Land Development Manager

The Drees Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Profit sharing

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Disability leave

Employee discount

EAP

Job summary

Drees Homes in Indianapolis is seeking a strategic Land Development Manager to oversee the full lifecycle of development—from site analysis and entitlement to construction coordination and HOA oversight.

Lead cross-functional teams, manage budgets and schedules, coordinate with consultants and regulators, and drive cost-efficient delivery of finished lots aligned with our growth plan.

Join a respected, family-owned national builder offering premier benefits and a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Real Estate Development related field
• Strong project management, budgeting, and negotiation skills
• Experience with zoning, permitting, and environmental regulations

Responsibilities

• Strategic planning and site analysis with five-year lot forecasting
• Entitlement and zoning representation and coordination with consultants
• Engineering and design oversight for civil, soils, and environmental aspects
• Budgeting and bidding management including contract negotiations
• Construction oversight and permit tracking to avoid delays
• Bond and HOA management including drafting HOA documents
• Reporting and coordination of development documents and internal meetings

Skills

Land development

Civil engineering

Project management

Budgeting

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Education

Bachelor degree in Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Real Estate Development

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Word

Bluebeam

Job description

Overview

Drees Homes is a family-owned home builder with a passion for making custom homes easy. For over 95 years, we've cared for our employees and customers— earning recognition as the 18th largest privately owned builder in the country and building a culture of long-tenured employees.

We are proud to be a five-time U.S. Best Managed Company (2022–2026), a distinction sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, and to be Great Place to Work® certified for the past four years.

Enrich your career at a company that values integrity, excellence, opportunity, stability, and success.

Headquartered in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, Drees operates in twelve metropolitan areas: Greater Cincinnati (including Northern Kentucky), Cleveland, and Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Washington, D.C.

Responsibilities/Qualifications

National homebuilder with a superb reputation as a leader and innovator in the industry is seeking a Land Development Manager for our Drees Homes Indianapolis Division.

We are seeking a highly skilled and strategicLand Development Manager to join our team. In this pivotal role, you will oversee the full lifecycle of land development—from site analysis and entitlement to construction coordination and HOA oversight. Your leadership will ensure the timely and cost-effective delivery of finished lots that align with our division’s long-term growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning and Site Analysis
  • Collaborate with leadership to develop five-year lot forecast
  • Evaluate potential sites for development feasibility and product fit

• Entitlement and Zoning
  • Represent the company in zoning and entitlement matters
  • Manage consultants for land planning and preliminary design

• Engineering and Design
  • Oversee civil, soils, and environmental engineering
  • Ensure regulatory compliance and manage design approvals

• Budgeting and Bidding
  • Prepare and manage development budgets
  • Solicit and evaluate construction bids and negotiate contracts

• Construction Oversight
  • Monitor field execution and approve change orders
  • Track and secure permits to avoid delays

• Bond and HOA Management
  • Manage bond tracking and release
  • Draft HOA documents and chair meetings during declarant control

• Reporting and Coordination
  • Maintain development documentation and lead internal meetings
  • Approve invoices and manage subdivision restrictions

Knowledge and Skills:

• Proven experience in land development, civil engineering, or a related field
• Strong knowledge of zoning, permitting, and environmental regulations
• Excellent project management, budgeting, and negotiation skills
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage external consultants
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement abilities

Requirements:

• Bachelor Degree in Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Real Estate Development related field
• Strong technical skills including Microsoft Office - Teams, Excel, Word
• Experience with Bluebeam is helpful

Premier Benefits to Support YOU -

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental and vision
• Life, AD&D, and critical illness insurance
• Wellness rewards
• 401(k) savings plan
• Profit Sharing
• Paid time off increasing with tenure
• Tuition reimbursement
• Long and short disability and Parental leave
• Employee discount program on the purchase of a Drees Home
• Employee Assistance Program and much more!

Excellent salary and bonus potential.

Join a special team what works together to make Drees Homes a successful company and a rewarding place to work!

Summary

Equal Opportunity Employer / Drug-Free Work Place

To learn more about Drees Homes, please visit our website – www.dreeshomes.com.