaningful, performance-linked incentive and equity-style upside tied to the build and eventual exit. Package structured to attract and retain genuine builders. UK-wide — candidates may be based anywhere in the UK.

To apply

Applications are handled in strict confidence by Stratael. Apply here or message to register your interest; full details, including the client’s identity, are shared with candidates under confidentiality.

Posted: June 12th, 2026