People Group

People Group is seeking a Director - Cost Management to join our Leeds office, driving the cost management practice and advising on major development projects. The role requires senior leadership experience and a strong MRICS background to lead a talented team and build client relationships across the Yorkshire and wider UK markets. You will oversee feasibility, cost planning, procurement and construction phases, collaborating with project management, surveying and engineering colleagues.

I'm working with a well-established independent real estate and construction consultancy that is looking to appoint a Director - Cost Management to join its Leeds office. The business has a strong reputation for providing technically excellent, commercially focused advice to property owners, investors and occupiers, supporting clients throughout the property lifecycle. With a UK-wide team of 200+ specialist advisors, the business combines the scale and capability to deliver complex projects with the independence and collaborative culture of an employee-focused consultancy. The opportunity This is a senior leadership position within the Cost Management team, with responsibility for: Leading and developing the Leeds cost management offering Managing and mentoring a team of cost managers / quantity surveyors Building and strengthening relationships with existing and prospective clients Winning and delivering new business across the Yorkshire and wider Northern market and UK. Providing strategic cost and commercial advice across the full development lifecycle Leading major projects from feasibility and cost planning through procurement and construction Working collaboratively with colleagues across project management, surveying, engineering and sustainability Contributing to the wider strategic growth and development of the business The consultancy's cost management offering covers strategic cost advice, cost planning and modelling, feasibility and development appraisals, benchmarking, procurement, tendering, change control, cost reporting and final account management. About you We are looking for an experienced Cost Management / Quantity Surveying professional, ideally MRICS, who has already operated at Associate Director, Director or equivalent level. You will ideally bring: Strong commercial and technical cost management expertise A proven track record of winning and developing client relationships Experience leading and developing teams A strong network across the Yorkshire / Northern property and construction market Experience across commercial development, refurbishment and/or mixed-use projects The confidence and credibility to operate at senior stakeholder level An entrepreneurial mindset and genuine appetite to help grow a regional business This is an excellent opportunity for an established Associate Director / Director / Senior Cost Manager who wants greater influence over the growth of a regional business and the opportunity to work within a genuinely multidisciplinary consultancy.

Some Operations Director roles are about maintaining what is already there. This one is about helping shape what comes next. We are working exclusively with a successful and rapidly growing interiors & fit-out contractor looking to appoint an Operations Director to work closely with the owner and senior leadership team as they enter the next stage of their growth. The business has built an excellent reputation through the quality of its delivery and long-standing client relationships. With continued growth comes the opportunity to strengthen the structure behind the business, and they are looking for someone who can bring the experience, ideas and leadership to help them do exactly that. Ideally coming from a larger fit-out or construction contractor, you will bring an understanding of the systems, processes and operational controls that allow businesses to scale successfully. Importantly, this isn't about making a growing contractor overly corporate, it's about identifying what works, what could work better and introducing the right level of structure to take the business forward. You'll have genuine influence across the company, reviewing operational processes, project delivery and commercial performance while working with the existing leadership team to identify improvements and implement new ideas. People will be equally important. The owner is passionate about developing from within, so they want someone who enjoys mentoring and developing individuals, creating progression opportunities and helping the existing team grow alongside the business. From a client perspective, you'll take an active role in strengthening established relationships while using your own network and industry knowledge to help develop new opportunities and relationships. What we're looking for: Senior operational leadership experience within commercial fit-out or refurbishment. Strong technical understanding of fit-out project delivery. Experience gained within a mid-large size, structured contractor environment. Commercially astute with a strong understanding of project performance, risk and margin. A track record of improving operational systems, processes and ways of working. Strong leadership skills with a genuine interest in developing people. Client-facing and comfortable developing both existing and new relationships. Entrepreneurial in your approach, with the confidence to challenge existing ways of working and introduce new ideas. This could be particularly well suited to an experienced Operations Director, Commercial Director or Divisional Director who has worked within a larger contractor but likes the idea of joining a more agile business where they can have a genuine influence.

People Group is seeking an experienced Operations Director to work closely with the owner and senior leadership as the business scales within the interiors and fit-out sector. You will shape operations, review delivery processes, and drive strategic improvements while mentoring the team and cultivating key client relationships to fuel growth. The role emphasizes practical leadership over corporate rigidity, with an emphasis on entrepreneurial thinking and strengthening existing client