Development Manager

Dallas, TX

Position Summary

YES Communities is seeking a Development Manager to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of manufactured housing community development initiatives. This position serves as a key liaison between internal stakeholders, consultants, contractors, government agencies, and operational teams to ensure projects are completed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with company objectives.

The Development Manager oversees all phases of community development, working with key stakeholders from site evaluation and bidding through infrastructure construction, lot delivery, amenity completion, and transition to ongoing operations. Success in this role requires strong leadership, financial acumen, project management expertise, and the ability to build productive relationships with both public and private partners.

Key Responsibilities

Land Development

• Permitting and approval activities required for new community developments, expansions, and redevelopment projects.
• Coordinate with municipalities, regulatory agencies, consultants, inspectors, and utility providers to maintain project momentum.
• Establish and maintain strong partnerships with local officials and regulatory authorities.
• Represent the company at planning, zoning, council, and community meetings.
• Proactively address permitting and compliance challenges to prevent project delays.
• Develop and monitor comprehensive project schedules that support phased infrastructure completion and homesite readiness.

Planning, Design & Engineering

• Manage external architects, civil engineers, land planners, and specialty consultants throughout all project stages.
• Collaborate with operations, asset management, and executive leadership to define project requirements and development objectives.
• Guide engineering and design teams toward practical, cost-effective, and scalable solutions.
• Coordinate design and installation of utility infrastructure, including electric, water, sewer, telecommunications, gas, and related services.
• Ensure plats, easements, and development documentation are completed and recorded to support planned homesite delivery.

Financial Management & Budget Control

• Maintain accountability for development budgets, forecasts, and financial performance.
• Prepare project analysis, financial models, and executive reporting as needed.
• Evaluate consultant proposals, contractor bids, and change requests to ensure alignment with approved scope, budget, and schedule.
• Partner with construction teams to maintain accurate cost projections and variance reporting.
• Develop long-range development budgets and capital expenditure estimates.
• Monitor project pro formas and update assumptions based on project progress and market conditions.
• Identify risks that may impact project costs and implement mitigation strategies.
• Review and approve pay applications, invoices, and project-related expenditures.
• Assist with lender reporting, draw requests, and project financing requirements.

Construction & Infrastructure Delivery

• Oversee site development activities from groundbreaking through final acceptance.
• Coordinate with contractors and field teams to resolve design conflicts, construction issues, and schedule impacts.
• Manage the delivery of homesites, roads, utility systems, common areas, amenity spaces, and supporting infrastructure.
• Ensure projects remain on schedule and within approved budgets while maintaining quality standards.
• Lead contractor procurement efforts, including bid solicitation, contract negotiations, and value engineering initiatives.
• Verify compliance with environmental requirements, erosion control measures, stormwater management plans, and applicable regulations.
• Direct project closeout activities, including inspections, punch-list completion, warranty coordination, and agency acceptance.
• Support preparation, review, and approval of development plans, construction documents, and project closeout materials.

Stakeholder Communication & Community Relations

• Serve as a primary point of contact for development-related matters involving residents, municipal representatives, contractors, and internal teams.
• Partner closely with operations, community management, asset management, and executive leadership throughout project execution.
• Facilitate communication among project stakeholders to resolve issues requiring cross-functional collaboration.
• Provide regular project status updates, risk assessments, and recommendations to leadership.

Qualifications

Knowledge & Experience

• Strong understanding of land development, site planning, zoning, and infrastructure construction.
• Knowledge of civil engineering and construction practices related to manufactured housing communities.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, capital projects, and financial reporting.
• Familiarity with environmental compliance requirements, erosion and sediment control practices, stormwater regulations, and construction permitting processes.
• Working knowledge of utility infrastructure systems, including water, sewer, electric, gas, and telecommunications.
• Experience coordinating with local governments, utility providers, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously while managing competing priorities.
• Proven success identifying and implementing creative solutions to complex development and operational challenges.

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Ability to review and interpret site plans, engineering drawings, plats, surveys, and construction documents.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management capabilities.
• Experience utilizing project scheduling and budget tracking tools.

Leadership Competencies

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building and negotiation abilities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound business judgment.
• Self-motivated with a demonstrated sense of ownership and accountability.
• Capable of thriving in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and deadlines.
• Effective collaborator who can work independently while influencing cross-functional teams.

Professional Experience

• Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible experience in land development, community development, construction management, real estate development, or a closely related field.
• Experience supporting manufactured housing, residential, multifamily, master-planned community, or infrastructure development projects preferred.

Compensation: $125,000 - $145,000 + 10% annual opportunity

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The YES Difference

Competitive salary | Comprehensive health benefits | Life, long and short-term disability insurance | 401(k) with company match