Development Manager

About the role

EastGroup Properties is seeking an experienced Development Manager to lead the successful delivery of Class A industrial projects from initial site evaluation through final construction and tenant occupancy. This role serves as the driving force behind the development process, coordinating cross-functional teams, consultants, contractors, municipalities, and utility partners to transform opportunities into high-quality, market-leading assets.

Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for development management, entitlement coordination, design oversight, permitting, and project administration from beginning to end.
• Initial project planning and scope development.
• Design documentation review.
• Permitting and costing support.
• Schedule management from acquisition through completion.
• Establish project design criteria and ensure alignment with investment objectives, tenant requirements, and municipal regulations.
• Establish pre-construction processes.
• Manage construction buyouts.
• Supervise construction execution by third-party contractors.
• Project closeout and tenant buildouts.
• Lead land due diligence activities, including zoning analysis, utility availability, environmental review, floodplain assessment, title and survey review, access evaluation, and municipal development requirements.
• Coordinate with municipalities, utility providers, economic development organizations, and regulatory agencies to advance project approvals and development objectives.
• Manage zoning, entitlement, platting, site plan, permitting, and related approval processes.
• Identify development risks and provide recommendations regarding project feasibility, schedule, and budget impacts.
• Identify and assess qualified consultants and contractors to provide construction and design services for the project.
• Manage and coordinate all consultants, contractors, and third-party management for each project.
• Create budget guidelines for each project and monitor costs through completion.
• Prepare RFP documents for various types of construction projects; scope development, budget and timeline estimates, contractor qualification, and competitive bid solicitation.
• Provide bid analysis and consultant/contractor selection recommendations to Senior Management.
• Prepare all contract documents for execution.
• Set-up and maintain an effective communication network for the project.
• Ensure general contractor project delivery schedule and quality control is in line with expectations.
• Maintain all required project data and records; log and track design changes, construction changes, contract modifications, and potential claims.
• Work with accounting to maintain land basis allocations, infrastructure allocated costs, and reporting.
• Maintain and monitor insurance requirements for all involved in the jobsite and project management.
• Monitor construction process to ensure constructability standards and project delivery milestones are met.
• Review and approve all RFIs, submittals, change requests, draw requests, and invoices.
• Prepare monthly project status reports, including current schedules, variance to budget, potential cost overruns or scope changes; proactively communicate potential schedule and/or budget impacts.
• Provide ongoing communication of overall scope of work with Property operations team to promote minimal disruption to tenants, residents, and guests.
• Coordinate project closeout with all project consultants, general contractor, and lenders (as required).
• Coordinate and manage building turnover process and perform project acceptance walk-through to ensure compliance with project goals and scope.
• Work with Asset Managers to define a tenant’s scope of work.
• Work with tenants through the build-out of their space to coordinate fixturing and equipment requirements, working towards timely lease commencement.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) from a four-year college or university in a relevant field of study (civil engineering, architecture, engineering, construction management) is preferable.
• Minimum 8–10 years of commercial or industrial real estate development experience with responsibility for entitlements, design, permitting, and project execution.
• Experience managing industrial development projects from land acquisition through completion.
• Prior experience in project management budgeting, financial tracking, and cost analysis.
• Prior experience writing Requests for Proposals, analyzing returned RFPs, and selecting quality vendors and providers.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to coordinate, schedule, and oversee multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong understanding of zoning, land use, platting, permitting, utility infrastructure, and development approvals.
• Strong understanding of site development, civil engineering, and industrial real estate development processes.
• Knowledge of construction specifications, with ability to draft specifications independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present ideas and recommendations to Senior Management.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships at various levels and hold parties accountable to EastGroup standards.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and ability to analyze and solve problems independently involving multiple factors in various situations.
• Proficient with all Microsoft applications and experience with construction management and scheduling software.