Development Partner

MHW Search; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

MHW Search is partnering with a Houston-based platform to identify a senior development professional to drive industrial opportunities across Texas. The role focuses on sourcing land, underwriting deals, and managing development execution with executive leadership.

Responsibilities span acquisition, entitlement strategy, market analysis, and coordinating with internal and external teams to align with investment objectives and timelines.

Qualifications

• 8–15+ years of industrial real estate development experience.
• Proven success sourcing, underwriting, and executing acquisitions.
• Strong understanding of the development process and economics.
• Advanced financial modeling and investment analysis abilities.
• Experience negotiating land acquisitions and development contracts.

Responsibilities

• Source, evaluate, and execute industrial land acquisitions in Texas, led by Houston.
• Develop relationships with landowners, brokers, municipalities, and partners.
• Perform underwriting, market research, and investment modeling for opportunities.
• Lead front-end development: due diligence, entitlements, approvals, and plans.
• Coordinate with architecture, engineering, permitting, construction, and financing teams.

Skills

Sourcing land

Underwriting

Land negotiations

Financial modeling

Market analysis

Relationship management

Leadership

Communication

Entrepreneurial mindset

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or Real Estate Master's

Tools

Excel

Argus

Job description

MHW Search has exclusively partnered with a Real Estate firm in Houston that has developed over 10 million square feet of industrial in the last 48 months, to identify a Development Partner to help drive the continued growth of its industrial development platform throughout Texas.

The firm is a privately held commercial real estate investment and development firm focused on acquiring, developing, and operating institutional-quality industrial assets across the state's most dynamic logistics markets. The company specializes in warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, and business park developments, partnering with institutional capital and tenants to deliver best-in-class industrial projects

As the platform continues to expand, the firm is seeking an entrepreneurial development professional to partner with executive leadership in identifying, underwriting, and executing

This is a unique opportunity to join a growing, entrepreneurial platform where the successful candidate will play a significant role in shaping the firm's development pipeline while helping expand one of Texas' premier industrial development platforms.

This person will get promote and development fees on top of base salary.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Land Acquisition & Development

• Source, evaluate, and execute industrial land acquisitions throughout Texas, with a primary focus on Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and other strategic logistics markets.
• Develop and maintain relationships with landowners, brokers, municipalities, economic development organizations, and industry professionals to generate new acquisition opportunities.
• Perform detailed financial underwriting, feasibility analysis, market research, and investment modeling to evaluate development opportunities.
• Prepare investment memorandums and present acquisition recommendations to executive leadership.
• Negotiate letters of intent, purchase agreements, easements, development agreements, and other real estate contracts in coordination with legal counsel and executive leadership.

Development Execution

• Lead projects through the front-end development process, including due diligence, entitlement strategy, municipal approvals, infrastructure planning, and consultant management.
• Oversee the overall development process while coordinating internal resources and third-party consultants responsible for architecture, engineering, permitting, construction, and project delivery.
• Monitor project schedules, budgets, milestones, and development risks while ensuring projects remain aligned with investment objectives.
• Partner with construction, leasing, finance, and executive leadership throughout each phase of the development lifecycle.
• Assist in project capitalization by supporting lender presentations, equity partner reporting, and financing efforts as needed.

Market Strategy & Business Development

• Maintain a thorough understanding of industrial market fundamentals, land values, rental rates, construction costs, tenant demand, and competitive developments throughout Texas.
• Identify emerging submarkets and strategic development opportunities that align with the firm's long‑term investment strategy.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations regarding product design, site selection, and speculative versus build‑to‑suit development opportunities.
• Support leasing efforts by providing development insight, market analysis, and coordination throughout tenant negotiations and project delivery.

Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with brokers, landowners, municipalities, contractors, architects, engineers, utility providers, consultants, and institutional partners throughout Texas.
• Represent the firm at industry conferences, networking events, and business development meetings.
• Continue expanding the firm's reputation as a leading industrial developer throughout the Texas market.

Leadership

• Partner directly with executive leadership on the firm's long-term development strategy and pipeline growth.
• Assist with mentoring junior development professionals as the platform continues to expand.
• Foster collaboration across acquisitions, development, construction, finance, and leasing teams to ensure successful project execution.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8–15+ years of industrial real estate development experience.
• Demonstrated success sourcing, underwriting, and executing industrial land acquisitions.
• Strong understanding of the industrial development process, including due diligence, entitlements, infrastructure planning, permitting, and development execution.
• Advanced financial modeling, underwriting, and investment analysis capabilities.
• Experience negotiating land acquisitions, purchase agreements, and development-related contracts.
• Existing relationships with brokers, landowners, municipalities, consultants, contractors, and other key stakeholders throughout Texas.
• Strong understanding of industrial market fundamentals, land values, leasing dynamics, and development economics.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to work independently in a fast‑paced development environment.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA, Master's in Real Estate, or related graduate degree preferred.