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Hillwood Communities is seeking a Vice President of Development to join its growing business in Houston, TX. Reporting directly to the General Manager of the Houston division, this individual will serve as the senior leader responsible for stewarding large-scale residential projects from concept through completion. The Vice President of Development will oversee full project lifecycle operations across designated master-planned communities, ensuring alignment with business objectives, financial targets, and brand expectations.
The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in master-planned community development, a track record of effective cross-functional leadership, and the ability to craft and execute business plans that drive long-term value. The Vice President of Development will play a critical in transforming strategic plans into tangible outcomes, ensuring every project reflects Hillwood Communities’ standards for innovation, quality, and lasting impact.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership:
- Serve as the company’s project ambassador to municipalities, builder clients, and key industry professionals.
- Direct the development and execution of community business plans integrating land planning, infrastructure, financial strategy, and marketing objectives.
- Provide strategic vision and leadership across all phases of development.
- Manage and mentor project team members to ensure goals, milestones, and standards are met and exceeded.
- Lead regular site tours, prepare investment summaries, and present updates to executive leadership and stakeholders.
- Prepare and present annual project business plans to senior and executive leadership.
Stakeholder and Partnership Management:
- Cultivate relationships with elected officials, municipal staff, and local/regional influencers.
- Maintain regular interface with planners, engineers, architects, legal advisors, financial consultants, brokers, marketing teams, and other partners.
- Oversee builder engagement including contract preparation, amendments, pricing coordination, and project delivery expectations.
- Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between internal associates, homebuilder teams, and third-party vendors.
Project Execution and Financial Oversight:
- Coordinate closely with and direct the Development Manager on phasing, entitlements, amenity execution, budget control, and scheduling.
- Manage, track, and create project life budgets, forecasting, and cost reporting.
- Guide land development, infrastructure, vertical construction, and retail parcel strategy.
- Lead project sales meetings and interpret market analytics and performance trends to inform strategy.
- Collaborate with retail brokers and negotiate land sale transactions.
- Provide oversight of public financing districts, including Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs), assessments, and compliance reporting.
Community Operations and Brand Experience:
- Direct the establishment and operation of the community homeowner’s association and related management teams.
- Coordinate post-delivery efforts including best practices documentation, resident engagement strategies, and amenity activation.
- Ensure continuity in design, service, and Hillwood brand standards throughout development cycles.
Required Skills and Abilities:
- Proven leadership in high-stakes, multi-phase development projects.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to operationalize long-term goals.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills across public and private sectors.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation abilities.
- Financial acumen including budget tracking, forecasting, and investment summaries.
- Expert negotiation skills with a solutions-oriented mindset.
- Ability to guide and coach cross-functional teams through ambiguity and complexity.
- Reputation for professionalism, credibility, and stakeholder trust.
- Passion for innovation and elevating the resident experience.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s Degree required in Real Estate Development, Finance, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related field; MBA or Master’s Degree in related field highly preferred.
- Minimum 10–15 years of progressive experience in residential land development with a strong emphasis in master-planned communities.
- Minimum 5 years in senior-level project leadership, overseeing entitlements, infrastructure delivery, and construction execution.
- Experience with master-planned communities, residential infrastructure, amenity design, and vertical construction.
- Demonstrated understanding of public financing structures such as Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) is required.
Source: Hillwood Career Page
