Vice President Retail Project Development

The Lewis Group of Companies; Upland (CA); On-site; USD 210,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Auto allowance

Cellphone allowance

401k with company match

Annual bonus and raise eligibility

Health benefits options

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

The Lewis Group of Companies is seeking a Vice President, Retail Project Development to lead the end-to-end development of new retail properties in Upland, CA. This on-site role involves guiding entitlement, design, construction, and turnover to Property Management, while navigating public agency approvals and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Commercial Development, the role emphasizes strategic oversight, budget control, and strong communication with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate development, architecture, construction, construction engineering, construction management, civil engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in retail/commercial real estate development preferred.
• Experience with mid- to large-scale retail center development is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of architectural and engineering plans.
• Knowledge of development budgeting and scheduling.
• Ability to use project management and construction tech (MS Project, Bluebeam, Procore).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills before public agencies, boards, and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead retail development opportunities aligned with ownership goals.
• Serve as primary development leader for assigned projects coordinating Lewis departments and consultants.
• Lead entitlement and public-agency approvals with city staff and governing bodies.
• Prepare and oversee applications, documentation, plans and exhibits.
• Manage permitting, plan checks, development conditions and jurisdictional requirements.
• Support land acquisition with agency research and site planning.
• Lead multidisciplinary consultant teams (architects, engineers, landscape, environmental).
• Direct and review consultant work to stay coordinated and on schedule.
• Review tenant work letters and leases for development-related requirements.
• Oversee plan processing and approvals to obtain construction permits.
• Coordinate dry utility relocations, work orders, deposits and contracts.
• Generate and track change orders and payment authorizations.
• Monitor monthly project cost reporting and budget variances for leadership.
• Review development pro formas to ensure underwriting accuracy.
• Collaborate with construction teams to ensure viability for long-term operation.
• Partner with Property Management, Engineering, Marketing, Accounting, Legal and other Lewis teams.
• Capture lessons learned for future development processes.
• Build relationships with internal partners and joint venture partners.

Skills

Retail development

Leadership

Public agency approvals

Budgeting & scheduling

PM software

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Project

Bluebeam

Procore

Job description

Vice President, Retail Project Development - Upland, CA

The Lewis Group of Companies is a collection of independent entities focused on the real estate industry. For more than 70 years, we've created lasting value through thoughtful planning, quality development, and long-term investment in the communities we serve.

About your new career:

As our Vice President, Retail Project Development, you will lead the development of new retail projects from initial opportunity and site acquisition through entitlement, design, construction, stabilization, and eventual turnover to our Commercial Property Management team.

Note: This career is located on-site at the corporate office in Upland, CA.

This is a highly visible leadership role for an experienced retail development professional who can manage complex projects, navigate public-agency approvals, lead multidisciplinary consultant teams, and collaborate across the Lewis organization to successfully bring retail developments from concept to completion.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Commercial Development, you will serve as a primary leader and owner advocate throughout the development process.

Your work will include:

• Leading and executing retail development opportunities in alignment with ownership goals and direction.
• Serving as the primary development leader for assigned projects, coordinating with Lewis departments, managers, consultants, and other stakeholders.
• Leading entitlement and public-agency approval processes, including interactions with city staff, Planning Commissions, City Councils, boards, committees, and neighborhood groups.
• Preparing and oversee public-agency applications, supporting documentation, plans, and exhibits.
• Managing all aspects of permitting, plan checks, development conditions, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Supporting the land acquisition team in evaluating potential retail development opportunities, including agency research, competitive project research, preliminary site planning, and product development.
• Selecting and leading multidisciplinary consultant teams, including architects, engineers, utility consultants, landscape architects, and environmental consultants.
• Directing and reviewing consultant work to ensure projects remain coordinated, efficient, and on schedule.
• Reviewing tenant work letters and leases for development- and construction-related requirements.
• Overseeing plan processing and approvals required to obtain construction permits and ensure development conditions are successfully satisfied.
• Coordinating dry utility relocations, work orders, contracts, deposits, and related activities.
• Generating and tracking contract and change-order requests and review payment authorizations.
• Managing monthly project cost reporting, addressing budget variances, and responding to ownership and executive leadership regarding project performance.
• Reviewing development proformas to ensure underwriting assumptions are accurate.
• Partnering closely with construction teams throughout the development process, identifying value-engineering opportunities and ensuring plans are viable for construction and long-term operation.
• Collaborating with Property Management, Engineering, Marketing, Accounting, Legal, Planned Communities, and other Lewis teams.
• Capturing lessons learned from completed projects and apply those insights to future development processes.
• Building and maintaining productive relationships with internal partners and current and prospective joint venture partners.

Qualifications for success:

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate development, architecture, construction, construction engineering, construction management, civil engineering, or a related field.
• Significant experience in retail/commercial real estate development, with 10+ years preferred.
• Experience with mid- to large-scale retail center development is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of architectural and engineering plans.
• Knowledge of development budgeting and scheduling.
• Ability to effectively utilize project management and construction technology, including platforms such as Microsoft Project, Bluebeam, and Procore.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to represent projects before public agencies, governing bodies, community groups, consultants, and business partners.

NOTE: Reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license for travel to company projects. Valid California Real Estate License is required or will be required within six months of hire.

Salary & Perks

Starting base salary range of $215k+ based on experience plus monthly auto allowance, $100/month cellphone allowance, 401k with company match, annual bonus and raise eligibility, a variety of health benefits plans to choose from, and paid vacation and holidays.

Join our Team:

We are a family-led community development group of companies committed to elevating the standards of living and quality of life for every customer, employee, partner, investor and community served. If this sounds like a fit, we'd love to hear from you.

Lewis Management Corp. is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply.

Please note: This posting is a summary of the role's primary duties. For a comprehensive list of essential functions, physical demands, and formal requirements, please request the full internal job description.