Director of Construction & Development

Director of Construction & Development

Location: Rochester, NY area (Onsite with regional travel)

Industry: Real Estate Development & Property Operations (Large, multi-site portfolio)

Travel: Moderate, regional

Reports To: Executive Leadership

Compensation: $150-$175K annual salary + benefits + long-term growth opportunity

A fast-growing, privately held real estate operator—managing one of the largest and most diverse property portfolios in New York—is seeking an experienced Director of Construction & Development to lead all aspects of real estate development, expansion, and capital project execution.

This organization owns and manages a wide range of assets, including large-scale residential communities, commercial space, and specialty real estate holdings. With steady growth, new acquisitions, and active development initiatives underway, the company is investing heavily in infrastructure, modernization, and long-term strategic expansion.

This is a highly visible, impact-driven leadership role for a seasoned construction and development executive who excels in both strategic oversight and hands‑on execution.

• Lead Major Development Initiatives: Own the full lifecycle—from feasibility and entitlements to construction and delivery—across an expansive, diverse real estate portfolio.
• Shape the Future Footprint: Play a central role in evaluating new acquisitions, redevelopments, and large-scale infrastructure upgrades.
• High Autonomy, High Impact: Report directly to executive leadership with real authority to establish processes, lead negotiations, and drive results.
• Blend Strategy + Field Leadership: Perfect for a leader who thrives at both 30,000 feet and boots-on-the-ground execution.
• Rapidly Growing Company: Join a financially strong organization with a long-term growth trajectory and a deep commitment to quality and community impact.

• Lead the full lifecycle of new development and redevelopment projects, from feasibility through delivery.
• Support site acquisition due diligence, underwriting, and pro forma evaluation.
• Coordinate entitlements, permitting, and approvals with municipalities, consultants, and regulatory partners.
• Translate strategic goals into actionable development plans.

• Oversee all construction activities, including design-build and third-party GC oversight.
• Own construction budgeting, scheduling, value engineering, and quality standards.
• Lead RFP processes and negotiate contracts with architects, engineers, contractors, and vendors.
• Conduct site visits, run project meetings, and enforce safety, compliance, and performance expectations.

• Partner with Finance to track budgets, cash flow, forecasting, and capital spend.
• Identify cost-saving and efficiency opportunities without compromising quality or timelines..
• Support executive leadership with long‑term capital planning and portfolio strategy.

• Serve as primary liaison between ownership, contractors, consultants, and local officials.
• Represent the organization at public meetings, development negotiations, and industry events.
• Build and strengthen relationships with municipal leaders, community partners, and technical experts.
• Expand internal and external networks to support talent acquisition and organizational growth.

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Real Estate Development, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive construction or development experience, including 5+ years leading teams or major projects.
• Proven success managing residential, land‑use, infrastructure, or manufactured housing development projects.
• Strong knowledge of zoning, permitting, entitlements, site work, and municipal processes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, schedules, complex stakeholders, and multiple concurrent projects.
• Exceptional communication, leadership capability, and decision‑making skills.
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Procore, or similar).
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel regionally.