Director I - Division Land Development

Meritage Homes Corporation•Biloxi, MS

About The Position

The Director of Land Development will provide vision, leadership, and management to the land development operations for the Division. The Director will work in collaboration with the Division President and functional leaders to ensure business plan metrics are met with regard to sales, starts and closings. The Director will provide oversight and establish metrics to measure team performance related to schedules, budgets, land plan design, and land development construction. The Director of Land Development will manage project tasks from preliminary plat to final recorded plat, HOA turnovers, and Agency bond exonerations. In addition, the Director is expected to coordinate the lowering of site cost budgets with Director/VP Construction and Purchasing. Finally, the Director is responsible for the hiring, management, and motivation of all Land Development personnel. The Director of Land Development will be responsible for: Schedules - Ensure all communities open per land committee approved dates. Schedules will be maintained by verifying quality of work, contractor progress, and engineered plans are correctly followed. In addition, resolving entitlement problems and conditions prior to and during development is critical. Land Committee Approved Budgets - Oversee both the preliminary feasibility budget process and then establish and maintain final budgets based on city approved civil plans and take-offs. It is also important to identify risks and minimize interest expense by proper scheduling of land development allocation assets. Value Engineering - Minimize cost by utilizing all value engineering methods in civil design, lot layout, and utility company designs. Review and approve all contractor bids, review survey/title issues and other reports to determine liabilities of potential acquisitions. Managing Personnel - Hire, train, and oversee Land Development Managers, Land Construction Managers, and Land Development Coordinators. Director will also ensure Meritage Policies and Procedures are followed per audit standards as well as monitor compliance with established safety procedures, quality standards, and work schedules through regular site inspections, determine reasons for any deviation, and develop and oversee plans for corrective action. Communication – Facilitate communication with (internal) land acquisition, land committee, sales, construction, purchasing, starts, and accounting as well as communication with (external) municipalities, utility purveyors, land sellers, engineers contractors, homeowners, and HOA’s. Finally, maintaining relationships with field personnel, engineers, subcontractors, inspectors, utility companies, government agencies/officials, and all levels of employees in multiple departments. Business Plan – Director of Land Development will coordinate with all disciplines to ensure we meet all sales, starts, and closings per business plan. Land department ensures all homeowner issues are resolved expediently. Land Development department supports all disciplines to resolve any issue during production. Site construction and budget - Assist in plot plan review on “Special Lot Conditions”. Coordinate house plotting for lot fit and utility locations. Assist with the phasing to determine model location and production starts. Coordinates with VP/Director of Construction on maintaining site condition budgets. Coordinates on the scheduling of site condition construction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required. Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Landscape Architecture and/or Construction Management strongly preferred.
Ten (10) years’ experience in homebuilding and land development. A portion of this experience can be accumulated as a subcontractor but must have strong supervisory experience in that trade.
Five (5) years of management/supervisory experience in land development, in the homebuilding industry
Strong Computer skills; proficient in Excel, Word, and Outlook
Ability to read and interpret civil engineering plans, lot grading plans, plats, and plot plans
Ability to create/implement work plans, prepare written materials and articulate goals and action plans
Knowledge of foundation home design, lot grading, and construction
Knowledge of site work construction including dirt work/grading, street construction, sanitary sewer, water, clearing, and retaining walls.
Strong Oral/Written Communication and Interpersonal Skills
High degree of professionalism; ability to communicate with confidence and tact
Effective negotiation skills; ability to influence others in a positive manner
Position requires the ability to manage conflict and resolve problems professionally
Ability to handle the stress of dealing with trades and changing circumstances
Strong leadership skills; must be a good manager of people and company assets
Sound judgment with a high level of integrity to make good decisions; often under time pressures
Accurate; with attention to detail while staying clearly focused on the big picture
Self-directed; takes initiative, proactively addresses problems; can work with minimal oversight
Analytical; with the ability to give, receive, analyze information, and interpret complex issues in order to determine the root problem and make effective decisions to bring the issue to a successful conclusion
Highly organized and flexible; with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines, often with frequent interruptions and changing circumstances, in a high-volume fast-paced work environment
Work requires the ability to operate an automobile, a valid state Drivers License, a personal vehicle, and liability Insurance coverage to meet the standard set by Meritage Homes

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Project Management/Scheduling software, preferred

Responsibilities

Ensure all communities open per land committee approved dates. Schedules will be maintained by verifying quality of work, contractor progress, and engineered plans are correctly followed. In addition, resolving entitlement problems and conditions prior to and during development is critical.
Oversee both the preliminary feasibility budget process and then establish and maintain final budgets based on city approved civil plans and take-offs. It is also important to identify risks and minimize interest expense by proper scheduling of land development allocation assets.
Minimize cost by utilizing all value engineering methods in civil design, lot layout, and utility company designs. Review and approve all contractor bids, review survey/title issues and other reports to determine liabilities of potential acquisitions.
Hire, train, and oversee Land Development Managers, Land Construction Managers, and Land Development Coordinators. Director will also ensure Meritage Policies and Procedures are followed per audit standards as well as monitor compliance with established safety procedures, quality standards, and work schedules through regular site inspections, determine reasons for any deviation, and develop and oversee plans for corrective action.
Facilitate communication with (internal) land acquisition, land committee, sales, construction, purchasing, starts, and accounting as well as communication with (external) municipalities, utility purveyors, land sellers, engineers contractors, homeowners, and HOA’s. Finally, maintaining relationships with field personnel, engineers, subcontractors, inspectors, utility companies, government agencies/officials, and all levels of employees in multiple departments.
Director of Land Development will coordinate with all disciplines to ensure we meet all sales, starts, and closings per business plan. Land department ensures all homeowner issues are resolved expediently. Land Development department supports all disciplines to resolve any issue during production.
Assist in plot plan review on “Special Lot Conditions”. Coordinate house plotting for lot fit and utility locations. Assist with the phasing to determine model location and production starts. Coordinates with VP/Director of Construction on maintaining site condition budgets. Coordinates on the scheduling of site condition construction.

Benefits

A work environment that encourages creativity and innovative ideas from every level
An organization that lives by its core values everyday
Team atmosphere where every individual is considered a vital asset
State of the art technology to provide an optimal working environment
A competitive pay structure
Strong benefits
Flexibility in work-life integration
Team-oriented environment where all individuals play an integral role in the company
Opportunity to further your career in a growing national organization
Maintain a competitive drive to be the best