Real Estate Development Manager

ZenaTech Inc.; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ZenaTech Inc. seeks an experienced Real Estate Development Manager to lead the identification, acquisition, development and setup of new DaaS locations across Florida and the Southeast.

You will manage market selection, land acquisition, permitting and construction coordination, ensuring turnkey readiness for corporate or franchise use. The ideal candidate brings hands-on CRE development, lease/purchase experience, and strong negotiation, project management and cross-functional collaboration

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in commercial real estate development, site acquisition, construction or related field.
• Strong negotiation and vendor-management capabilities.
• Experience negotiating leases and property purchases.
• Knowledge of zoning, permitting, entitlements and due diligence.

Responsibilities

• Identify and evaluate markets, properties, and development sites for new DaaS locations in the Southeast.
• Develop site-selection criteria based on operational requirements, markets, accessibility and economics.
• Source properties via brokers, developers, landlords and market research.
• Evaluate lease, purchase and development options and recommend the best approach.
• Negotiate leases, LOIs, purchases and other real estate transactions with guidance from management and legal.
• Manage due diligence including zoning, permits, surveys, title, utilities and site requirements.
• Maintain a pipeline of potential sites aligned with expansion plans.
• Identify and acquire land, manage land acquisition through closing, and coordinate with architects, engineers and builders.

Skills

Negotiation

Project management

Vendor management

Communication

Financial analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in real estate, business, finance, construction management, engineering or related discipline

Job description

ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA | FSE: 49Q) is a technology company specializing in AI drones, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and quantum computing solutions for mission-critical business applications. Since 2017, the company has leveraged its software development expertise and expanded its drone design and manufacturing capabilities through ZenaDrone to innovate and enhance customer inspection, monitoring, safety, security, compliance, and surveying processes.

Job Overview:

We are seeking an experienced Real Estate Development Manager to lead the identification, acquisition, development, and setup of new Drone as a Service (DaaS) locations across Florida first, followed by the southeastern United States.

This role will be responsible for taking each location from initial market and site selection through lease or property acquisition, development, construction, and final setup—delivering a fully operational location that is ready for a corporate team or franchisee to move in and begin operations.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on commercial real estate experience with property development and project management expertise. This includes experience negotiating commercial leases and property purchases, acquiring land, conducting due diligence, and working directly with architects, engineers, contractors, builders, municipalities, and other development partners.

This is an Orlando-based role with regular travel throughout the Southeast as the DaaS network expands.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify and evaluate markets, properties, and development sites for new DaaS locations across the Southeast.
• Develop site-selection criteria based on operational requirements, customer markets, accessibility, economics, and expansion priorities.
• Source suitable commercial and industrial properties through brokers, developers, landlords, and direct market research.
• Evaluate lease, purchase, and ground-up development alternatives and recommend the best approach for each market.
• Negotiate commercial leases, letters of intent, property purchases, and other real estate transactions in coordination with management and legal counsel.
• Manage real estate due diligence, including zoning, permitted use, environmental considerations, surveys, title, utilities, access, and other site requirements.
• Maintain a pipeline of potential sites aligned with the Company's expansion plan.

Land Acquisition & Development

• Identify and evaluate land suitable for new DaaS facilities.
• Manage land acquisition from initial evaluation and due diligence through closing.
• Assess zoning, entitlement, infrastructure, utility, access, and development requirements.
• Work with architects, engineers, planners, builders, and contractors to develop new facilities or modify existing properties.
• Oversee the permitting, approvals, construction schedules, budgets, and project milestones.
• Coordinate build-outs and improvements to ensure locations meet Company operating standards and applicable regulatory requirements.

Location Setup & Delivery

• Manage each project from site selection through turnkey operational readiness.
• Coordinate facility build-out, utilities, security, signage, furnishings, technology, equipment requirements, and other infrastructure needed to open the location.
• Develop a standardized DaaS facility model that can be efficiently replicated across multiple markets.
• Establish project schedules, budgets, checklists, and opening standards for each location.
• Conduct final inspections and coordinate handover to the Operations or Franchise team.
• Ensure each site is ready for a corporate team or franchisee to move in and begin operations with minimal additional setup.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Corporate Development, Operations, and Franchise teams to align new locations with the Company's growth strategy.
• Translate operational requirements into practical real estate and facility specifications.
• Coordinate location development timelines with franchise recruitment and corporate market launches.
• Provide management with regular reporting on the real estate pipeline, development status, budgets, risks, and projected opening dates.
• Build and manage relationships with brokers, landlords, developers, architects, engineers, contractors, builders, municipalities, and other external partners.

Qualifications:

• 5-10 years of experience in commercial real estate development, site acquisition, construction/project development, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience with commercial leasing and real estate purchase transactions.
• Direct experience evaluating and purchasing land for development.
• Experience managing projects involving architects, engineers, general contractors, and builders.
• Working knowledge of zoning, permitting, entitlements, construction, and commercial property due diligence.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple real estate and development projects simultaneously.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including evaluating lease-versus-buy decisions, development costs, budgets, and project economics.
• Strong negotiation, project management, and vendor-management capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively across corporate, operations, and franchise organizations.
• Bachelor's degree in real estate, business, finance, construction management, engineering, or a related discipline preferred.
• Experience supporting a multi-location, franchise, service, logistics, industrial, or rapidly expanding operating business would be particularly valuable.
• Must be based in, or willing to relocate to, the Orlando, Florida area.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout the southeastern United States (Required).

We use artificial intelligence to review and screen applications and materials. However, every candidate we move forward with is reviewed and selected, and all final hiring decisions are made by a member of our hiring team.

"We are an equal opportunity employer committed to employment equity utilizing hiring practices on merit and business needs. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and all others of legally protected status."