Land Development Project Manager Jobs in California

Director of Land
Land Acquisition | Entitlements | Forward Planning | Land Development 
Job Summary
Reporting directly to the President, the Director of Land provides strategic leadership for all land-related operations, including land acquisition, forward planning, land development, and vertical project management. This individual is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and securing new land opportunities while leading the entitlement, development, and pre-construction process through community start-up. The Director of Land plays a key role in maintaining the Company's land pipeline and ensuring projects remain on schedule to achieve annual home delivery goals.
Key Responsibilities
Land Acquisition

• Lead the Company's land acquisition strategy by sourcing, evaluating, negotiating, and closing new land opportunities.
• Build and maintain relationships with brokers, developers, landowners, investors, and industry partners.
• Negotiate and execute LOIs, purchase agreements, and land contracts with legal counsel.
• Prepare and maintain acquisition pro formas, financial models, and underwriting throughout the life of each project.
• Manage due diligence, including title review, environmental studies, feasibility analyses, permit fees, and development constraints.

• Direct entitlement efforts from acquisition through final approvals, including General Plan Amendments, Specific Plans, Tentative & Final Maps, Development Agreements, and Design Review.
• Oversee zoning analysis, municipal code compliance, CEQA requirements, permitting, and agency coordination.
• Manage project schedules for acquisition, entitlement, permitting, and development milestones.
• Oversee DRE processing, CC&Rs, HOA formation, disclosures, and sales documentation.
• Provide leadership and direction to the Forward Planning Manager throughout the entitlement and pre-development process.

• Oversee engineering, improvement plans, budgets, contracts, bidding, construction, and field operations.
• Monitor project schedules and hold teams accountable for key milestones including paving, model starts, production starts, occupancy, first close, and bond exoneration.
• Review and approve development budgets, forecasts, and value engineering recommendations.
• Provide leadership and support to the Land Development Project Manager.

• Provide strategic oversight for new community start-up from architectural approvals through first construction start.
• Coordinate with Purchasing, Construction, Sales, Marketing, and Land Development to ensure community readiness.
• Review schedules, permitting progress, and critical milestone reporting.

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Land Department, including Forward Planning, Land Development, Vertical Project Management, and administrative staff.
• Conduct performance reviews, establish accountability, and support employee growth.
• Partner with Construction, Purchasing, Finance, Sales, and Marketing to ensure project alignment.
• Provide regular project updates, risk assessments, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership.
• Participate in business planning, project reviews, and executive meetings.

• Bachelor's degree in Real Estate Development, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in residential land acquisition, entitlement, and land development.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing multidisciplinary land teams.
• Proven success sourcing, negotiating, and closing residential land transactions.
• Extensive entitlement experience including zoning, CEQA, Tentative & Final Maps, Development Agreements, and permitting.
• Homebuilding experience required.
• Experience managing multiple active residential communities preferred.
• Valid Driver's License and reliable transportation.

• Forward Planning Manager
• Land Development Project Manager
• Forward Planning (Vertical) Project Manager
• Land Administrator / Intern(s)

• Residential land acquisition and underwriting
• Financial modeling and pro forma analysis
• Contract negotiation and due diligence
• Entitlements, CEQA, zoning, and municipal approvals
• Land development budgeting and project management
• Cross-functional leadership and team development
• Strategic planning and market analysis
• Strong communication, presentation, and negotiation skills
• Budget management and financial acumen

• Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook) and Microsoft Project or similar scheduling software