Vacancy Announcement
Its diversified portfolio spans multiple sectors, including banking, real estate development, wholesale and retail, asset management, tourism, logistics, education, and entertainment.
With a workforce of approximately 5,500 professionals, BALFIN Group continues to grow steadily, guided by strong business ethics, financial stability, innovation, and a long-term commitment to community impact through Mane Foundation.
Job Position: Project Director BALFIN Germany
Department: International Investments and Asset Management
Location: Hannover, Germany (ideally near Düsseldorf or Cologne)
Overview
Balfin Group is a value-add investment management company that is active in Western Europe and North America and has recently entered the German market. The Group’s investment strategy primarily focuses on the identification of investment opportunities in relation to which - by (for example) repositioning, reconstruction, repurposing, extension, rebranding or operational enhancement - substantial added values may be achieved. The Group favors investments in sectors including hospitality and living but is willing to investigate special situations by benefiting from its quick decision-making ability and financial strength.
The Development Director has overall accountability for the compliant and efficient administration of the Group's activities and performance in Germany and for the performance of the commercial real estate assets the Group has already acquired or to invest into. The role leads business development[CT1] activities in the German market for new opportunities, the transformation of acquired properties, including procurement and management of all required consultants and contractors, tenant fit-out delivery, leasing, operational readiness and stabilization, and remains accountable for the assets' performance after stabilization.
Acting as BALFIN's senior local representative, the Development Director converts the approved investment strategy and business plan into disciplined local execution. The position operates within the respective SPVs’ constitutional documents, formal powers of representation, approved budgets and the BALFIN Group delegation of authority, and ensures timely escalation of matters requiring Group-level approval.
Main Responsibilities
Corporate Administration, Governance and Representation
- Manage the operational aspects of Group’s entities in Germany, ensuring that the companies remain properly organized, compliant and able to support the Group's investments and real estate activities in Germany.
- Coordinate all statutory and corporate-governance requirements, including commercial-register matters, corporate records, shareholder and management resolutions, powers of attorney, regulatory notifications and retention of official documentation.
- Oversee outsourced accounting, tax, payroll, legal, audit and corporate-secretarial services; ensure complete and timely information, filings, payments, annual accounts and responses to authorities.
- Manage bank accounts, payment and invoice-approval processes, cash requirements, insurance coverage, company contracts, office and administrative services, and the controlled maintenance of records and data.
- Establish fit-for-purpose internal procedures and controls in accordance with both the German requirements and BALFIN Group’s policies, including procurement, contracting, financial approvals, compliance, data protection and document management.
- Maintain a reliable network of local professional advisers and service providers, monitoring their quality, cost, responsiveness and compliance with agreed scopes of work.
- Establish and maintain professional and constructive relationship with stakeholders of local authorities, financial institutions, potential partners, developers, contractors and advisers.
2. Commercial Real Estate Transformation and Project Oversight
- Translate each approved investment case into an integrated asset-transformation plan covering design, permitting, procurement, construction or conversion, tenant fit-out, leasing, commissioning, handover and operational launch.
- Propose and validate alternative scenarios on the development concept of the projects provided that such recommendations would enhance asset value, decrease implementation costs and the time required for completion.
- Oversee feasibility validation, technical due diligence and the definition of the asset concept, scope, phasing, development budget, schedule, quality standards and stabilization targets.
- Coordinate architects, engineers, project and cost managers, technical specialists and statutory consultants to obtain the designs, approvals and permits required for the intended commercial use.
- Monitor conversion and redevelopment works from design through completion, ensuring compliance with approved specifications, German building and safety requirements, sustainability expectations, budget and schedule.
- Apply disciplined change control, value engineering, cost-to-complete forecasting, quality assurance and risk management; challenge deviations and implement corrective measures early.
- Oversee testing, inspections, certifications, practical completion, defect rectification, as-built documentation, warranties and formal handover of the transformed properties.
3. Procurement and Contractor Management
- Plan and manage the procurement of the external parties that may be required for the conversion and operation of the assets, including designers, engineers, project managers, general contractors, specialist trades, tenant fit-out contractors, leasing agents, property and facility managers and other advisers.
- Prepare or validate procurement strategies, scopes of work, technical and commercial tender documentation, bidder shortlists, evaluation criteria and tender timetables.
- Lead transparent prequalification, tendering, bid clarification, evaluation and negotiation processes, documenting recommendations and obtaining approvals in accordance with the Group's delegation of authority.
- Negotiate commercially sound contracts with clear deliverables, milestones, pricing, securities, insurance, performance standards, warranties, remedies and reporting requirements.
- Administer or oversee contracts throughout delivery, including performance reviews, payment certifications, variations, claims, extensions, disputes, close-out and supplier accountability.
- Maintain competitive tension and benchmark costs while protecting quality, schedule, compliance and the long-term value of the properties.
4. Leasing, Tenant Coordination and Fit-Out Delivery
- Develop and execute the leasing strategy for each property in line with the approved positioning, target tenant mix, rental assumptions, occupancy objectives and investment returns.
- Appoint and manage leasing agents and brokers, maintain an active prospect pipeline, monitor market rents and competing supply, and provide regular leasing forecasts and recommendations.
- Lead or oversee commercial negotiations with prospective and existing tenants, including heads of terms, leases, incentives, security packages, indexation, service charges, break options and landlord obligations, subject to required approvals.
- Define and control the interface between landlord works and tenant works; issue fit-out requirements, review tenant designs and ensure compliance with lease conditions, technical standards, permits, health and safety rules and the overall asset concept.
- Procure and manage tenant fit-out contractors whenever works are delivered or funded by the landlord, and coordinate access, sequencing, inspections, snagging, handover and opening-readiness across tenants.
- Resolve tenant and contractor interface issues promptly so that fit-outs and unit openings support the asset's overall conversion and stabilization timetable.
5. Stabilization and Operational Readiness
- Define a measurable stabilization plan for each property, including completion of conversion works, tenant handovers and openings, occupancy, rental-income, net operating income, service-quality and operating-readiness targets.
- Establish the operating model before launch, including property and facility management, lease administration, service-charge management, maintenance, utilities, security, cleaning, emergency response and tenant communication arrangements.
- Make recommendations on the organizational structure and then execute the recruitment of the necessary local team and/or procure outsourced operating partners; ensure clear responsibilities, procedures, systems, budgets, service levels and performance measures are in place.
- Lead the transition from project delivery to business-as-usual operations, including transfer of contracts, technical documentation, permits, warranties, risk registers, open defects and landlord obligations.
- Monitor the ramp-up period intensively, remove operational bottlenecks and implement recovery plans where leasing, opening, income, cost or service targets are at risk.
- Confirm stabilization only when the approved technical, leasing, operational and financial criteria have been achieved and substantiated through reliable reporting.
6. Post-Stabilization Property and Asset Performance
- Retain overall accountability for the commercial and operational performance of the properties after stabilization, whether activities are managed internally or through external property and facility-management providers.
- Approve and monitor annual property budgets, operating expenditure, service-charge recovery, maintenance and lifecycle-capex plans, cash collection and net operating income against the business plan.
- Oversee day-to-day property management, preventive and corrective maintenance, statutory inspections, health and safety, security, cleaning, utilities, insurance matters and business-continuity arrangements.
- Manage tenant relationships, lease compliance, invoicing and collections, arrears, rent reviews and indexation, renewals, expansions, relocations and exit processes.
- Drive ongoing leasing and asset-optimization initiatives to reduce vacancy, improve tenant retention and income, control costs, protect asset quality and enhance long-term value.
- Monitor property and facility managers against agreed service levels and KPIs, conduct periodic performance reviews and replace or remediate underperforming providers when necessary.
- Provide operational and commercial input to refinancing, valuation, capital planning, further redevelopment or disposal decisions, as requested by BALFIN Group.
7. Financial Management, Risk, Leadership and Reporting
- Prepare and manage company and property budgets, forecasts, cash-flow requirements and business-plan updates, ensuring disciplined control of capital expenditure, operating expenditure and commitments.
- Review and comment/propose expenditure and contractual commitments; ensure that payment requests are supported by valid contracts, approvals, evidence of delivery and accurate certification.
- Maintain effective relationships and reporting with financing banks and other funding partners, and ensure compliance with financing conditions, covenants, information requirements and insurance obligations.
- Maintain an up-to-date risk register covering corporate, permitting, construction, commercial, tenant, operational, financial and compliance risks, with clear mitigation actions and accountable owners.
- Provide concise and decision-oriented reporting to BALFIN Group on company administration, project progress, procurement, budget, schedule, leasing, fit-outs, stabilization, operations, risks and key decisions required.
- Build, lead and develop the local organization and create effective collaboration among employees, Group functions, contractors, advisers and operating partners.
- Escalate material deviations, claims, disputes, compliance issues or threats to the approved investment return promptly, together with clear analysis and recommended actions
Requirements
- University degree in real estate, business administration, finance, engineering, construction management or a related discipline;
- At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in commercial real estate, including significant leadership and direct accountability for business, property or portfolio performance.
- Proven personal and leading responsibility in project and asset management in major German cities for at least 10 years at reputable development, asset and investment management companies;
- Demonstrated end-to-end experience with commercial real estate conversion, redevelopment, repositioning or value-add projects, from planning and procurement through completion and stabilization.
- Strong, hands-on experience in commercial leasing and property management is essential; experience across both disciplines is expected, not merely oversight of a construction project.
- Proven experience coordinating tenant fit-outs and managing the interfaces among tenants, designers, contractors, leasing teams and property operations.
- Strong procurement, tendering, contract-negotiation and contractor-management experience across professional services and construction or fit-out works.
- Sound financial and commercial capability, including capital and operating budgets, cash-flow forecasting, cost control, lease economics, service charges and net operating income.
- Experience managing a German legal entity and/or commercial properties in Germany is strongly preferred; solid knowledge of the German commercial real estate market and local regulatory environment is highly desirable.
- Experience working with external legal, tax, accounting, audit and banking advisers and maintaining sound corporate administration and governance.
- Business fluency in German and English, with the ability to negotiate and report effectively in both languages.
Skills and Competencies
- General-management ownership and an entrepreneurial, hands-on approach.
- Commercial real estate judgment and strong landlord and tenant orientation.
- Execution discipline across multiple interdependent workstreams and stakeholders.
- Procurement, negotiation, contract and supplier-performance management.
- Financial acumen, analytical thinking and disciplined cost control.
- Strong governance, compliance awareness and attention to detail.
- Proactive risk identification, problem solving and decisive escalation.
- Credible stakeholder management and representation at senior level.
- Ability to build and lead a lean local organization while managing outsourced specialists effectively.
- Clear, concise and decision-oriented communication and reporting.
Benefits
What We Offer
- An attractive benefit package, including fair remuneration based on merit and performance evaluation.
- An exceptional opportunity to develop your skills and growth within BALFIN Group.
- Recognition Rewards
Application Procedure: To apply for this position, please submit a CV by August 11th, 2026.
