About the position
The Business Development Director is a key leader responsible for driving organisational growth by identifying and expanding into business verticals within the subsectors of real estate that complement the Company's core offering of purpose built student accommodation and related management services. In addition to exploring opportunities in Co-Living, Built to Rent, and Senior Living, this role will seek new ventures in third-party real estate portfolio management, including property and asset management services, as well as the promotion and expansion of business software services to external clients. The director will also be responsible for identifying and entering new geographic markets for both living product offerings and management services. They will develop strategic partnerships, launch innovative residential services, and secure new revenue streams aligned with the company’s long-term vision.
Growth Strategy & New Business Identification:
- Research, identify, and assess new market segments and business opportunities within the subsectors—such as Co-Living, Built to Rent, Senior Living, and emerging residential concepts—that are synergistic with student accommodation and broader real estate trends
- Evaluate strategic fit with PBSA and existing management capabilities
- Develop structured opportunity pipelines
Market & Sector Intelligence:
- Identify and evaluate new geographic markets for entry, and lead initiatives to introduce living product offerings and management services in these locations.
- Monitor local and international industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor activities across the real estate spectrum and related services to inform strategic direction and uphold a competitive edge for the Company.
- Prepare and present business cases, market analyses, and forecasts to senior leadership, supporting data-driven decision-making for expansion into new subsectors, service lines, and geographic markets.
New Vertical & Centre Development:
- Develop and execute growth strategies that leverage the brand and expertise to launch or acquire ventures in these living-focused verticals.
- Lead feasibility studies, business modelling, and planning
- Use the brand, systems, and expertise to support new ventures
Business Software Commercialization:
- Explore and initiate business opportunities in third-party real estate portfolio management, including property and asset management services for external clients and partners.
- Engage with owners, investors, and funds
- Develop scalable management service offerings
- Promote and expand the sale of business software solutions for the real estate sector to third-party clients, enhancing operational efficiencies and customer experience.
- Work with internal teams to improve product-market fit
- Support sales, demonstrations, and client onboarding
Geographic Market Expansion
- Identify and evaluate new geographic markets for entry, and lead initiatives to introduce living product offerings and management services in these locations.
- Standardise scalable processes across regions and verticals
Strategic Partnerships & Stakeholder Management
- Forge and maintain strong relationships with strategic partners, industry stakeholders, and potential clients operating in related sectors.
- Represent the Company at industry events and negotiations
- Identify co-investment and joint venture opportunities
Commercial Negotiation & Deal Execution
- Lead negotiations and secure agreements that drive sustainable business development and profitable outcomes in new real estate verticals and value-added services.
- Negotiate and conclude salient commercial terms of transaction agreements, ensuring favourable terms and protection of company interests.
- Work with operations, legal, finance, and executive teams
- Promoting a culture of mentorship and coaching with evidence of staff development and succession pipeline readiness.
- Fostering collaboration across all business units, eliminating silos and ensuring that stakeholder interests are aligned with organizational goals.
Financial Forecasts, Business Cases and Reporting
- Prepare and present business cases, market analyses, and financial forecasts
- Help executives and the Board make informed decisions
- Track and report on performance of new ventures
People Leadership
- Driving a high-performance culture aligned with the organisation’s values, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the team.
- Implementing effective performance management and career development plans to build capability, support succession planning and retain key talent.
- Ensuring timely management of performance challenges, conflict resolution and staff engagement to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
- Promoting a culture of mentorship and coaching with evidence of staff development and succession pipeline readiness.
- Fostering collaboration across all business units, eliminating silos and ensuring that stakeholder interests are aligned with organisational goals.
RequirementsQualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Investment Management, Real Estate, or related field; MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification preferred
Experience
- 10–15+ years’ experience in senior business development, growth strategy and commercial leadership
- Proven track record of identifying, negotiating, and securing value-accretive business opportunities
- Demonstrated expertise in structuring, negotiating, and concluding complex commercial agreements
- Experience preparing and presenting business cases and investment proposals to Boards and Executive Committees
- Strong understanding of portfolio management, market expansion strategies, and business model innovation
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and fostering high-performance cultures
- Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills
- Commercially minded with a focus on performance, process, and results
- Financial Leadership: Guides growth decisions, investment priorities and long-term value creation across new business verticals.
- Financial Modelling and Scenario Analysis: Evaluates new ventures, acquisitions, partnerships and market entries using models, forecasts, and scenario planning.
- Commercial Structuring & Deal Economics: Structures and evaluates transactions, pricing, revenue models and risk-sharing arrangements.
- Business Acumen: Demonstrates deep understanding of Living-sector real estate markets, demographic trends, operating models and geographic dynamics to inform strategic expansion.
- Strategic Decision-Making: Applies structured thinking, commercial judgement and data-driven insights to influence corporate strategy and prioritise growth initiatives.
- Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis: Analyses market trends, competitor strategies, pipeline developments and emerging business models to identify opportunities and threats.
- Opportunity Assessment Frameworks: Designs and applies structured frameworks to assess opportunity attractiveness, strategic fit, scalability and risk prior to capital commitment.
- Change & Growth Enablement: Leads organisational change required to support new business models, markets, systems and operating structures.
- Negotiation & Deal Execution: Leads complex negotiations and secures favourable deals while protecting company interests.
- Strategic Partnerships: Builds and manages partnerships, joint ventures, and relationships with executives, investors and partners
- Governance & Commercial Risk Oversight: Ensures deals and opportunities comply with governance, legal, and risk management requirements.
- Systems & Digital Enablement: Champions the use of systems, platforms and digital tools to support business development, portfolio oversight and performance tracking.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Ensures access to high-quality data and analytics to inform opportunity assessment, forecasting and performance monitoring.
- Analytics & Predictive Insights: Leverages dashboards, scenario tools and predictive analytics to evaluate market opportunities and investment outcomes.
- Technology-Enabled Business Models: Identifies and promotes technology and software-enabled services as scalable revenue streams within the real estate ecosystem.
- Executive Influence & Communication: Communicates complex commercial insights clearly to Executive Management, Board and Investment Committees, influencing outcomes and alignment.
Desired Skills:
- business development
- sales director
- deal execution
Desired Qualification Level:
About The Employer:
We focus on perfection, on finding the absolute top executive for your recruitment needs. Where other agencies may hire for every role within an organization or across a number of verticals, we have selected to remain within specific industries.
Our niche approach ensures that we know and understand your requirements and have the right relationships and expertise to find the perfect executive or perfect placement for every candidate.
