Director of Land Acquisition

Position Overview: This position is responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and underwriting the purchases of new communities for Ashton Woods / Starlight Homes.

Duties and Responsibilities: (Including but not limited to)

• Source raw land engineered and developed lot market-targeted land opportunities.
• Draft Letters of Intent utilizing best business practices, securing land assets at or below market price.
• Negotiate contracts directly with landowners and developers.
• Negotiate joint development agreements with other builders and developers.
• Provide accurate timing for entitlement and proposed development.
• Collaborate with the entitlement and development team and engineers to ensure an efficient concept land plan and cost analyses.
• Work with market analysts to monitor competitive local home building prices and practices.
• Perform land use and financial analysis for new land acquisitions while accurately forecasting vertical and horizontal development cost, permits and impact fees.
• Manage due diligence materials for project feasibility land books using outside vendor base, local municipality contacts, engineers, and attorneys), and consider relevant information (e.g., geotechnical reports, environmental reports, endangered species reports, traffic reports, utilities systems, survey and title analysis).
• Understand and research jurisdictional development and building requirements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Finance, Business, Urban Planning or equivalent years of experience in land acquisitions with a production builder required.
• 3-5 years of homebuilding experience preferred.
• 5 years of land acquisition and/or entitlement experience preferred.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Ability to make decisions based on construction knowledge when necessary, due to unexpected field conditions.
• Extreme self-motivation.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize several tasks without compromising quality of work or mission deadlines.
• Proven organization skills in a high paced work environment.
• Ability to review, analyze and interpret information as well as trouble-shoot to solve problems.
• Knowledge of Business English and ability to communicate patiently and professionally with both internal and external customers both orally and in writing.
• Ability to adapt in a changing workplace.
• Computer literacy, proficiency with Outlook, Excel, Word, Power Point and ability to learn new programs as needed.
• A strong understanding of Microsoft Excel is required.

Experience:

• Home building or real estate experience preferred.
• Land Acquisition, Entitlement, or Finance background with strong analytical skills preferred.
• Residential land development experience a plus.

Typical Physical and Mental Demands:

• Must be able to read, write, and speak fluently in English. Spanish language skills are helpful.
• Employees in the position are required to be able to hear and have vision sufficient to utilize all office equipment.
• Use of hands and fingers is required to utilize standard office equipment.
• Use of feet and legs required to walk, climb and maneuver within construction sites.
• Requires occasional lifting up to 50 pounds.

These physical requirements are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions if requested.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in a typical office environment and may involve the use of standard office equipment. Regular field visits are expected. Fast paced environment subject to numerous schedule and priority change and short notice activity.