Head of Land Development and Entitlements in Las Vegas, Nevada at Blue Heron Companies

Why This Role Exists

The Head of Land Development and Entitlements leads the strategy, entitlement, and development execution of Blue Heron's land pipeline, advancing land assets from acquisition through entitlement, horizontal development, amenity completion, municipal acceptance, and community turnover. The role coordinates internal departments, consultants, municipalities, utility providers, master developers, and regulatory agencies to deliver land positions on schedule, within budget, and aligned with Blue Heron's design and business objectives.

Core Accountabilities

Land Strategy and Development Leadership

• Lead all land development and entitlement activities across Blue Heron's portfolio.
• Evaluate development opportunities and constraints associated with prospective land acquisitions.
• Support due diligence efforts, feasibility analysis, and investment committee recommendations.
• Develop and maintain land development schedules, critical path milestones, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Establish development strategies that support community launch and delivery objectives.

Entitlements and Municipal Approvals

• Direct entitlement efforts including zoning, land use approvals, development agreements, special use permits, subdivision maps, and related governmental approvals.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with municipal staff, utility agencies, regulatory bodies, and community stakeholders.
• Manage public hearings, jurisdictional reviews, and approval processes.
• Anticipate regulatory risks and proactively develop solutions to maintain project schedules.

Development Execution

• Oversee all on-site and off-site land development activities.
• Manage civil engineering, surveying, geotechnical, environmental, traffic, utility, and permitting consultants.
• Lead bidding, contract negotiation, procurement, and administration of land development scopes.
• Monitor development budgets, schedules, quality standards, and contractor performance.
• Ensure timely completion of infrastructure, amenities, gates, walls, monuments, and community improvements.

Financial Stewardship

• Monitor project performance against approved budgets and proformas.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising schedule, quality, or long-term asset value.
• Manage bond postings, bond reductions, releases, and municipal acceptance processes.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Partner with Architecture on site planning, product fit, lot yield optimization, and community design objectives.
• Coordinate with Construction to ensure readiness for vertical development.

Civil Responsibilities

• Reviews engineering designs by evaluating reports, maps, drawings, blueprints, aerial photographs, soil studies, terrain conditions, hydrological characteristics, and related topographical or geologic data.
• Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.
• Conducts feasibility assessments and site inspections as needed.

HOA and Community Turnover

• Establish HOA formation processes and governance requirements.
• Coordinate community turnover activities.
• Ensure amenities and common area improvements are completed in accordance with governing documents and development commitments.

Capabilities Required

Technical & Functional Acumen

• Deep understanding of land development, civil engineering, entitlement processes, and horizontal construction.
• Strong knowledge of zoning, land use, subdivision mapping, permitting, and municipal approval processes.
• Experience managing development budgets, contracts, consultants, and development schedules.
• Understanding of utility coordination, infrastructure delivery, and municipal acceptance requirements.
• Ability to evaluate land feasibility, development constraints, and investment risks.

Business & Integration Mindset

• Ability to connect land development decisions to financial performance and business strategy.
• Strong planning and prioritization capabilities.
• Systems-thinking approach to community development.
• Ability to balance schedule, cost, quality, and risk.

Preferred Experience

• 10+ years of progressive land development, entitlement, or civil development leadership experience.
• Experience within residential homebuilding, master-planned communities, design-build development, or related real estate sectors.
• Nevada and Las Vegas market experience strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, or related field preferred.