Director of Preconstruction & Entitlements

Dutch Bros Coffee•Phoenix, AZ

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Preconstruction & Entitlements is a strategic leader responsible for driving the early-stage execution of Dutch Bros’ new shop pipeline. This role owns the pre-development lifecycle from site approval through construction permitting, with a focus on accelerating timelines, reducing risk, and improving project predictability. This role is primarily accountable for solving upstream development challenges, particularly entitlements, jurisdictional approvals, and utility procurement to ensure projects are fully positioned for successful execution. The Director partners cross-functionally with Real Estate, Design, Construction, and Operations to proactively remove barriers, streamline approvals, and enable scalable growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred in Real Estate, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, Construction Management, or a related field.
7+ years of experience leading multi-state or national development programs, preferably within high-growth retail, restaurant, convenience, or QSR environments, with the ability to operate strategically while driving execution across multiple projects and markets.
Deep expertise in entitlements, zoning, permitting, municipal processes, and site due diligence, including environmental, geotechnical, traffic, ADA, and utility assessments.
Experience building scalable pre-development processes and managing complex development projects across multiple markets, with a strong understanding of construction processes and project lifecycles to align pre-development efforts with construction readiness.
Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, including hiring, coaching, performance management, organizational change, and process improvement.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with experience partnering across Real Estate, Design, Construction, Finance, Operations, and external stakeholders.
Experience selecting, negotiating with, and managing external partners, including architects, engineers, consultants, developers, general contractors, and national consultant networks, with a focus on vendor performance and accountability.
Experience managing operating budgets, capital planning, portfolio forecasting, executive reporting, and evaluating project feasibility, development risks, and financial impacts.
Strong understanding of utility coordination, municipal development codes, land use regulations, zoning ordinances, annexation processes, environmental permitting requirements, and development-related legal documents, including easements and access agreements.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks early, develop proactive solutions, and leverage dashboards and KPIs to improve portfolio visibility and decision-making.
Experience with development and project management platforms such as Lucernex, Procore, Smartsheet, Monday.com, or similar tools, as well as Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership.
Valid driver’s license required.
Must be able to work in a busy, crowded, and loud office with frequent distractions and interruptions
Must be able to collaborate in-person with occasional impromptu in-person meetings
Adaptability to typical office conditions, which may include exposure to air conditioning, heating, artificial lighting, and varying noise levels
Ability to sit, stand, reach, twist, stretch, and work at a desk for long stretches. Must be able to occasionally move or lift office items up to 25 pounds
Hearing must be sufficient or correctable to ensure clear understanding of spoken information, including participating in virtual meetings and phone calls. Use of hearing aids or other assistive devices is acceptable if needed.
Ability to read and write in English is essential for processing documents, drafting reports, and following up on necessary actions. Proficiency in written communication is required to handle job-related tasks effectively.
Vision must be adequate or correctable to perform essential job duties, such as reading documents on a computer screen and using other visual tools. Use of corrective lenses or other measures to meet visual requirements is expected if needed.
Must be proficient in operating a computer and other office productivity tools such as printers, scanners, and collaboration software.
Must possess strong verbal and written communication skills to interact effectively with team members, clients, and other stakeholders via email, video conferencing, and other in office communication tools.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred in Real Estate, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, Construction Management, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Own and evolve the pre-development strategy to support accelerated new shop openings
Lead entitlement strategy and execution across jurisdictions, improving approval timelines and success rates
Develop and drive strategies to secure utilities (power, water, telecom) earlier in the development lifecycle
Build and maintain relationships with municipalities, governing agencies, and utility providers
Identify risks early in the project lifecycle and implement proactive mitigation strategies to prevent downstream delays
Drive visibility, forecasting, and milestone accountability across the pre-development pipeline
Partner with Real Estate, Design, Construction, and Ops to ensure alignment from site approval through permitting
Ensure projects are fully vetted, entitled, and permitted prior to construction handoff
Collaborate with Finance and Accounting on budgeting, cost visibility, and financial tracking across pre-development activities
Lead, develop, and scale the Pre-Development teams
Establish clear roles, expectations, and accountability across internal team members
Develop and execute third-party vendor strategy, including consultants, engineers, architects, and development partners
Oversee contract strategy, negotiation, and performance management of external partners
Establish scalable processes, tools, and systems to improve speed, consistency, and predictability across projects
Leverage data, reporting, and analytics to monitor pipeline health, risks, timelines, and performance metrics
Provide clear reporting, insights, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership partners