Land and Property Acquisition Manager

Land and Property Acquisition Manager

Final date to receive applications: 10 August 2026

Department: Strategy, Sponsorship and External Affairs

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Milton Keynes

A little bit about us:

East West Rail is a nationally significant railway project which aims to deliver much-needed transport connections for the vibrant communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. Together these communities contribute around £111 billion to the national economy each year.

EWR is one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects, which the government committed to delivering in full in the Autumn 2024 Budget, and again in the 2025 Spending Review as part of its ambition to unlock the potential of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor.

EWR is being championed by the Government as a key driver to economic growth leading to a potential £78 billion boost to the UK economy: supporting new towns, housing, and regeneration.

Role

Summary:

This is a key role within the Land & Property Team at EWR Co, reporting to the Head of Land and Property, to ensure the successful delivery of the DCO and to secure all the land required for the EWR project. This role will be accountable for securing investment authority for land acquisitions, effective management of the property cost estimate for the project, co-ordinating and integrating delivery of land acquisition between area teams, and actively managing compensation, governance, risk, suppliers, and programme integration on behalf of EWR as an intelligent client.

The role will be responsible for leading a cohesive team of Land and Property Managers who lead and manage the acquisition, transfer, management, and, where required, disposal of land and property within their area, and requires strategic oversight and assurance of external land and property suppliers, including reviewing negotiation strategies, compensation forecasts, risk assessments, data quality, performance, and consistency of approach across the programme.

On this basis it will be necessary to chair structured claim and compensation review meetings with external advisors to monitor performance, review emerging risks, and ensure alignment with programme objectives and governance requirements. It will also be important to ensure close liaison with other EWR teams and oversight of external relations with landowners, their representatives, and statutory bodies, involving strategic oversight, coordination, and integration assurance to achieve project milestones and objectives.

Function:

The Strategy, Sponsorship and External Affairs function is accountable for defining what EWR Co is and the impact it will deliver, securing the approvals required to deliver the scheme, holding the Development Consent Order submission (including statutory consultation), and building a compelling business case. It holds design and delivery to account to create an asset that realises the intended economic benefits.

Within this function, the Land and Property team acts as an intelligent and informed integrated team, using a network of third‑party strategic suppliers to bring the capabilities required to deliver the land needed to construct and operate the project.

What you will do:

• Lead and manage a team of Land and Property Managers, providing strategic direction, oversight, and integration assurance for cohesive, compliant project delivery, and facilitating effective communication and coordination with suppliers to ensure cohesive integration of deliverables and milestones.
• Develop and deliver effective land and property strategies and plans to support a successful DCO application and delivery of the project, including preparation for the DCO examination process such as objection resolution, evidence and resourcing plans.
• Review and challenge compensation forecasts, assumptions, negotiation strategies, and risk allowances to ensure the Property Cost Estimate remains robust, evidence-based, and defensible.
• Provide guidance to support Land and Property Managers in designing and delivering a solution aligned to a central approach, to successfully acquire the land and property…