Construction recruitment
Construction recruitment in Brighton
YP Recruitment places project managers, site managers, quantity surveyors, and design managers in Brighton for contractors delivering the city's sustained residential and commercial construction programme, student accommodation schemes, seafront regeneration, and public sector projects for Brighton and Hove City Council and NHS Sussex. Brighton's construction market is driven by strong housing demand, a major university presence, and the city's proximity to London attracting commercial occupiers who require fitted-out office and co-working space. Salaries run from £30,000 for site managers to £65,000 for senior project directors.
The construction market in Brighton
Brighton's housing shortage is well-documented. The city's land constraints, bounded by the South Downs National Park to the north and the sea to the south, create a structural undersupply that has kept residential construction and conversion activity consistently high. Housebuilders, housing associations, and private developers are active in brownfield regeneration across Whitehawk, Hollingdean, and Brighton Marina, and the permitted development conversion market has driven a significant volume of office-to-residential and commercial-to-residential projects requiring site management and project management professionals.
Student accommodation development linked to the University of Brighton and Sussex University has produced a significant pipeline of PBSA (purpose-built student accommodation) schemes, typically procured by specialist operators on design and build contracts. These projects create demand for project managers with PBSA experience, site managers comfortable with high-rise timber frame or modular construction, and quantity surveyors familiar with student accommodation development appraisals. Contractors including McLaren, Bowmer and Kirkland, and regional South East builders are active in this space.
Brighton and Hove City Council's capital programme, covering school expansions, community facilities, and coastal infrastructure, creates public sector construction management demand. NHS Sussex's estate programme, including the Royal Sussex County Hospital's 3Ts Development which is one of the largest hospital redevelopment schemes in the UK, creates healthcare construction demand for project managers and site managers with NHS HTM compliance and infection control experience. The 3Ts programme has created a sustained pipeline of construction management roles for the Brighton healthcare construction market.
Construction salary benchmarks in Brighton
Site managers in Brighton earn £30,000 to £44,000. Quantity surveyors at mid-level earn £34,000 to £50,000. Contracts managers earn £46,000 to £58,000. Senior project managers on NHS or commercial schemes earn £52,000 to £65,000. Brighton salaries run 12-18% above Midlands equivalents, reflecting South East cost of living and competition with London-fringe employers for experienced construction professionals.
Construction roles we fill in Brighton
Site Manager
Residential, PBSA, and commercial. Brighton contractors. £30,000-£44,000.
Project Manager
NHS 3Ts, public sector, mixed-use. South Coast. £44,000-£58,000.
Quantity Surveyor
Main contractor. Brighton and South East. £34,000-£50,000.
Design Manager
D&B and framework. PBSA and commercial. £44,000-£56,000.
Contracts Manager
Multi-site residential and mixed-use. Brighton developer. £46,000-£60,000.
Project Director
Healthcare or major mixed-use. Brighton and Sussex. £58,000-£65,000+.
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