Land Acquisition Manager

Rucha Consultancy; Khordha, Cuttack, Sundargarh; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Rucha Consultancy is seeking a Project Lead for land acquisition to drive identification, sourcing, and due diligence for an industrial project in Odisha.

The role requires coordinating with state and district land teams, project and legal teams, and stakeholders to secure timely approvals. You will lead negotiations, manage land records, and ensure compliant handover of parcels for project execution.

Qualifications

• 7–8 years of experience in land acquisition and related infrastructure projects.
• Graduate qualification in Law, Engineering, Management, or Commerce.
• Hands-on experience with landowners, government authorities and stakeholders.
• Experience in title verification, due diligence and government processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end land identification, sourcing and acquisition for the industrial project.
• Coordinate private and government land acquisitions under state policies.
• Handle post-allotment measurements and hand over parcels to client.
• Track parcel-wise progress and maintain land ownership records.
• Oversee TSRs, title-related documentation and due diligence.
• Liaise with district/state authorities to secure permissions.
• Lead negotiations on land rates and terms within approved parameters.
• Coordinate with project, legal, survey and admin teams.
• Ensure land records and approvals are complete for handover.
• Use maps and satellite data for site assessment.

Skills

Land Acquisition

Aggregation

Government Liaison

Stakeholder Management

Due Diligence

Title Verification

Land Records

Negotiation

Project Coordination

Google Earth

Map-Based Site Assessment

Local language proficiency

Education

Graduate qualification in Law/Engineering/Management/Commerce

Tools

Google Earth

Job description

Project Lead - Land Acquisition | Industrial Project

Function: Land Acquisition / Project Development

Location: Odisha, Cuttack, Sundargarh

Reporting

Reporting to State Head

LAND ACQUISITION • DUE DILIGENCE • GOVERNMENT LIAISON • STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

1. Role Overview

The Project Lead will drive and coordinate land acquisition and land-readiness activities for the Industrial Project. The role requires practical experience in land identification and sourcing, private and government acquisition, title verification and due diligence, government liaisoning, statutory approvals, stakeholder management, including negotiations if any. The job involves coordination with client state and district land team, project team and legal team landowners, government authorities, project stakeholders. Maintaining all records and history of correspondence and approval, preparation of monthly management information reports

2. Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end land identification, sourcing and acquisition activities for the industrial project. Including identification preparing land schedule, plant layouts on village map identification of land owners. To coordinate with client and obtain conformation for suitability
• Assess and coordinate acquisition of private, government land through state policies revenue allotment policies through LARR, surface right or through industrial development corporation of respective state, including right of way or right of use in case of linear project and other project land parcels.
• To carry out due process, post allotment measurement necessary entries at revenue record, measurements handing over allotted land parcel to client
• Coordinate land aggregation against project requirements, including parcel-wise status, area and ownership tracking.
• Oversee title verification and land due diligence, including ownership records, revenue records, encumbrances, disputes and transferability.
• Coordinate with legal teams/consultants on Title Search Reports (TSRs), legal documentation, opinions and title-related issues.
• Coordinate government acquisition processes and liaise with District and state authorities, also has to maintain cordial relations with state authorities and resolve issues with Liaoning with Administration, Revenue authorities and other relevant departments.
• Track and facilitate applicable land-use requirements, statutory permissions and project-related approvals.
• Maintain practical knowledge of the applicable of land/revenue framework, industrial policy and relevant energy-sector policy requirements.
• Coordinate with relevant state industrial-development and project authorities and understand applicable land-allotment/industrial-area processes.
• Handle and negotiate land-related issues with landowners, local representatives and other stakeholders.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with local stakeholders and government officials.
• Lead commercial discussions relating to land acquisition, including land rates, transaction terms and other commercial conditions within approved parameters.
• Coordinate with Project, Legal, Compliance, Survey, Documentation and Administration teams.
• Ensure land and project documentation is properly collected, organised, updated and accessible.
• Track parcel-wise progress, pending actions, approvals and dependencies and provide timely management updates.
• Use Google Earth, maps and satellite imagery for preliminary site assessment, location understanding, access assessment and land identification.
• Coordinate with survey teams for demarcation, measurement, boundaries, coordinates and site verification.
• Support project handover by ensuring required land records, documentation, approvals and site information are complete.
• Identify acquisition bottlenecks and recommend practical solutions to accelerate project progress.

3. Role Specific Responsibilities

• Understand the land requirements of a the particular project, including the main project site and supporting land requirements.
• Coordinate land requirements connected with project infrastructure, access, utilities, transmission/connectivity and other ancillary facilities, as applicable.
• Understand the different processes applicable to private, government and forest-related land and coordinate with the relevant teams/authorities.
• Coordinate with technical/project teams so land acquisition and site planning remain aligned with the project's basic footprint and development schedule.
• Keep land-related activities aligned with project milestones and implementation timelines.
• Act as a key on-ground interface with landowners, local communities, government authorities and project stakeholders; handle sensitive local issues through communication, negotiation and problem-solving.

4. Authority & Accountability

• Act as the primary on-ground coordinator for land acquisition and land-readiness activities for the project.
• Coordinate with internal teams, external consultants, landowners and government authorities to resolve acquisition-related issues.
• Escalate material legal, commercial, regulatory and stakeholder risks affecting project timelines.
• Track acquisition milestones and proactively recommend corrective actions where delays or bottlenecks arise.
• Ensure that land acquisition activities remain aligned with approved commercial parameters, legal requirements and project timelines.

5. Required Experience & Qualifications

• 7-8 years of relevant experience in land acquisition, land aggregation, infrastructure, energy, industrial projects, real estate or a closely related field.
• Graduate qualification in Law, Engineering, Management, Commerce or another relevant discipline.
• Hands‑on experience managing land/project activities and working directly with landowners, government authorities and project stakeholders.
• Practical experience in title verification, due diligence, land documentation, government processes and negotiations.

6. Core Skills & Competencies

• Land Acquisition & Aggregation
• Private & Government Land Processes
• Title Verification & Due Diligence
• Revenue Records & Land Documentation
• Government Liaisoning & Approvals
• Stakeholder/Client Management
• Landowner Negotiation
• Commercial Understanding & Negotiation
• Google Earth / Map-Based Site Assessment
• Problem Solving & On-Ground Execution
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Working knowledge of the local language and local land/acquisition environment preferred

7. Key Success Measure

The Project Lead will be expected to ensure that required land parcels are identified, legally and commercially assessed, progressed through applicable acquisition and approval processes, properly documented and made available for the project in accordance with agreed timelines. To arrange land parcels as per project requirement in given time. Exercise all-out efforts to handover possession of land to client in accordance with the project start date. Remain compliant and ensure land is free of encumbrance and that the land is free of any previous liabilities and to ensure uninterrupted project execution till project completion.