Pre-Construction Manager - South of England and Wales

United Kingdom

• Lead technical and commercial feasibility assessments for new stores, relocations, extensions and development opportunities, evaluating site constraints, viability, abnormal costs, delivery risks and development potential.
• Manage projects through concept, definition and development stages, maintaining programmes, critical paths, milestones and readiness criteria to ensure successful handover at Stage Gate 2.
• Review and negotiate landlord and developer requirements, including Agreements for Lease (AFL) technical elements, shell specifications, development obligations and operational standards.
• Coordinate and challenge multidisciplinary consultant teams, including architects, engineers, planners, cost consultants and specialist advisors, ensuring design information is coordinated, commercially robust and deliverable.
• Prepare business cases, governance submissions, project budgets, cost plans and risk mitigation strategies, providing clear recommendations and ensuring projects remain aligned to approved capital parameters.

• A commercially astute project professional who can balance feasibility, risk, programme, cost and operational requirements to support informed business decision-making.
• A confident leader who can influence and challenge consultants, contractors, landlords, developers and stakeholders to achieve the best project outcomes.
• An organised and proactive problem solver, capable of managing multiple projects, competing priorities, programme risks and critical path activities.
• A strong communicator with excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills, able to present complex information and recommendations clearly.
• Resilient and adaptable, comfortable working in ambiguous environments, resolving constraints and identifying opportunities to strengthen project viability and delivery.

• Proven experience in pre-construction, development management, project management or construction consultancy within retail, commercial, mixed-use or large-scale development environments.
• Strong knowledge of feasibility, design development, planning, statutory approvals, construction delivery and front-end development processes.
• Experience developing and managing cost plans, project budgets, value engineering initiatives, risk registers and mitigation strategies.
• Degree qualified in Construction, Property, Surveying, Architecture, Engineering or a related discipline, with MRICS, MCIOB, MAPM or equivalent qualification beneficial or working towards.
• Strong technical and commercial capability, including experience using Microsoft Excel, Teams, Project and PowerPoint, with knowledge of retail development processes advantageous but not essential.

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…

20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.

Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!

Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.

A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.

A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop…