Pre-Development Manager

Overview

The Pre-Development Manager reports to the VP of Development & Construction, preparing development projects for execution from site identification and feasibility through entitlements, design coordination, and handoff to the assigned Construction Manager. Projects range from village and real estate development to on-mountain terrain and infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Legal and Documents:

  • Develop and maintain comprehensive working knowledge of the resort's legal frameworks, ownership structures, and governing documents.
  • Coordinate all required jurisdictional approvals and manage the creation and early administration of Homeowner Associations (HOAs).
  • Manage legal, entitlement, and title research; understand legal relationships with adjacent properties and partnership entities.
  • Maintain organized records of agreements, approvals, permits, and title documents for handoff to the assigned Construction Manager.

• Project Underwriting:

  • Evaluate project feasibility, coordinate with Mountain Operations and other resort departments.
  • Prepare financial proformas, ROI analyses, and highest-and-best-use analyses.
  • Conduct market research and competitive set analysis as part of project underwriting.
  • Support long-term master planning strategies and feasibility/cost studies.

• Entitlement and Permitting:

  • Manage USFS Special Use Permit requirements and coordinate ongoing compliance.
  • Understand and strategize entitlement sequencing including subdivision, platting, and use permitting.
  • Manage the entitlement schedule and the approval dependencies that drive project timing.

• Project Management:

  • Develop detailed project plans with clear milestones, deliverables, and Gantt timelines.
  • Lead high-level development design management; coordinate with designers in preparation for construction handoff.
  • Prepare and publish comprehensive project briefs, scopes, and parameters.
  • Identify potential project risks and develop mitigation strategies.
  • Lead post-mortem analysis meetings; contribute to best-practices development.

• Stakeholder Communication and Management:

  • Coordinate with resort departments (Mountain Operations, Lodging, F&B, Retail, HR, Real Estate).
  • Solicit input and milestone feedback from stakeholders throughout the pre-development process.
  • Maintain regular communication with partners, investors, and lenders; provide progress updates and address concerns.
  • Coverage of project status, sales materials, and sales summary updates to partners and lenders.

• Neighbors:

  • Handle objections and build consensus among neighboring owners, adjacent landowners, permit-holding partners, and affected interests.
  • Manage proactive communication and notification on projects that affect them.

• Market Awareness:

  • Maintain and expand a library of similar and competing projects, tracking design, pricing, and outcomes.
  • Maintain awareness of the competitive set to inform project positioning, pricing, and future execution.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in real estate development, land development, or a closely related field.
• Strong understanding of the full real estate development lifecycle, from site selection through closing.
• Experience with entitlements, platting, subdivision processes, and jurisdictional permitting.
• Familiarity with HOA formation and governance.
• Ability to read and interpret title work, easements, plats, and covenants, and to work productively with outside counsel.
• Financial acumen; ability to prepare and interpret proformas and ROI analyses.
• Strong project management skills: planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to coordinate across internal departments, legal counsel, brokers, and investors.
• Negotiation skills; ability to manage contracts and resolve conflicts.
• Technical familiarity with architectural plans, construction processes, and applicable regulations.
• Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Business, Finance, Urban Planning, or related field preferred.

Benefits

• Full Health Plan with Company HSA Match
• 401(k) eligible
• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Cell Phone Service Allowance
• Free Ski Pass for you, your spouse and dependents
• FREE Golf Pass for you, your spouse and dependents
• Free Bike Haul/Scenic Lift Pass for you, your spouse and dependents
• FREE Basecamp activities including zip line courses and discounted passes for spouse and dependents
• Steep Lodging discounts for accommodation for friends and family (blackout dates apply)
• 25% off Food discount at all outlets with charging privileges
• 20%-30% off Retail discount at all outlets with charging privileges, gear and sponsor discounts
• Eligibility for affordable employee housing, a short walk or free bus ride away from work