Development Manager, Commercial

Development Manager, Commercial

Position type: Full-time

About Sydney Airport

At Sydney Airport, we connect the world and shape the future of air travel. We create amazing experiences backed by significant capital investment in new, improved infrastructure. We're a dynamic, fast-paced workplace where fresh challenges arrive daily, supported by positive team players and inspiring leaders who adapt to change, own every action, and strive to do things better.

As smart problem-solvers, we collaborate across teams, readily sharing knowledge and learning together. SYD is united in the pride that comes with welcoming the world at Australia's premier gateway.

About the role

We're looking for a Commercial Development Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping Sydney Airport's long-term commercial future by identifying, validating and progressing high-value development opportunities across our diverse estate.

Reporting to the Commercial Development Lead, this role sits at the heart of Sydney Airport's capital investment framework. You'll lead opportunities from early concept and feasibility through to final business case approval, guiding sponsors and senior stakeholders to make confident, evidence-based investment decisions.

You'll work across a broad portfolio of land, precinct and asset opportunities—translating ambiguous ideas into robust, decision-ready development concepts that unlock long-term commercial, operational and customer value.

Key responsibilities

• Identify and shape high-value land and asset opportunities across the airport precinct
• Test and validate concepts through upfront feasibility, including market demand, planning pathways, development economics, risk and operational impact
• Challenge assumptions and explore alternative land-use scenarios to determine highest and best use
• Translate ambiguous ideas into clearly defined, evidence-based development opportunities
• Partner with Finance to build and interrogate commercial and financial models (DCF, IRR, NPV, sensitivities)
• Prepare clear, decision-ready opportunity briefs and business cases for senior leadership and investment forums
• Act as a sponsor delegate, guiding opportunities through governance and stage gates
• Collaborate across Commercial, Planning & Delivery, Operations, Finance and external advisors to ensure alignment and feasibility
• Support benefits realisation and value optimisation through the project lifecycle

About you

You're a commercially minded development professional who thrives in complexity and ambiguity. You're comfortable challenging thinking, influencing senior stakeholders and balancing commercial returns with operational, customer and long-term strategic outcomes.

Requirements

• Tertiary qualification in Property Economics, Property Development, Urban Planning, Valuation, Commerce, Engineering, Architecture or similar
• Strong experience in early-stage development, feasibility and business case development
• 5+ years' experience in a comparable development, strategy or commercial role
• Proven experience partnering with finance teams on development economics and option analysis
• Exposure to large-scale capital investment decision-making and senior executive presentations
• Ability to work effectively in live operating environments where trade-offs matter

Favourable experience

• Experience gained across retail, transport, infrastructure or property environments
• Background in property development, infrastructure owners/operators, major landholders, consulting, REITs or complex mixed-use precincts

What we offer

To find out more about the amazing work environment at SYD, visit the Join us section of Sydney Airport's website, where you can learn about our flexible culture and work practices, alongside our other employee benefits. You can also check out our LinkedIn Sydney Airport: Life page.

Equal Opportunities

SYD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages all suitably qualified applicants to apply, including First Nations Australians and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.