Director I - Division Land Acquisition

Meritage Homes Corporation•Tucson, AZ

About The Position

The Director of Land Acquisition identifies, analyzes, negotiates, and acquires land and lots for the division in alignment with organizational strategy and the business plan. The role works with division leadership to evaluate whether assumptions for zoning, municipal approvals, entitlements, permitting, platting, design, and construction are reasonable for residential development. It maintains market relationships and current information on prospective and active deals, market and sub-market data, pro formas, deal status, budgets, and staffing. The Director provides leadership for the Land Acquisition Department, its operations, budgets, and projections, and develops the team and an annual strategic land plan. The role evaluates markets and land positions, sources and assesses projects, manages negotiations and due diligence, and supports land development and homebuilding activities. It is also responsible for land purchases, closings and financing, contract processes, reporting, and relationships with a broad range of market and municipal stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Five years of real estate acquisition and negotiation experience; homebuilding industry experience is preferred.
Strong management capabilities, including experience managing people, department operations, budgets, and pro formas, and a record of building and growing a strong team.
Strong background in financial models and analysis.
Proficiency with Microsoft Windows Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Word.
Strong budgeting and project management skills.
Ability to translate market data into community concepts.
Understanding of and ability to negotiate complex legal documents.
Sound judgment and high integrity, including the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information and make good decisions under pressure.
Results-oriented, accurate, and attentive to detail.
Self-directed, takes initiative, proactively addresses problems, and can work with minimal oversight.
Analytical ability to give, receive, and interpret information, identify root problems, and bring issues to a successful conclusion.
Organized and flexible, with the ability to multitask, prioritize projects, meet deadlines, and adapt to interruptions and changing circumstances in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to thrive in a changing environment and maintain a positive attitude.

Nice To Haves

MBA strongly preferred.
A degree in Business Management, Finance, Economics, Construction Science, or Real Estate is strongly preferred.
Real estate acquisition and negotiation experience in the homebuilding industry is preferred.

Responsibilities

Create a vision and provide leadership for the Land Acquisition Department, including department operations, budgets, and projections of new projects to the Division President and Director of Finance.
Recruit, hire, evaluate, train, develop, and retain productive and engaged department team members.
Create an annual strategic land plan defining geographic, product, and pricing goals that guide acquisitions and support the Company’s strategic plan.
Analyze markets, sub-markets, and the division’s land positions to identify acquisition gaps and strategic areas, and evaluate potential projects’ technical and financial feasibility.
Monitor market activities, trends, and opportunities, and generate prospective land deals through industry and local contacts.
Oversee potential new division projects, including searching for parcels, negotiating with sellers, conducting due diligence, and preparing Corporate Approval Packages.
Prepare letters of intent and respond to requests for qualifications in competitive bid situations.
Assist Land Development with creating and refining project pro formas, including agency fees, construction and site development costs, schedules, home-sale absorption rates, and proposed land costs.
Manage division land purchases and real estate closings and financings, including negotiating, reviewing, or drafting land banking documents.
Oversee contract review with in-house and outside counsel, manage contract negotiations, and coordinate contract execution.
Review survey and title issues and other reports to identify potential acquisition liabilities.
Assist with presentations before municipal decision-making bodies and other government entities.
Prepare deal summaries and land-tracking reports for corporate management and the Division President.
Build and maintain relationships with landowners, land brokers, title companies, lenders, municipalities, other homebuilders, and lot developers.
Manage Lot Takedown Summaries to ensure accurate reporting of lot-purchase activity.
Assist the Division President and Homebuilding with developer-related issues after Initial Closing.
Work with the Division President on balance sheet management by selling or renegotiating real estate assets.