Project Director - Land Development

Location: Kansas City

WHAT LJA HAS TO OFFER

LJA is offering an exciting opportunity that will allow you to reach your full career potential. The structure of our organization is designed to amplify your capabilities while gaining the benefits of being an employee-owner. What truly sets this opportunity apart is the chance to collaborate every day with dedicated, skilled, and supportive leaders. Whether you are in the office, in the field, or behind the scenes, working at LJA gives you the chance to grow through hands-on experience and exposure to a broad range of clients and services.

WHAT MAKES LJA DIFFERENT

At LJA, our employee-owners take pride in their work and their workplace. We're guided by leaders who foster a culture of respect, collaboration and a shared vision of success. Our difference is evident in the experiences and opportunities we provide:

• Employee-owned. Client-focused
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Consistently ranked as a Top Workplace
• Internal recruitment team, in-house training, and a marketing department specific to our industry
• We celebrate flexibility, allowing every team and office to lead with their proven approach
• Our culture champions continuous learning and personal growth
• We believe success comes through constant evolution and communication
• We are passionate about having fun and making money, all while creating impact

POSITION OVERVIEW: As a Project Director at LJA Land Development, you will be responsible for leading the business development strategy and driving growth for the Land Development practice across the Kansas City region. This client-facing role focuses on building and maintaining relationships with both internal and external clients while overseeing strategic planning, quality assurance, and problem resolution. You will provide leadership, technical expertise, and strategic direction to ensure LJA's continued success and expansion throughout Kansas and Missouri.

A TYPICAL DAY MIGHT INCLUDE:

• Building relationships and growing the Land Development business in and around Kansas City, KS and MO, and beyond.
• Serving as a Brand Ambassador to strengthen and expand the LJA Land Development presence in the Kansas City Metro area.
• Leading a team of EITs, designers, and CAD draftsmen to produce construction plans, exhibits, reports, and other project deliverables.
• Developing intermediate and long-range strategic plans for the Land Development practice.
• Leading business development efforts by marketing to existing clients and identifying new opportunities.
• Supporting technical business development initiatives, including responses to RFPs and SOQs, presentation preparation, and inter-office coordination.
• Managing project team performance and ensuring quality assurance for all deliverables.
• Providing technical guidance and serving as the subject matter expert on Land Development projects.
• Offering expertise in collaborative delivery methodologies to both internal teams and external clients.
• Participating in quarterly Operations Meetings with Sector Leaders, the President, and the Business Solutions team.
• Actively engaging in professional associations and civic organizations to enhance LJA's visibility within the Kansas City community.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/LICENSE/CERTIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the States of Kansas and Missouri; additional state licensure preferred.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 10+ years of experience in Land Development planning and design.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong client relationships.
• Experience in the Kansas City region.

IDEALLY, YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE:

• 5+ years of experience in a business development role.
• Experience providing strategic leadership for multi-office or regional teams.
• Familiarity with collaborative delivery methods and client engagement strategies.

LEVEL UP WITH LJA

At LJA, we're 100% employee-owned. This drives results, rewards ambition and supports long-term success for every team member. With almost 100 locations and 3,000+ employee-owners (and growing), we're building something big! We want…