Early Stage Project Development Assistant Director

Shape the Future with the National Wealth Fund

At the National Wealth Fund, our mission is to swiftly and effectively mobilise trusted sector insights and investment expertise to unlock billions in private finance for projects across the United Kingdom. Providing £27.8bn of capital and an expanded mandate, we are ready to help the market invest with confidence, continue to drive forward the Government's growth ambitions.

We are looking for skilled and results oriented individuals who are motivated to help us build the National Wealth Fund into an industry-leading institution.

Job Purpose

As part of the National Wealth Fund’s mission to support clean energy transition and drive local and regional economic growth, the Local Authority (LA) function plays a key role in enabling technically complex and innovative infrastructure investments.

The LA function is working increasingly in partnership with Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), city regions and local leaders supporting the development of their local growth plans and investment pipelines. NWF is working with four Strategic Partnerships (Greater Manchester Combined Authority, West Midlands Combined Authority, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Glasgow City Region) through its Regional Project Accelerator offer.

The Regional Project Accelerator model is transforming how the LA function delivers advisory services, moving to longer and deeper involvement in nationally important or regionally ambitious infrastructure projects that drive growth and/or deliver towards the clean energy transition.

The Early Stage Project Development Assistant Director role will involve working intensively (location being predominantly client-based) with one or more of our Strategic Partnerships areas (including their constituent local authorities) to help accelerate projects from feasibility to finance. The Assistant Director will have strong project development and programme management skills, a track record of working on, or leading elements of, the development of successful project business cases. The role will help Strategic Partners, or their constituent local authorities, progress projects from feasibility to finance.

The role will be an integral part of the delivery of our LA advisory and lending services, working as part of a delivery team, and collaborating with NWF sector and investment teams, to develop investible projects. The LA function’s areas of focus include building retrofit and energy system decarbonisation, clean energy and heat networks, transport, and place-based investment, with scope to expand sectors as NWF’s remit evolves.

The Assistant Director will work with one or more Strategic Partners (or one or more of its local authorities) on the development of specific projects or programmes that NWF, through the Strategic Partnership process, as agreed to provide more embedded intensive support. The nature or the required support and length of involvement with each project or programme will vary and the role will involve working on-site with the relevant local authority project team. We are looking for individuals who are prepared to travel for a proportion of the working week.

Location: Hybrid working with a minimum of 3 days per week in the Leeds office

Salary: £70,000 - £95,000

Deadline to Apply: 18th Feb 2026. Early submission is encouraged, and applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis

Core role accountabilities

• Represent the NWF - cement the NWF’s reputation as a centre of excellence in supporting the development and financing of nationally and regionally important infrastructure projects. Working with NWF Strategic Partnership Directors and Early Stage Project Development Directors, the role will work with the local authorities to accelerate the pace at which projects in their pipelines are taken through the development stage lifecycle. 
• Delivery of defined scopes of work – working with one of our Early Stage Project Development Directors provide capacity and capability to drive forward the development of projects and their business cases, working in-depth on specific financial and commercial aspects of projects or a five-case strategic or outline business case.

• Project Support and Problem Solving - work effectively with local authority officers and (where applicable) external consultants to contribute to effective project development. Support authorities in identifying commercially viable and sustainable solutions aligned with NWF’s principles.
• Team Collaboration and Development - work collaboratively within the LA function and across NWF teams to share knowledge and contribute to a high-performing, inclusive culture. Support the development of tools, resources, and processes that enhance NWF’s advisory and lending offer.
• Knowledge sharing - use prior knowledge and the experience gained through working with our Strategic Partners on project development, to support the LA Function to develop and implement guidance and materials that can be more widely shared with other local authorities through the NWF local government Knowledge Service.

Knowledge, Skill and Experience requirements  

• Proven experience in early project development and the business case process (five case model), particularly financial and commercial cases but also economic and management cases and feasibility and options appraisal exercises.  
• Experience of partnership working and managing advisory engagements; including working with other organisations critical to the development of business cases (technical, financial, legal, etc), understanding the interdependencies between workstreams and the ability to lead defined aspects of work.
• Sector knowledge and experience of project / business case development in one or more of the NWF LA functions core areas of focus (building retrofit and energy system decarbonisation, clean energy and heat networks, transport, and place-based investment).
• Knowledge of local authority governance processes and high-level understanding of local authority finances and funding sources for business case development.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to take ownership of and lead presentations to senior stakeholders.
• Strong communicator with the ability to provide objective, critical friend support to Strategic Partners on project development. 
• Collaborative team player with a commitment to NWF’s mission and values.

A career with us offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact and work on cutting-edge technologies that will drive the UK’s future. We value diversity in our people and inclusion is at the heart of what we do.

We offer competitive benefits and unique learning opportunities from combining both private and public sector skills and experience. Please note, referencing and background checks are carried out for all roles here at the National Wealth Fund.