Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is embarking on one of the most ambitious hospital redevelopment programmes in the NHS, with a 3-4 billion investment planned across three major acute hospital sites. The role of Head of Commercial Property Development is central to realising the commercial potential of these projects, particularly the once in a generation redevelopment of St Marys Hospital in Paddington. The postholder will lead the identification, planning and execution of commercial property development opportunities generated by the new hospital build, including the transformation of significant surplus land for long term value creation. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a major London healthcare estate, contribute to improved patient care environments, and support pioneering work within Paddington Life Sciences.
Main duties of the jobThe Head of Commercial Property Development will oversee the full lifecycle of commercial planning and development, from identifying opportunities to securing planning consent and preparing sites for longterm partnerships. They will evaluate commercial propositions, develop business cases and lead multidisciplinary advisor teams to keep projects aligned with strategic and programme priorities. A key responsibility is leading the St Marys masterplan, ensuring commercial development aligns with the new hospital design and supports the Trusts Paddington Life Sciences ambitions. The postholder will work with local authorities, the GLA and government stakeholders, managing complex and sensitive discussions with confidence and clarity. They will also shape procurement strategies, manage supplier relationships and ensure all commercial decisions meet legal, policy and governance standards. The role requires strong leadership and collaboration across Estates and Facilities, Finance, Imperial Private Healthcare, Imperial College London, external developers, consultants and community partners. The postholder will champion Trust values, promote an inclusive culture and ensure commercial activity delivers social, economic and environmental benefits for local communities.
About usImperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is one of the largest acute NHS trusts in the UK, serving over one million patients each year across five London hospitals: Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlottes and Chelsea, St Marys and the Western Eye. Formed in 2007, the Trust has a global reputation for pioneering research, clinical excellence and educational innovation. As part of one of the UKs six academic health science centres, the Trust partners with Imperial College London to translate scientific discovery into better patient care, hosting one of the country's National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres. The Trust combines worldclass specialised services with integrated community and digital care, and continues to invest in transformative research, education and infrastructure to deliver better health, for life.
Job responsibilitiesThe Head of Commercial Property Development will play a critical strategic leadership role within the Trusts redevelopment programme, providing commercial, technical and property development expertise to support the planning and delivery of major hospital and mixeduse development projects. The postholder will take responsibility for maximising the commercial value embedded in the redevelopment proposals, ensuring that the Trusts land, estate and development opportunities are planned and executed in a way that supports clinical transformation, longterm financial sustainability and the Trusts life sciences ambitions.
A core element of the role will be leading the commercial development strategy for St Marys Hospital. The redevelopment of St Marys will release approximately half of the existing site for commercial use, and the Trust intends to secure outline planning consent for the full campus, including both the new hospital and commercial development zones. The postholder will lead masterplanning activities, manage professional advisors, and collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the planning application is commercially robust, deliverable and aligned with strategic objectives. This includes working closely with the St Marys design team, the Redevelopment Capital Delivery Director, the St Marys Taskforce and partners from the life sciences ecosystem.
The role requires a highly skilled commercial strategist with the ability to lead complex, multistakeholder programmes. The postholder will design commercial approaches to market, oversee the delivery of business cases, and provide seniorlevel advice on development phasing, financial modelling, planning risk and commercial procurement strategy. They will also ensure that commercial plans support environmental sustainability, netzero obligations and the Trusts commitment to social value. As a senior leader within the redevelopment programme, the postholder will help establish the valuesdriven culture of the team, providing mentorship, direction and resilience in a fastmoving, ambiguous and politically sensitive environment.
Success in this role will be demonstrated by the delivery of a commercially viable, strategically aligned and financially optimised commercial development strategy for the St Marys site and wider Trust estate. The postholder will be expected to secure a comprehensive and deliverable masterplan and planning consent that supports the new hospital development and unlocks longterm commercial value. They will also be responsible for ensuring robust commercial governance, achieving measurable progress against redevelopment milestones and enabling the Trust to select and engage longterm development partners.
Additional indicators of success include building strong and trusting relationships across senior internal and external stakeholders, delivering highquality business cases and analysis, leading professional teams effectively, and ensuring all plans support the Trusts commitments to netzero, social value and community benefit. The postholder will contribute to the overall success of the redevelopment programme by providing expert commercial insight, strategic leadership and a proactive, solutionsfocused approach to complex urban development challenges.
Person Specification Qualifications