What Is a Land Development Manager and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

As a land development manager, your job is to oversee the development of property from the initial planning phase through the completion of residential, commercial, or industrial construction. In this role, you ensure that each plan meets all regulatory requirements, create and manage a development schedule, help survey the land to ensure all reports are accurate, and manage relationships with contractors. Land development managers often provide regular reports to property owners about the expected schedule and budget of a project, resolve any problems that occur with the development process, and perform any other tasks as required. Land development often takes several years from beginning to end, and depending on the needs of your employer, you may oversee several properties simultaneously.

The primary qualifications for becoming a land development manager are a high school diploma and several years of project management experience. Most employers prefer applicants who have a college degree in a relevant field, but this is not mandatory for all LDM positions. Experience is extremely useful in this field, so the more time you spend helping develop properties, the easier it is to find other jobs in the same field. Some people work as assistant managers to gain experience before applying for the primary manager role. Fulfilling the responsibilities and duties of a land development manager requires communication skills, negotiation skills, research skills, and the ability to memorize significant amounts of information about each project.