Development Associate Jobs in Fort Lauderdale, FL

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:

Kolter Multifamily LLC (together with its affiliates, “Kolter Multifamily”), is focused on the acquisition and development of market-rate and affordable rental communities with proximity to employment and shopping. Kolter Multifamily focuses on urban and suburban rental communities that are strategically located to allow residents to enjoy the best of the surrounding area, with prime locations and on-site amenities that create enduring value.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Development Associate will support and help lead the execution of Kolter Multifamily’s development pipeline. Position responsibilities will span the full cycle of the development process and include market research, underwriting, financing packages, site feasibility, due diligence, entitlements, design coordination, permitting, construction coordination support, project reporting, and pre-leasing/turnover coordination through stabilization. 

The Development Associate will work closely with senior development leadership, construction, design consultants, municipalities, capital partners, lenders, legal, accounting, property management, and marketing/leasing teams to advance projects efficiently while protecting each project’s business plan, schedule, budget, and overall development strategy. 

This role is designed for individuals seeking to build a long-term career within a leading multifamily development platform, with opportunities for increasing responsibility and advancement into senior development leadership positions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Acquisition, Underwriting & Site Feasibility

• Support the pursuit and evaluation of new multifamily development opportunities, including market research, rent assumptions, operating expense assumptions, development budgets, return metrics, and sensitivity analyses.
• Assist with site selection, acquisition diligence, feasibility analysis, and preparation of materials for investment committee review.
• Coordinate site planning and yield analysis with the development team, architects, civil engineers, landscape architects, land planners, and other consultants.
• Identify utility locations, coordinate utility capacity diligence, and obtain will-serve letters or other agency confirmations where required.
• Participate in the initial budgeting process during acquisition and predevelopment, including tracking contingencies, scope assumptions, and key risk items.

Consultant Management, Entitlements & Permitting

• Solicit consultant proposals, help define scopes of work, and coordinate site-related consultants throughout due diligence, design, entitlement, and permitting.
• Schedule and coordinate municipal and agency submittals to meet contract milestones and project schedule requirements.
• Attend hearings, municipal meetings, neighborhood meetings, and consultant strategy sessions; work with consultants to prepare exhibits and advance entitlement strategies.
• Confirm that conditions of approval are accurately reflected in the project budget, schedule, plans, and development program.
• Track jurisdictional review comments, resubmittals, approvals, and permit milestones to support permit issuance by the target date.

Design, Budget & Schedule Coordination

• Coordinate regular design meetings with architects, civil engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, branding/signage consultants, and other project team members.
• Help advance plans from concept design through construction documents, ensuring design decisions, specifications, pricing items, and value-engineering decisions are resolved in a timely manner.
• Coordinate senior leadership review and buy-in on final design direction, unit mix, amenity program, exterior materials, interiors, signage, branding, and project specifications.
• Work with construction and design consultants to confirm project design decisions remain aligned with the allocated budget and approved business plan.
• Create and maintain project schedules in coordination with construction, development leadership, and consultants; monitor milestones, critical path items, and open action items.

Construction Coordination & Project Execution

• Coordinate with the construction team as initial budgets are compiled for new deals and as buyout progresses.
• Review monthly buyout updates, budget revisions, major change orders, and intents to award against the approved business plan and project assumptions.
• Provide timely design-related decisions and coordination support during construction to maintain the project schedule and avoid unnecessary cost or schedule impacts.
• Support coordination among development, construction, property management, leasing, marketing, and asset management as the project progresses toward turnover, lease-up, stabilization, and disposition planning where applicable.

Reporting, Communication & Team Coordination

• Prepare and maintain accurate project status reports, weekly updates, meeting agendas, action-item trackers, schedules, budget summaries, and risk logs.
• Provide thoughtful updates to senior development leadership and coordinate information flow among internal teams, consultants, municipalities, lenders, equity partners, and other stakeholders.
• Track open issues, deadlines, approvals, submittals, consultant deliverables, and key project risks to ensure timely resolution.
• Identify areas for improvement and offer suggestions to improve efficiency, profitability, quality, and productivity across the development process.
• Represent the Company with professionalism, integrity, urgency, and enthusiasm in interactions with consultants, municipalities, vendors, partners, and other external stakeholders.

CANDIDATE PROFILE:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably with a concentration in real estate, finance, economics, business, engineering, construction management, architecture, urban planning, or a related field.
•  3 - 6 years of experience with ground-up multifamily development.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and project coordination skills.Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Project; ability to learn and apply new software and technology tools, including AI-assisted research.
• Ability to read and interpret financial reports, market comps, market reports, contracts, development schedules, construction plans, and other related work documents.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, consultants, and internal stakeholders simultaneously in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.

Preferred

• MBA, Master of Real Estate Development, or other relevant graduate degree preferred.
• Prior experience as a Development Associate, development analyst, acquisitions analyst, project manager, construction coordinator, or similar real estate development role.
• Familiarity with financial underwriting, development budgets, market analysis, legal documents, design coordination, and municipal approval processes.

Key Attributes

• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, urgency, and follow-through.
• High attention to detail while remaining mindful of deadlines, investment objectives, and overall project goals.
• Strong judgment, problem-solving skills, and ability to communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Process oriented; able to organize tasks, track decisions, and chart the steps necessary for timely completion.
• Collaborative team player who can work effectively up and down an organizational hierarchy and adapt to different audiences, including partners, vendors, contractors, lenders, investors, and senior executives.
• Unquestioned integrity, professional maturity, and interest in growing within a vertically integrated multifamily development platform.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Primarily indoors in a professional office environment, with occasional requirements to tour properties, development sites, and construction sites outdoors. The working environment is entrepreneurial and collaborative, with significant opportunity for professional growth in the multifamily development industry.

ADA REQUIREMENTS:

Physical Demands - The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

·        The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

·        While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel, talk, and hear.

Vision Requirements - Close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of roles, activities, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the position. This description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position. The Kolter Group reserves the right to revise the position or to require that other or different activities be performed when circumstances change (i.e., emergencies, changes in personnel or workload, rush jobs, or technological developments).

The employee is encouraged to ask questions of the supervisor or human resources department regarding this job description and its application. This position description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of essential job duties; the requirements listed are representative of the minimum levels of knowledge, skills and abilities required for the position.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and optional cover letter to kmf-jobs@kolter.com.

Please include "Development Associate" in the subject line of your email.