Director of Ground-Up Development & Midwest Growth

Fairlawn; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with match

Paid time off

Wellness days

Ownership opportunities

Job summary

Fairlawn is seeking a Director of Development to build and run a full-cycle development pipeline focused on Midwest student housing and select multifamily opportunities. You will source, underwrite, secure entitlements, and drive deals with the support of the principals.

You will manage a small team, leverage AI tools for screening and modeling, and partner with CIO and CFO to structure capital, including debt and equity. Chicago or Champaign-based role with ownership potential.

Qualifications

• Track record of principal-side development experience (8+ years preferred).
• Experience leading projects with budget, schedule, and execution accountability.
• Ability to build ground-up development models and underwriting from scratch.

Responsibilities

• Spearhead pipeline development across Midwest markets for student housing and select multifamily opportunities.
• Own end-to-end underwriting, market analysis, zoning, and cost budgeting.
• Lead team growth, partner with CIO/CFO on capitalization, and drive deals through the Investment Committee.

Skills

Development leadership

Underwriting fluency

Team building

Midwest markets knowledge

AI tooling familiarity

Communication

Capital markets experience

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree in real estate/finance

Tools

Financial modeling

AI tools for market analysis

Job description

Fairlawn is seeking a Director of Development to build and run a full-cycle development pipeline focused on Midwest student housing and select multifamily opportunities. You will source, underwrite, secure entitlements, and drive deals with the support of the principals.

You will manage a small team, leverage AI tools for screening and modeling, and partner with CIO and CFO to structure capital, including debt and equity. Chicago or Champaign-based role with ownership potential.