A growing commercial real estate development organization is seeking a highly experienced Senior Development Project Manager to lead the planning and execution of complex development projects throughout Florida.

This is an owner/developer-side position that participates throughout the full development lifecycle—from initial opportunity evaluation and conceptual planning through due diligence, design, entitlements, permitting, construction coordination, and project delivery.

The Senior Development Project Manager will serve as both a project leader and trusted technical resource to development, construction, leasing, finance, and organizational leadership. This individual will help evaluate development opportunities, identify risks early, improve project economics, manage consultants, and translate complex technical issues into practical business decisions.

Projects may include retail, grocery-anchored developments, mixed-use projects, healthcare, multifamily, hospitality, industrial, and master-planned developments.

The ideal candidate combines deep real estate development experience with strong technical knowledge of site/civil development, design management, project controls, permitting, budgeting, scheduling, and lease-driven project execution. This role is well suited for someone who is strategic enough to influence early development decisions while remaining hands-on enough to drive projects through execution.

Key Accountabilities

Lead commercial real estate development projects from early planning and feasibility through design, permitting, construction coordination, turnover, and delivery.
Partner with development leadership during opportunity evaluation, conceptualization, due diligence, and development planning.
Evaluate potential developments from an execution perspective, including zoning, entitlement requirements, utilities, infrastructure, environmental conditions, constructability, cost drivers, schedule constraints, and lease-delivery risks.
Provide technical and execution-related input that supports sound investment and development decisions.
Lead site, civil, and architectural design efforts from initial concept through construction documentation.
Coordinate architects, civil engineers, surveyors, geotechnical engineers, environmental consultants, utility providers, specialty consultants, and other project partners.
Establish clear consultant scopes, expectations, schedules, deliverables, and accountability.
Lead entitlement, permitting, and governmental approval efforts in coordination with municipalities, public agencies, utility providers, and regulatory stakeholders.
Develop permitting strategies that support project schedules and proactively address approval dependencies and regulatory risks.
Develop and maintain project budgets, forecasts, commitments, and variance reporting.
Manage integrated project schedules, critical paths, milestones, and recovery plans.
Identify cost and schedule risks early and develop practical mitigation strategies.
Lead value-engineering and cost-optimization efforts throughout planning, design, and execution.
Evaluate constructability and identify opportunities to improve project efficiency without compromising quality, durability, operational requirements, or partner commitments.
Coordinate project requirements associated with leases, tenant obligations, landlord and tenant scopes, delivery milestones, and turnover requirements.
Partner with construction teams throughout execution, turnover, and closeout to resolve design issues, coordinate consultants, and maintain alignment with project objectives.
Maintain clear communication regarding project performance, risks, milestones, decisions, and financial impacts.
Maintain organized project documentation, approvals, permits, contracts, drawings, and project records.
Serve as a technical resource to other project managers through project reviews, coaching, knowledge sharing, and problem solving.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of project management standards, tools, templates, reporting processes, and development workflows.
Build strong relationships across development, construction, leasing, finance, operations, consultants, contractors, tenants, and public agencies.
Operate with a service-oriented mindset by anticipating execution needs, identifying solutions, and helping internal development partners move opportunities forward.

Minimum / Preferred Requirements

Minimum Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience managing complex real estate development projects.
Demonstrated experience leading commercial, retail, mixed-use, healthcare, multifamily, hospitality, industrial, or master-planned development projects.
Strong understanding of the full real estate development lifecycle, including due diligence, planning, entitlement, permitting, design, construction, turnover, and project delivery.
Significant experience managing architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, municipalities, and other external stakeholders.
Strong understanding of site and civil development, infrastructure planning, utilities, permitting, and development-related technical issues.
Experience managing project budgets, forecasts, schedules, commitments, project controls, and variance reporting.
Ability to evaluate development opportunities and identify technical, cost, schedule, permitting, infrastructure, and constructability risks.
Demonstrated experience leading design management and consultant coordination.
Experience supporting lease-driven development requirements, tenant coordination, or similar delivery commitments.
Ability to translate complex technical information into clear recommendations and business decisions.
Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with developers, executives, consultants, contractors, tenants, and governmental agencies.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and project budgeting, scheduling, and reporting tools.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced development environment while maintaining strong follow-through and accountability.

Preferred Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Real Estate Development, or a related field.
Background in civil engineering, land development, site development, architecture, construction, or another technically oriented development discipline.
Significant experience managing site/civil design and permitting for commercial real estate development projects.
Experience managing projects within Florida municipalities and regulatory environments.
Strong familiarity with zoning, entitlements, utilities, infrastructure, permitting, and governmental approval processes.
Experience with value engineering, cost optimization, constructability reviews, and development feasibility analysis.
Experience working directly for a real estate developer, owner, or owner-representative organization.
Experience with complex developments involving multiple tenants, parcels, infrastructure components, or simultaneous project scopes.
Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus but is not required.
Demonstrated ability to mentor other project professionals and improve project management processes, tools, and standards.
Hands-on, collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence others through technical credibility, judgment, and relationships rather than formal authority.
Strong work ethic, attention to detail, integrity, and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.