Development Director

Development Director Greater Sacramento, CA

We are conducting a search for an accomplished Development Director to provide strategic leadership for a portfolio of complex urban infill, mixed-use, residential, commercial, and community development initiatives.

This senior leadership role will guide projects from initial vision and feasibility through entitlement, financing, construction, and occupancy. The Development Director will bring strong expertise in real estate development and finance, with particular knowledge of affordable and workforce housing, public-sector development, and public-private partnerships.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and resourceful leader who can navigate complex development challenges, build productive cross-sector relationships, and balance financial feasibility with community and public benefit.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex development initiatives from concept through completion, including project visioning, feasibility, budgeting, scheduling, entitlements, design oversight, construction coordination, and transition to operations.
• Identify market opportunities and develop innovative approaches to addressing housing and community development needs.
• Direct project feasibility and financial structuring, including development pro formas, financing strategies, and assessment of project risk, return, and long-term operating impacts.
• Oversee real estate acquisition and disposition activities and negotiate complex development, funding, lease, and public-private partnership agreements.
• Identify and secure public and private financing sources, including grants and tax credits, and oversee associated funding and regulatory compliance.
• Guide entitlement, environmental review, permitting, infrastructure, and other regulatory processes in coordination with governmental and partner agencies.
• Evaluate development opportunities for alignment with organizational objectives, community priorities, and long-term asset considerations.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with developers, investors, consultants, public agencies, community stakeholders, and other partners.
• Advise executive leadership on development strategy, market trends, sustainability, and affordable and workforce housing approaches.
• Mentor and develop staff while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing development function.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of progressively responsible real estate development experience.
• Full-cycle development experience on multiple complex projects, from feasibility and entitlements through financing, construction, and occupancy.
• Strong real estate development finance experience, including pro formas, feasibility analysis, and experience with public and private financing sources.
• Experience navigating city entitlement, permitting, and other public-sector approval processes, including presenting development matters to boards, public decision-making bodies, and the community.
• Experience identifying new development opportunities, including acquisitions, redevelopments, partnerships, and other deal structures.
• Experience with urban infill, mixed-use development, placemaking, and/or community development within a public agency or similarly complex public-private environment.
• BA in Planning, Architecture, Engineering, Real Estate Finance, Community Development, Public Administration, or related field (MA preferred)
• Affordable and workforce housing development experience, including LIHTC, tax credits, grants, and state/federal housing financing programs. (preferred)
• Experience directly supervising or mentoring at least one development professional at the PM/DM level. (preferred)
• Sacramento market experience and established relationships with local government, development, and community partners. (preferred)
• Experience with CEQA, environmental review, remediation, and related regulatory processes. (preferred)