Development Project Manager JD Samara - Norcal in Redwood City, California at Samara Living Inc.

About Samara

Samara designs, manufactures, and installs a new generation of modular residential housing. Our mission is to unlock housing at scale by combining advanced manufacturing, California’s new housing legislation, and thoughtful design. Backed by top-tier investors, we are scaling rapidly across ADUs, infill communities, and single-family home developments.

We are hiring a Development Project Manager to own the full lifecycle of our single-family homes vertical from land acquisition through home sellout in Northern California. This person will help lead and support the NorCal developments through acquisitions, entitlements, and construction, with full P&L accountability for each project.

Reporting to the Sr. Development Manager & VP of Projects, the Development Project Manager will be part of the Development team and partner closely with Acquisitions, Engineering & Design, Manufacturing, Operations, and Finance to ensure a successful project delivery.

• Partner with internal acquisitions team to review underwriting assumptions and provide execution input

• Navigate zoning, permitting, and entitlement processes across target municipalities, including SB 9, SB 684, and AB 1123 pathways
• Serve as a point of contact with city officials, utilities, and community stakeholders for regulatory plan checks and ensure compliance with permitting requirements and project conditions through development approvals
• Track project schedules, risks, and key milestones to ensure alignment with business plans

• Support contract negotiations (RFP’s) and consultant agreements

• Contribute to all DRE requirements, including creation of HOA documents and budgets

• Lead day-to-day development management of assigned projects from due diligence through construction

• Manage and coordinate third-party consultants, including architects, engineers, and other design professionals

• Oversee entitlement processes, design development, and project budgeting through project close out.

• Prepare and submit pay applications, Requests for Information, Purchase Orders, Submittals, Change Orders, Claims.

• Coordinate with construction team on 3 weeks lookouts for construction schedules, critical RFI’s, and critical path roadblocks

• Coordinate and lead Preconstruction on cost, schedule, and constructability inputs.

• P&L Ownership & Financial Accountability for Socal development projects
• Ownership of project timelines and operating budgets for development projects
• Present monthly performance to leadership.

Qualifications Required

• 5 - 8 years in real estate, planning, engineering, residential development, or homebuilding.
• Background in architecture, planning, engineering, or related discipline preferred

• Deep experience with California entitlement and permitting processes, including SB684, SB1123 and other by-right pathways
• Proficiency in the skill sets of project management is required

• Ability to read, edit, and QA/QC engineering and architectural plans

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and consultants independently

• Strong understanding of entitlement, design, and pre-construction processes throughout Northern California

• Familiarity with development underwriting and pro forma review

• Knowledge of local zoning regulations, building codes, and permitting requirements in the NorCal area is required.

Preferred

• Experience working within a vertically integrated builder or manufacturer (design through construction through sale)
• Familiarity with modular or prefabricated construction methods
• Five plus years of experience in discretionary entitlements in the Bay Area with Tentative and Final Maps

• MBA or MSRE/MRED strongly preferred

Salary range of: $135,000 - $165,000 depending on experience and performance-based bonuses

Equity: Early stage employee equity

Benefits: Comprehensive package including generous time off, medical, dental, vision, 401(k).

We’re focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. Samara provides equal employment opportunities to everyone, regardless of age, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, disability, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.