Land Division / Real Estate Head - (Strategy and Portfolio)

Executive Summary: Land Division Head (Strategy & Portfolio)

The Land Division Head is a senior strategic role responsible for the entire land lifecycle, from initial acquisition to the ultimate disposition or development of the parcel. This includes not only securing new land but, critically, maximizing the value of existing land assets through aggressive re-entitlement, re-division (subdivision/re-platting), and highest-and-best-use analysis. This executive drives portfolio performance by continuously seeking to optimize the density, use, and revenue derived from the company's current land holdings, ensuring they are always positioned for development readiness or strategic sale.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

The duties are divided into two primary strategic areas: New Acquisition and Portfolio Optimization.

1. New Land Acquisition and Sourcing:

Identify and source new land parcels that align with the company's long-term strategic goals and housing/commercial product needs.

Negotiate and structure purchase agreements and option contracts with landowners, brokers, and legal counsel.

Conduct and oversee comprehensive due diligence (title, environmental, geotechnical, traffic studies) to assess the viability and risk of potential acquisitions.

Determine the optimal lot yield and configuration (i.e., the initial division of the land) based on zoning, topography, and market demand.

2. Portfolio Management and Asset Optimization (Existing Assets)

Highest and Best Use (HBU) Analysis: Conduct periodic strategic reviews of all owned land parcels to confirm the existing entitlements/division plan is the most profitable and efficient.

Value-Add Repositioning: Spearhead efforts to re-entitle or re-zone existing land assets to increase density, change use (e.g., from residential to mixed-use), or secure value-capturing infrastructure agreements, thereby maximizing the asset's value and sale potential.

Example: Re-subdividing a 10-acre parcel zoned for five large lots into 20 smaller, higher-density lots to meet market demand and increase total lot revenue.

Strategic Disposition: Develop and execute a capital-efficient disposal strategy for underperforming, non-core, or fully entitled parcels to generate optimal capital receipts and maintain a lean, high-performing land portfolio.

Land Banking Strategy: Manage the optimal timing for parking (land banking) or releasing existing inventory into development phases, guided by market trends, infrastructure readiness, and capital objectives.

Inventory Management: Maintain a centralized, digital inventory of all land assets, tracking current zoning, entitlement status, carrying costs, and projected re-entitlement timelines.

3. Entitlement and Regulatory Management

Lead the entire entitlement process for both new and existing assets, including rezoning applications, preliminary plat submissions, and securing final development plan approvals from municipal bodies.

Manage and coordinate the work of external consultants (planners, engineers, surveyors) to create all necessary documentation for government submittals, focusing on achieving the optimized division/density for each asset.

Serve as the company's chief liaison at planning commission meetings, city council hearings, and public forums to secure project approvals for both new and repositioned assets.

Ensure all development plans strictly comply with local zoning ordinances, building codes, and environmental regulations.

4. Financial Analysis and Reporting

Prepare and manage detailed financial feasibility studies (pro formas) to evaluate new acquisitions and the profitability of existing asset repositioning strategies.

Track and manage all pre-development and carrying costs across the entire land portfolio, focusing on reducing holding periods for existing land.

Provide regular, high-level reports and presentations to the executive team on the status of the land pipeline, portfolio performance metrics (ROI on existing assets), and future land strategies.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Real Estate Management, Business Administration, or related field; a Master's degree is an advantage.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in land development, property management, or real estate business development, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong background in strategic planning, project management, and market analysis.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge of land acquisition processes, permitting, and property valuation.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.