Division Vice President - Land Acquisition & Development

Overview

BREAK GROUND ON A REWARDING CAREER WITH US!

The Sekisui House U.S. team is a proud builder of the SHAWOOD, Richmond American, Woodside, Holt, Hubble, and Chesmar brands.  We take great pride in being a member of Sekisui House, a global leader in homebuilding. This impressive, 60+ year old company has built over 2.6 million new homes designed to reflect and adapt to the changing needs of today's homebuyers. Drawing on Sekisui House's unparalleled history and superior service, we commit ourselves to a future where people around the world can live joyful lives in homes that are safe, secure, stylish and comfortable. 

We encourage a company culture that promotes professionalism, teamwork, health & wellness and work-life balance. If you are a results-driven professional with a passion for success, consider building a career with us.

Positive Work Environment & Culture

• Collaborative Team Culture: Join a supportive environment where teamwork and the open exchange of ideas are highly valued.
• Team Engagement: Participate in a variety of team-building events and social gatherings, such as company outings, holiday celebrations, and regular office socials. We support a healthy work-life balance and recognize the importance of time outside of work commitments. 

Overview & Position Summary

This role provides strategic and operational leadership for the division’s land acquisition and development function, ensuring a disciplined and sustainable pipeline of land opportunities that support near- and mid-term business growth. The position establishes and executes acquisition strategies grounded in market intelligence, financial analysis, and operational feasibility. Partnering closely with executive leadership, the role influences divisional planning, capital deployment, and long-range growth initiatives. This position leads and develops a team of managers and experienced land professionals, driving consistent execution, strong external relationships, and alignment with division-level objectives.

Primary Responsibilities

Land Acquisition 

• Develop and execute divisional land acquisition strategies that support the division’s 1–3 year business plan, inventory needs, and growth targets.
• Lead market evaluation and intelligence efforts, including demographic trends, competitive analysis, jurisdictional considerations, and emerging growth areas.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize land opportunities through rigorous financial modeling, feasibility analysis, and risk assessment.
• Direct and oversee negotiations, deal structuring, letters of intent, and purchase contracts, ensuring favorable terms and alignment with financial objectives.
• Oversee due diligence activities across multiple acquisitions, including entitlement strategy, zoning compliance, environmental review, infrastructure planning, and development feasibility.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with landowners, brokers, developers, municipalities, and community stakeholders to strengthen sourcing networks and market presence.
• Partner closely with Finance, Construction, Development, Sales, and Legal teams to ensure acquisition strategies align with operational capacity, product strategy, and capital plans.
• Lead, mentor, and develop land acquisition managers and professionals, establishing performance expectations, accountability, and succession planning.
• Oversee land pipeline reporting, forecasting, and investment analyses, providing clear and actionable insights to executive and corporate leadership.
• Identify and resolve complex, cross-functional challenges impacting land investments, including entitlement risk, regulatory changes, infrastructure constraints, and market shifts.
• Drive continuous improvement, standardization, and best practices across acquisition evaluation, underwriting, negotiation, and execution processes.

Land Development 

Lead the development and execution of divisional land development strategies to support mid-term business objectives and community delivery goals. 

• Oversee planning, budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation for multiple development projects across the division
• Direct and mentor management-level land development leaders, ensuring effective performance, professional growth, and adherence to company standards.
• Evaluate engineering documents, development programs, and construction plans for feasibility, cost, and consistency with division financial objectives.
• Establish and enforce operational processes, quality expectations, and risk-mitigation approaches across the development function.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with municipalities, utility providers, regulatory agencies, and community partners to support project approvals and timely execution.
• Resolve complex project challenges by applying broad technical knowledge and cross-functional understanding.
• Coordinate closely with forward planning, construction, purchasing, finance, and other internal teams to ensure seamless project handoffs and alignment on schedules.
• Review and manage division-level land development budgets and forecasts, identifying cost efficiencies and implementation adjustments as needed.
• Represent the land development function in executive-level discussions, presenting project status, risks, and strategic recommendations. 

Education & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, planning, real estate development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of relevant professional experience in land development, civil engineering, or construction project management; or 12–14 years of equivalent experience, including leadership of teams and managers.

Preferred:

• Experience leading land acquisition strategy within residential homebuilding or master-planned development environments.

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced knowledge of land acquisition processes, valuation methods, deal structures, and market analysis.
• Strong leadership capability with experience managing managers and building high-performing teams.
• Strategic planning and operational execution skills with the ability to develop and implement mid-term plans.
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and influence skills, including interaction with executive leadership and external partners.
• Ability to analyze and resolve complex, multi-disciplinary issues with broad business impact.
• Financial acumen in underwriting, pro forma modeling, investment evaluation, and risk assessment.
• Strong relationship-building skills with landowners, agencies, consultants, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to drive process improvements and adopt best practices across functional teams.
• High degree of judgment, integrity, and organizational awareness.
• Strong problem-solving abilities supported by advanced analytical and critical-thinking skills.

Working Conditions

Work is primarily performed in a general office environment with regular travel to land sites, broker meetings, municipal offices, and industry events. Field visits may include exposure to undeveloped terrain, varying weather conditions, and active development environments. Regional travel is required to support sourcing efforts, negotiations, and cross-functional coordination.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during office tasks and meetings.
• Ability to walk undeveloped or partially developed sites with uneven terrain.
• Ability to lift and carry materials up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and planning tools.

Comprehensive Benefits Package

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families: 

• Competitive Compensation: We provide a competitive compensation structure that rewards performance and results.
• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive coverage includes medical, dental, and vision insurance options, as well as Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
• Financial Future: Access a 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• Time Off: Our time-off benefits include vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, and other leave types (bereavement, jury duty, FMLA, military leave).
• Insurance & Protection: Company-provided life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage are included. An employee assistance program (EAP) is also available. 
• Exclusive Perks & Discounts
• Homeownership & Financing: Take advantage of exclusive home purchase and financing discounts.
• Pet Insurance: Enjoy discounted group pet insurance rates.

If you are ready for more than a job and seek a career with one of the most respected organizations in the industry, we encourage you to connect with us. Please visit our website at www.richmondamerican.com for additional information.

Sekisui House U.S., Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.