Development Associate - Real Estate

Building Foundations for Tomorrow’s Developers

As a Development Associate , you’ll play a key role in our Bourn Companies development teams, gaining hands-on experience and contributing to the success of large-scale projects . Working closely with our Development Coordinators, Associate Principals, and Principals, who drive core project functions, you’ll immerse yourself in every aspect of the process, from mastering product expertise to managing pro formas & budgets. This role involves conducting detailed analysis, reviewing legal documents, conducting market research, and foundational tasks essential for aspiring developers, requiring an analytical mindset and attention to detail. While a background in real estate analysis or construction/project management is beneficial for this role, our Development Associates receive comprehensive training that builds on their existing skills and expands their capabilities.

Across more than 36 years and 6 million square feet of work, Bourn Companies has pushed the boundaries of traditional real estate development. We lead projects that make a difference, supporting and defining communities and inspiring a sense of place that deepens over time. Our projects, averaging over 1 million square feet, are designed to shape and support communities, creating lasting value and a sense of place.

Development Team

The Development Associate role serves as a gateway to a broader Development career path here at Bourn Companies. We staff our project teams with Development Associates, Development Coordinators, Development Managers, Development Principals, and Development Accountants, who all work together to ensure the success of our projects. Generally, we anticipate that our colleagues will serve in positions with greater levels of responsibility and authority as they gain training and experience working on our projects.

• Development Associate: The entry-level development position at Bourn Companies. Development Associates focus on learning and completing fundamental real estate development tasks; once these core skills are mastered, Development Associates can be promoted to Development Coordinators.

• Development Coordinator: Development Coordinators are responsible for organizing, compiling, and presenting development information to executives, as well as integrating and tracking project activities across the organization. Having mastered analysis, research, and other foundational tasks, Development Coordinators begin to support Associate Principals’ and Principals’ execution of development management tasks. With enough experience, Development Coordinators may transition from supporting these tasks to overseeing them as Associate Development Principals.

• Associate Development Principal: The core of the Associate Development Principal role is day-to-day oversight of development projects. This includes managing design, maintaining project budgets, schedules, and timelines. Skilled Associate Development Principals may someday expand their roles and responsibilities by serving as Development Principals for one or more projects.

• Development Principal: Development Principals are ultimately responsible for overall project outcomes and manage projects at an executive level. Collaborating with the other development professionals on a project, Development Principals hold key decision-making authority and lead project direction, including value generation at all levels.

The Role

This position requires you to be highly organized and structured, yet with an ability to react to ever-changing conditions that inevitably occur. Some essential aspects of your role include:

• Research: Gather, compile, and analyze macro-level market data to support strategic project decisions. Develop a strong understanding of market trends and cultivate expertise in relevant product areas by manipulating and interpreting data. Identify and create profitable project and corporate strategies and write useful reports and narratives that provide actionable insights for development projects.

• Analysis: Conduct comprehensive financial analyses and modeling within Excel spreadsheets for project planning and evaluation, including creating detailed investment analyses using fundamental financial concepts like net present value, internal rate of return, and debt and equity structure concepts. Analyze the physical aspects of a development project, including project programming and parking analysis.

• Master Schedule & Project Tracking: Develop and maintain project schedules using fundamental scheduling concepts such as predecessors, schedule float, and critical path with our teams to ensure timely execution of key milestones. Track progress, update timelines, and identify potential risks to keep projects on track. Assist in the due diligence review and tracking process and monitor variances in both schedule and budget.
• Legal & Contracts Support: Review contracts and other legal documents in collaboration with our legal team, ensuring that business goals are met. Types of documents include contracts, leases, management and operating agreements, and entitlement documents.

Skills

• Technical Skills : Conduct financial analyses and modeling within Excel spreadsheets. Develop an understanding of the development documentation and process.
• Organizational Skills : Efficiently and systematically manage activities and keep stakeholders informed.
• Communication Skills : Clear and concise written and oral; excellent interpersonal skills.
• Leadership Skills : Collaborate to maximize individual abilities for the success of the team.
• Financial Skills : Develop an understanding of financial concepts and applications.
• Relationship Skills : Cultivate strong and lasting relationships.

Characteristics

• Curious with a willingness to push the boundaries of what’s possible
• Highly analytical with a hunger to dig into the details
• High degrees of independence, motivation, integrity, and accountability
• Team-oriented with a desire to win and grow together
• Great attention to detail while keeping the larger landscape in mind
• Ability to work on short timeframes and meet deadlines
• Authentic, sincere, and ethical engagement rooted in strong integrity

Qualifications

• A relevant bachelor’s degree is required for this role.
• Development Associates receive training to build all of the skills required for success in the role. That said, having some of the skills above will accelerate your learning and help you master the role more quickly. We want to grow terrific leaders. Specific experience is less important than a set of fundamental skills and characteristics. We are looking for people who have found a way to be consistently successful in competitive and challenging environments… such as school, sports, and work.

Our Culture

We are a company grounded in a culture of integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to excellence. Driven by a shared motivation for exceptional success, we seek team members who are equally inspired to grow both personally and professionally.

Our competitive salary and benefits package reflects our dedication to supporting and rewarding our team members fully. Our company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.

Ready to take the next step?