Business Unit Director of Land Development

Cannon; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Employer-paid medical premiums

Performance-based bonus

Job summary

Cannon in Irvine, CA is seeking a Business Unit Director of Land Development to lead a diverse portfolio of civil projects, mentor engineering teams, and drive business development with private developers and institutions. This role requires a strong track record in leadership, client management, and regulatory coordination.

The Director oversees delivery of residential, commercial, and educational projects across Southern California, establishing the vision for the unit and ensuring quality,

Qualifications

• Requires bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
• California P.E. license required.
• 15+ years in civil engineering for land development.
• 10+ years supervising projects within budgets and schedules.
• Strong business development and client management.
• Active involvement with CA developer communities and industry associations.
• Experience reviewing and mentoring teams; leadership of 3+ direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Drive business development and secure new opportunities.
• Provide project management across multiple land development projects.
• Mentor engineers, designers, and staff across offices.
• Oversee budgets, schedules, and quality standards.
• Lead contract negotiations and client communications.
• Collaborate with land surveying, structural, and water resources teams.
• Ensure QA/QC across projects and regulatory approvals.
• Represent Cannon professionally to clients and agencies.

Skills

Leadership

Business development

Public speaking

Client relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering

California Professional Engineer (P.E.) license

Tools

AutoCAD

Civil3D

AES

WSPG

Flowmaster

Job description

Step Into a Leadership Role and Shape What's Next. Engineering and Designing Reliable, Responsive, Solutions.

JOIN CANNON as a Business Unit Director of Land Development from either our Irvine, Riverside or San Luis Obispo office. This position will oversee a diverse portfolio of residential, commercial, mixed-use, and institutional development projects, lead and mentor engineering teams, and drive business development efforts with private developers, landowners, and higher education institutions.

SINCE 1976, CANNON has provided creative solutions to clients in water resources, public infrastructure, commercial and residential development and the energy/industrial industry. We work hard. We play hard. We have fun.

BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR OF LAND DEVELOPMENT JOB SUMMARY

As the Business Unit Director of Land Development, you will drive business development, build and strengthen client relationships, mentor high-performing teams, and oversee the successful delivery of complex land development and higher education projects. This position oversees a diverse portfolio of residential, commercial, mixed-use, and institutional development projects while fostering strong relationships within the development community and expanding Cannon's market presence throughout the Pacific region. The Director will establish the vision and direction for the business unit while ensuring exceptional project delivery, client satisfaction, and long-term profitability.

BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR OF LAND DEVELOPMENT JOB DUTIES

• Drives business development efforts, including identifying opportunities, preparing proposals, delivering presentations, and securing new opportunities.
• Accountable for achieving business unit metric targets for revenue, profitability, utilization, backlog, and growth objectives.
• Provides project management for multiple civil engineering land development projects from proposal through delivery, ensuring budgets, schedules, and quality standards are met.
• Leads, mentors, and develops a team of civil engineers, designers, and project assistants across multiple offices.
• Provides daily and strategic oversight and management of the land development team.
• Leads complex contract negotiations and successfully resolve project, client, and business issues.
• Maintains strong interdepartmental relationships, including land surveying, structural, and water resources teams.
• Communicate effectively with various departments, clients, and agencies.
• Collaborate with jurisdictional agencies and regulatory entities to facilitate project approvals and maintain strong working relationships.
• Ensures effective quality assurance and quality control practices across all projects.
• Represents Cannon with professionalism and integrity in all clients, agencies, and community interactions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from an accredited college is required.
• California Professional Engineer (P.E.) license.
• 15+ years’ experience in civil engineering specifically pertaining to land development projects is required.
• 10+ years demonstrated experience supervising and successfully managing projects within the constraints of scope, schedule, budget, and performance requirements, providing technical oversight for projects and all related project phases and tasks, to include quality assurance reviews.
• Demonstrated business development and client management (obtaining new and repeat business).
• Maintains strong, active relationships across Southern California and California Central Coast, and Seattle developer and builder communities, leveraging industry connections to identify opportunities and strengthen client partnerships.
• Active participation in industry organizations such as Building Industry Association (BIA) or similar associations.
• Proven ability to lead teams to success, including experience directly reviewing and managing employee performance, and mentoring a team of three or more direct reports.
• Working knowledge of computer software programs used for civil engineering design (AutoCAD, Civil3D, AES, WSPG, Flowmaster, etc.).
• Proven experience in processing improvement plans with jurisdictional agencies.
• Comfortable with public speaking, including presenting to clients, agencies, and internal teams.

WE OFFER

• competitive salaries, excellent benefits package, a hybrid work schedule, and an active and positive team building, work environment.
• The Business Unit Director of Land Development position includes 100% employer-paid medical premiums for the employee and eligible dependents and eligibility to participate in a performance-based bonus program based on individual contributions, business unit performance, and overall company results.

Cannon is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age.