Pre-Construction Design Lead - Ownership Exposure

Mai Placement; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Mai Placement in Brooklyn, NY is seeking a Pre-Construction Design & Development Manager to lead the design and early development phase of major luxury projects. This in-office, full-time role translates ownership strategy into coordinated, build-ready plans and sets the tone for execution.

You will oversee architects, engineers, and consultants, manage early budgeting and value engineering, bidding, permitting coordination, and all pre-construction docs to ensure a clean handoff to

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years in high-end real estate development or pre-construction
• Ability to read and interpret architectural and engineering plans
• Experience coordinating external AEC teams and consultants
• Exposure to large-scale, luxury residential or mixed-use projects
• Florida market experience strongly preferred
• Strong budgeting and early estimating exposure
• Polished communicator, confident running meetings and driving follow-up

Responsibilities

• Lead architects, engineers, and design consultants through early project phases
• Oversee early-stage estimating, budgeting, and value engineering
• Manage bidding processes and contractor coordination
• Coordinate permits and regulatory requirements (Florida experience a plus)
• Establish project timelines and maintain schedule discipline
• Track communication, decisions, and change documentation

Job description

Mai Placement in Brooklyn, NY is seeking a Pre-Construction Design & Development Manager to lead the design and early development phase of major luxury projects. This in-office, full-time role translates ownership strategy into coordinated, build-ready plans and sets the tone for execution.

You will oversee architects, engineers, and consultants, manage early budgeting and value engineering, bidding, permitting coordination, and all pre-construction docs to ensure a clean handoff to