Development Assistant Intern

About the role

The Development Assistant Intern supports the Director of Development in the planning, coordination, documentation, and execution of new construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects across Thoroughbred Express Auto Wash. This position is designed to provide administrative and project coordination support to the Director of Development while gaining hands-on experience in commercial construction, real estate development, permitting, project management, and multi-site business operations.

Primary Responsibilities

• Project Tracking & Coordination
• Maintain an up-to-date master tracker for all active development projects, including new builds, renovations, equipment upgrades, and other capital improvement projects.
• Track major project milestones, deadlines, expected completion dates, and outstanding action items.
• Update project status information based on communication from the Director of Development, contractors, vendors, municipalities, and other involved parties.
• Identify upcoming deadlines and outstanding items requiring follow-up.
• Maintain organized lists of next steps, responsible parties, and expected completion dates.
• Absorb and distribute weekly project status updates for company leadership.
• Help ensure commitments made during meetings, calls, and site visits are documented and followed through to completion.
• Permitting & Municipal Coordination
• Aid in tracking zoning, planning, building, signage, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and other required permits and approvals.
• Maintain records showing when permits and applications were submitted, their current status, and any outstanding requirements.
• Follow up with municipalities, permitting offices, engineers, architects, and other parties regarding outstanding submissions or approvals as directed.
• Maintain copies of permits, applications, approvals, inspection reports, and related correspondence.
• Track upcoming inspections and required project approvals.
• Contractor & Vendor Support
• Maintain current contact information for general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, architects, vendors, utility representatives, and municipal contacts.
• Absorb and organize requests for bids, proposals, quotes, contracts, change orders, and supporting documentation.
• Track outstanding information requested from contractors and vendors.
• Follow up on documentation, schedules, pricing, invoices, and other outstanding items at the direction of the Director of Development.
• Document contractor commitments, projected completion dates, and unresolved issues.
• New Site Development
• Absorb and coordinate administrative tasks throughout the development process, including due diligence, site planning, civil and architectural plans, engineering coordination, permitting, utility coordination, contractor bidding, construction schedules, equipment installation, signage, inspections, punch lists, and project closeout.
• Maintain an organized record of where each project stands within the development process and what is required to move it to the next phase.
• Renovations & Capital Projects
• Absorb and assist with tracking active renovation and improvement projects at existing Thoroughbred Express locations.
• Maintain project scopes, schedules, budgets, bids, photographs, and completion documentation.
• Track outstanding punch-list items and contractor responsibilities.
• Help document project progress through photographs, notes, invoices, and completion records.
• Maintain before-and-after project documentation when appropriate.
• Invoice & Budget Documentation
• Absorb and assist with collecting, organizing, and tracking project invoices.
• Match invoices with the appropriate project, contractor, proposal, or approved scope of work.
• Maintain project-level records of quotes, approved costs, change orders, and invoices.
• Identify missing documentation or discrepancies for review by the Director of Development.
• Absorb and assist with maintaining accurate records of committed and completed project costs.
• Meetings & Follow-Up
• Absorb and assist in preparing agendas and supporting materials for development meetings.
• Take detailed notes during meetings when requested.
• Document decisions, assignments, deadlines, and follow-up items.
• Distribute or maintain action-item lists following meetings.
• Absorb and assist with following up on outstanding assignments.
• Absorb and assist with preparing the Director of Development for leadership meetings by ensuring current project information is readily available.
• Development File Management
• Maintain organized digital project files containing applicable contracts, proposals, bids, plans and drawings, permits, inspection records, invoices, change orders, project schedules, photographs, contractor correspondence, utility information, municipal correspondence, punch lists, and closeout documentation.
• Files should be maintained in a consistent format so project information can be easily located by company leadership.
• Field & Site Support
• Accompany the Director of Development on project site visits.
• Photograph and document construction progress.
• Absorb and assist with punch-list documentation.
• Record outstanding work and completion items.
• Absorb and assist with attending contractor, vendor, or municipal meetings.
• Absorb and assist with verifying that requested documentation and project information are received following site visits.

Qualifications

• Preferred Education: Current college student or recent graduate pursuing a degree in an area such as: Construction Management, Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, Architecture, Real Estate, Finance, Operations Management.
• Relevant experience may be considered in place of a specific degree program.

Skills & Characteristics

• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong with written and verbal communication.
• Comfortable professionally following up with contractors, vendors, and public officials.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and similar business applications.
• Able to maintain accurate spreadsheets, trackers, and project documentation.
• Capable of working independently after receiving direction.
• Persistent with follow-up and comfortable asking for status updates.
• Professional when handling confidential company and project information.
• Interested in construction, development, project management, or business operations.

What the Intern Will Learn

• Exposure to the complete commercial development lifecycle within a rapidly growing multi-location organization, including: Commercial construction management, new-site development, permitting and municipal approvals, contractor management, vendor negotiations and bidding, construction budgeting, project scheduling, renovations and capital improvements, utility coordination, executive reporting, multi-site operations, and project closeout.
• Participation in active development projects and seeing projects progress from planning through construction and opening.

Measures of Success

• Keep development trackers accurate and current.
• Maintain organized and accessible project documentation.
• Consistently track deadlines and outstanding items.
• Follow up on assigned items without requiring repeated reminders.
• Provide accurate project information when requested.
• Improve the organization and visibility of active development projects.
• Reduce administrative workload on the Director of Development.
• Help ensure commitments, deadlines, and outstanding items are documented and followed through to completion.

Role Purpose

Ultimately, the Development Assistant Intern exists to allow the Director of Development to spend more time managing construction, visiting projects, solving problems, coordinating contractors, and advancing new development, while the intern helps ensure the administrative, documentation, tracking, and follow-up responsibilities surrounding those projects remain organized and current.