Director of Development - Forward Planning
About The Position
City Ventures is seeking a Director of Development (Forward Planning) to lead the advancement of entitled projects through permitting and pre-construction execution across the Northern California portfolio. This role is responsible for taking projects from entitlement approval through building permit issuance, ensuring each community is fully permitted, de-risked, and ready for construction start. The Director will oversee all post-entitlement planning, including grading permits, improvement plans, building permits, and agency coordination, while aligning closely with Construction and Purchasing to deliver executable projects. The position sits at the intersection of Development and Operations and will play a critical role in building a scalable forward planning function within the company.
Requirements
- 7–12 years of experience in residential development, homebuilding, or related project management roles.
- Strong experience managing post-entitlement permitting, including grading permits, improvement plans, and building permits.
- Strong working knowledge of land development, site design, infrastructure coordination, and building plan check processes.
- Ability to read and interpret plans including civil drawings, tract maps, and architectural plans.
- Excellent organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to proactively identify and resolve project risks.
Nice To Haves
- Background in civil engineering, land development, architecture, or related field strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to lead projects through complex permitting processes in California jurisdictions (Bay Area experience preferred).
Responsibilities
- Lead all post-entitlement project execution from approval through building permit issuance.
- Manage grading permits, improvement plans, building permits, and all agency approvals required for construction start.
- Direct and coordinate consultants including civil engineers, architects, landscape architects, and utility designers to deliver permit-ready plans.
- Oversee plan check submittals, responses, and approvals across multiple jurisdictions.
- Identify and resolve conditions of approval, utility requirements, and jurisdictional constraints early in the process.
- Partner closely with Construction and Purchasing to ensure plans are complete, coordinated, and buildable.
- Establish and manage permitting schedules aligned with targeted construction start dates.
- Track project milestones, risks, and budgets to maintain accountability and forward progress.
- Serve as the primary point of contact with city staff and approving agencies during post-entitlement phases.
- Troubleshoot and resolve permitting delays, agency comments, and design conflicts to maintain schedule.
- Help standardize forward planning processes, permitting workflows, and consultant coordination across projects.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision and supplemental insurance are available.
- City Ventures offers FSA plans and a 401K with a match, three weeks (15 business days) paid time off, gym membership and phone reimbursement.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
