Senior Project Manager

LAND DEVELOPMENT

Terra Nova Land Development is seeking a senior project leader to direct the planning and execution of large land development operations of residential planned communities. Its team brings experience across real estate development, construction, and investment.

Position Overview

The Senior Project Manager is accountable for land development projects from early planning and preconstruction through horizontal construction, closeout, and turnover. This role sets project priorities, integrates consultants and contractors, leads budgets and schedules, manages risk and change, and keeps company leadership informed. The successful candidate combines strong civil construction knowledge with sound commercial judgment and the ability to lead multiple teams toward safe, high-quality, predictable delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership and Delivery

Lead one or more large land development projects across planning, design coordination, permitting, procurement, construction, closeout, and turnover.

Convert project objectives into clear scopes, execution plans, milestone schedules, budgets, procurement strategies, and reporting routines.

Coordinate internal teams and external civil engineers, surveyors, environmental consultants, utilities, municipalities, general contractors, and specialty subcontractors.

Provide direction and accountability to project superintendents and field teams; establish decision paths, meeting cadence, and escalation practices.

Align land development work with vertical construction, sales, operations, and investment milestones where project sequencing requires it.

Budget, Schedule, and Commercial Management

Own project budgets, cost forecasts, commitments, cash flow assumptions, and schedule performance; identify variances early and lead corrective action.

Oversee bid packages, contractor selection, scopes of work, contract administration, pay applications, change orders, and closeout documentation.

Maintain integrated schedules for engineering, permitting, long-lead procurement, utilities, earthwork, infrastructure, inspections, and turnover.

Evaluate proposed changes and claims for scope, cost, schedule, and risk impacts; negotiate resolutions and maintain a clear decision record.

Prepare concise, accurate project updates, forecasts, and recommendations for company leadership.

Land Development and Field Execution

Oversee civil infrastructure delivery, including clearing, mass grading, roads, wet and dry utilities, storm drainage, stormwater management, paving, and site improvements.

Lead permitting and agency coordination with municipalities, utilities, and regulatory authorities; track conditions, inspections, approvals, and required closeout items.

Monitor field productivity, quality, safety, sequencing, logistics, and contractor performance through regular site reviews and reliable reporting.

Ensure erosion and sediment controls, SWPPP obligations, environmental requirements, and project safety procedures are implemented and documented.

Risk, Quality, and Stakeholder Management

Maintain project risk registers and mitigation plans covering design gaps, approvals, utilities, subsurface conditions, procurement, weather, cost, and schedule.

Enforce company safety expectations and applicable OSHA requirements; investigate incidents and ensure corrective actions are tracked to completion.

Implement quality plans, inspection and test coordination, punch lists, as-built records, and turnover packages that meet contract and jurisdictional requirements.

Build productive working relationships with landowners, consultants, contractors, inspectors, utility providers, internal teams, and other stakeholders.

Anticipate disputes and delivery constraints, resolve issues at the appropriate level, and escalate decisions promptly when project outcomes are at risk.

Qualifications

8+ years of progressively responsible experience in civil construction, land development, or real estate development, including leadership of ground-up projects.

Demonstrated experience managing budgets, schedules, contracts, consultants, contractors, and field operations on complex or large-scale projects.

Strong understanding of land development processes and civil scopes, including grading, utilities, storm drainage, roads, paving, and municipal infrastructure.

Ability to read and interpret civil engineering plans, specifications, geotechnical information, permits, and construction contracts.

Working knowledge of permitting, municipal inspections, erosion control, SWPPP compliance, construction safety, and quality management.

Excellent leadership, negotiation, written communication, organization, and problem-solving skills; able to manage competing priorities and make timely decisions.

Proficiency with construction management and scheduling software and Microsoft Office tools.

Valid driver’s license and ability to travel regularly to project sites.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with residential subdivision or master-planned community development, commercial site development.

Experience coordinating land development with vertical construction, phased releases, or multi-project capital programs.

OSHA 30 certification or ability to obtain it.

Experience using drones for site overviews, or ability to learn.

Measures of Success

Projects meet approved scope, budget, schedule, quality, safety, environmental, and permitting requirements.

Forecasts, reporting, and decision requests are timely, accurate, and actionable.

Contractor and consultant performance is managed proactively, with risks and changes addressed before they disrupt delivery.

Projects achieve complete, organized closeout and a smooth turnover to the next operating or construction phase.

Pay: $130,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Health insurance
Paid time off
Professional development assistance
Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Wilmington, NC 28404

Terra Nova Land Development

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