Director / Associate Director (Communities and Placemaking)

At Cratus, we believe communities are built through relationships and strengthened through conversations.

Our Communities and Placemaking team works alongside developers, councils and delivery partners to build trust, reduce risk and create places where people genuinely want to live. We support projects throughout their lifecycle from early engagement and consultation, through construction and into occupation. We act as a trusted, visible presence for residents, councillors and site teams creating communities and dealing with crises.

We listen first, design engagement that reaches beyond the usual voices, and stay involved to create cohesive communities. Our work brings together community engagement, communications, placemaking and reputation management to create social value, strengthen reputations and support successful delivery.

As demand for this work continues to grow, we are looking for an experienced leader to shape the next phase of the Communities team.

The role

The Communities and Placemaking Director/Associate Director will play a fundamental role in the development of the Communities team, from helping to shape the vision and strategy for the next five years.

You will be an expert in community development and engagement, responsible for building and leading a team that can deliver on this vision, while also growing a strong and sustainable client base. The role suits someone creative, with drive and ambition.

You will be responsible for developing and delivering a marketing and business development plan to support the growth of the team, including making smart decisions about where to focus time, energy and budget to maximise impact. You will work to build Cratus Group’s reputation and ensure the business becomes an obvious choice for communities and placemaking work.

As a senior member of the business, you will lead by example: setting direction, shaping culture and ensuring high-quality delivery for clients and communities alike.

Core focus areas

• Joint development of strategy and vision for the next five years;
• Client delivery;
• Team development and leadership;
• Business development.

Development of strategy and vision

• Reviewing the market to understand which organisations are funding communities and placemaking projects now, and where future opportunities are likely to emerge;
• Working collaboratively to develop a clear team strategy, vision, identity and culture that can capture this market;
• Defining a practical pathway to delivering the strategy and vision, including consideration of resourcing, marketing and capability needs.

Client delivery

• Managing senior client relationships and acting as a trusted adviser;
• Quality assurance across all Communities projects within the region (and, where agreed, supporting work in other regions);
• Leading the direct delivery of large or strategically important projects;
• Coordinating with other Cratus teams to deliver integrated solutions;
• Supporting the development of new services and approaches in response to client and market needs.

Team development and leadership

• Leading, developing and mentoring a small, highly talented and motivated team;
• Recruiting and retaining staff to meet business objectives, and actively managing resourcing to respond to business needs;
• Capacity planning across the team;
• Developing and presenting the Communities business plan;
• Providing accurate and timely information to support business decision-making;
• Supporting the wider management team in fostering positive staff morale and contributing to internal events and culture.

Business development

• Building Cratus’ reputation for community building and placemaking, including developing strong political and commercial relationships;
• Identifying short-, medium- and long-term opportunities for the Communities team;
• Delivering business development activity to meet and exceed agreed objectives;
• Developing and implementing a Communities marketing strategy, aligned with wider company activity;
• Coordinating with Cratus-wide business development efforts;
• Cross-selling other Cratus services and ensuring Communities services are cross-sold by colleagues;
• Managing the Communities team business development budget.

The offer

• Salary: Competitive;
• 28 days annual leave + bank holidays + birthday leave + one volunteering day;
• Central London office with good coffee, free snacks and on-site gym with classes;
• Regular team socials and company-wide events;
• Flexible and hybrid working;
• Private medical insurance upon becoming permanent.