Development Manager – Commercial Real Estate

A national, multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and development firm needs a Development Manager in Newport Beach, CA to run commercial land development from site evaluation through entitlement, permitting, and construction readiness. You'll be the client's primary point of contact across multiple projects and multi-site programs, accountable for schedule, budget, and delivery. It's a senior seat for someone who's led entitlement and civil coordination across many jurisdictions and wants client ownership, not just task management.

What you'll do

• Lead the full commercial land development lifecycle for multiple projects and multi-site programs: site feasibility and selection support, due diligence, entitlement and zoning, civil and design coordination, permitting, and pre-construction readiness.
• Serve as the primary Development Services point of contact for clients, partnering with Directors of Real Estate, Directors of Construction, Real Estate Managers, Design Managers, Construction PMs, and Store Planning teams.
• Manage jurisdictional approvals, including zoning approvals, conditional use permits, variances, site plan approvals, and development agreements, and represent clients with municipalities, utilities, and regulatory agencies.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of civil engineers, architects, surveyors, geotechnical, environmental, and traffic consultants, attorneys, and other specialists.
• Own project budgets, forecasting, cost control, and monthly invoicing, and negotiate consultant scope and fees.
• Give technical guidance on site planning, utility coordination, stormwater and drainage, grading, access, and constructability.
• Mentor and train Development Services team members and take part in hiring.

What you bring

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Planning, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in commercial land development.
• Experience managing land development for commercial multi-site programs or multiple complex, large projects at the same time.
• Experience as the client representative through every phase: managing consultant teams, working with multiple jurisdictions, and representing the client at public hearings.
• Thorough knowledge of civil engineering principles, site design, grading, drainage, infrastructure, zoning, and jurisdictional approval processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar scheduling software and document management platforms preferred.
• Willingness to travel throughout the United States.

Why this role

• You're the client's lead advisor on land development strategy, risk, feasibility, entitlement, and permitting timelines.
• You'll help identify opportunities to expand services and strengthen client partnerships.
• You report to the Managing Director of Development Services and may supervise Development Services staff on your projects.
• The work spans multi-site commercial programs across multiple jurisdictions nationwide.

Compensation: $100,000 – $130,000 per year

Location: Newport Beach, CA

Apply now to start a confidential conversation with our recruiting team.

Our client is an Equal Opportunity Employer.