Director of Origination

Black & Veatch Family of Companies•Houston, TX

21h•$111,111 - $111,111•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Director of Origination - Real Estate Development, you will have the opportunity to lead and manage the origination team in sourcing and evaluating development opportunities. You will develop and implement origination strategies to identify, evaluate, and secure land acquisition opportunities aligned with the company's development pipeline and investment criteria. This role involves building and maintaining relationships with landowners, brokers, economic development organizations, utility providers, municipalities, and industry stakeholders to create and advance development opportunities. You will oversee market research, site selection, and competitive analysis to identify strategic opportunities for future development projects. Additionally, you will support business development initiatives and acquisition pursuits by providing subject matter expertise related to land acquisition, development feasibility, and project risk. You will review and analyze land ownership, title matters, encumbrances, easements, and development constraints; identify risks and recommend mitigation strategies to support successful acquisitions and project execution. You will lead negotiations for land purchases, purchase and sale agreements, options, easements, development agreements, surface use waivers, and other real estate transactions necessary to advance development projects. You will develop acquisition strategies and structure transactions that balance project economics, schedule objectives, development risk, and stakeholder interests. Collaboration with engineering, legal, development, finance, and commercial teams is essential to advance projects from site origination through acquisition and development. You will review, negotiate, analyze, and interpret real estate contracts, title commitments, development agreements, utility agreements, easements, restrictive covenants, permits, and other development-related documents. You will collaborate with the project team to identify, manage, and resolve acquisition, entitlement, title, utility, and stakeholder issues that may impact project schedule, feasibility, or investment objectives. Finally, you will monitor development opportunities and portfolio performance, providing leadership with regular reporting on pipeline status, key risks, acquisition milestones, and strategic recommendations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
All applicants must be able to complete pre-employment onboarding requirements (if selected) which may include any/all of the following: criminal/civil background check, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of 10+ years of experience in commercial real estate, land acquisition, real estate development, infrastructure development, or related industries, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
Demonstrated experience sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and closing complex land and real estate transactions.
Strong knowledge of land development processes, including due diligence, title review, survey analysis, zoning, entitlements, environmental review, utility infrastructure, and site development.
Experience evaluating development opportunities and preparing acquisition recommendations, investment memoranda, and executive-level presentations.
Working knowledge of purchase and sale agreements, option agreements, development agreements, easements, utility agreements, title commitments, restrictive covenants, and other real estate-related contracts.
Proven ability to identify, assess, and mitigate development, entitlement, acquisition, infrastructure, and project execution risks.
Strong financial acumen, including experience with project feasibility analysis, land valuation, acquisition underwriting, pro forma development, and investment evaluation.
Demonstrated success building and maintaining relationships with landowners, brokers, economic development organizations, utility providers, municipalities, and regulatory agencies.
Excellent negotiation skills with a track record of achieving favorable business outcomes while maintaining strategic relationships.
Ability to manage multiple projects and acquisition opportunities simultaneously while meeting aggressive development schedules.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to executive leadership, investment committees, public agencies, and external stakeholders.
Willingness and ability to travel as necessary to support site evaluations, negotiations, public meetings, and project development activities.
Experience in large-scale industrial, data center, energy, mixed-use, logistics, or commercial real estate development.
Familiarity with large-scale infrastructure planning.
Professional certifications or memberships in real estate, planning, development, or economic development organizations.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the origination team in sourcing and evaluating development opportunities.
Develop and implement origination strategies to identify, evaluate, and secure land acquisition opportunities aligned with the company's development pipeline and investment criteria.
Build and maintain relationships with landowners, brokers, economic development organizations, utility providers, municipalities, and industry stakeholders to create and advance development opportunities.
Oversee market research, site selection, and competitive analysis to identify strategic opportunities for future development projects.
Support business development initiatives and acquisition pursuits by providing subject matter expertise related to land acquisition, development feasibility, and project risk.
Review and analyze land ownership, title matters, encumbrances, easements, and development constraints; identify risks and recommend mitigation strategies to support successful acquisitions and project execution.
Lead negotiations for land purchases, purchase and sale agreements, options, easements, development agreements, surface use waivers, and other real estate transactions necessary to advance development projects.
Develop acquisition strategies and structure transactions that balance project economics, schedule objectives, development risk, and stakeholder interests.
Collaborate with engineering, legal, development, finance, and commercial teams to advance projects from site origination through acquisition and development.
Review, negotiate, analyze, and interpret real estate contracts, title commitments, development agreements, utility agreements, easements, restrictive covenants, permits, and other development-related documents.
Collaborate with project team to identify, manage, and resolve acquisition, entitlement, title, utility, and stakeholder issues that may impact project schedule, feasibility, or investment objectives.
Monitor development opportunities and portfolio performance, providing leadership with regular reporting on pipeline status, key risks, acquisition milestones, and strategic recommendations.