Director, Development

Job Description

Job Description

Position Description

Department : Development

Classification : Exempt, Full-time

Title : Director, Development

Reports To : Managing Director, National Real Estate Development

Location : Washington, DC

Date : November 2025

Director, Development Overview : Under the direction of the Managing Director and in consultation with the parent company’s COO and other members of the parent company, the Director, Development is responsible for establishing and executing development policies and strategies, both general and project-specific. This role requires a leader with a comprehensive understanding of all facets of real estate development who can see the big picture, analyze financial details, anticipate challenges, and drive projects from concept through completion.

The Director, Development will lead project team(s) while also taking a hands-on role in advancing initiatives, assuming full responsibility for one or more engagements and overseeing all development and construction management activities where the company serves in a direct or co-development capacity. The incumbent serves as the primary point of contact, making recommendations on transaction structure, legal documentation, underwriting analysis, and capitalization strategy.

This position requires strategic thinking, strong technical knowledge, and the ability to integrate all aspects of a project, from planning, design, and entitlement through financing, construction, and turnover, into a cohesive, successful outcome.

A successful candidate will hold an undergraduate degree in business or a real estate–related discipline such as finance, development, architecture, or engineering, and will have a minimum of eight years’ experience leading underwriting, transaction structuring, capitalization activities, and project execution in both new, ground-up construction and redevelopment / adaptive re-use settings.

Essential Functions :

• Under the direction of the Managing Director and in consultation with the COO and other members of the parent company, establish and execute development policies and strategies. Assumes full responsibility for an engagement, as well as leading and overseeing all development and construction management activities where the company serves in a direct or co-development capacity. Incumbent is the primary point of contact making final recommendations for the transaction, legal structure, underwriting analysis, and capitalization strategy.
• Has authority to direct assigned development and construction personnel to achieve required deliverables for a comprehensive range of complex development activities specific to one or more projects where National Development maintains a direct development or co-development role performing complex project-specific development activities autonomously or in conjunction with other development staff. Activities may include, but are not limited to : (i) land use entitlements and permitting; (ii) evaluation, selection and ongoing oversight of third-party design and construction professionals (e.g., general contractors, architects, engineers, etc.); (iii) oversight of development budget and schedule; (iv) oversight of project legal team to ensure completion of development related activity (land use, leasing, structuring financing, architect and general contractor agreements, etc.) (v) selection and oversight of a third-party, construction project manager and / or owner’s representative, if any; (vi) negotiate and ensure compliance with the terms of third-party financing; (vii) selection and oversight of third-party leasing and property management professionals; (vii) oversight of the transition from construction to completed operations; and (viii) miscellaneous activities required to successfully plan and manage the development or re-development of an income-producing, commercial real estate project, including responsibilities outlined in a project-specific letter or Development Services Agreement.
• In coordination with the senior construction team, review a variety of project-specific construction documents, including but not limited to plans and specifications, budgets, schedules, contract documents, and third-party consultant reports to identify and report issues of concern.
• Prepare and oversee, as needed, periodic (i.e., monthly, quarterly, and / or annual) development reporting packages, as required by third parties and / or the parent company’s Investment, Asset Management and Accounting Staff.
• Assist the parent company investment staff in feasibility assessments of new investments where National Development would assume a lead development or co-development role.
• Coordinate with National legal counsel in the preparation and execution of requisite legal documents including third-party architect, engineer, consultant and construction contracts and all other legal documents commonly related to real estate development or construction.
• Set expectations to maintain compliance with National’s risk management practices and policies.
• Organize, lead, attend, and actively contribute to regular meetings between National Development staff, clients, consultants, joint venture partners and third-party professionals related to current and planned future development activities.
• Prepare and oversee accurate and timely billable hours following policies and procedures, resolving errors and reconciling against project budgets. Ensure accurate reporting and billable hours for purposes of charging employee expenses against project budgets.
• Keep abreast of market news reporting, industry news, and legal issues to determine the impact and management of activities related to the project. Continue professional development as appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with National Development’s engagement policy in coordination with National staff and Chief Compliance Officer.
• Demonstrate commitment to and abide by National’s Regulatory Compliance Manual and Code of Ethics.
• Commitment to protect and promote the best interests of National’s clients.
• Uphold meticulous recordkeeping practices, ensuring that documentation is preserved in accordance with policy and regulation, and available for inquiries or examinations in real-time. Research and oversee systematic record retention, protection, retrieval, transfer, and disposal of records.
• Exercise due care and in accordance with company policy when accessing National’s systems and information assets, ensuring that, as appropriate, the confidentiality and privacy of data is maintained at all times.
• Must demonstrate commitment to National’s pragmatic stewardship approach in daily business activities, including meeting our overarching fiduciary responsibilities and whenever feasible, incorporating energy and resource conservation practices to produce more profitable results for our clients.

Other Duties and Responsibilities :

Qualifications :

Work Environment :

The work environment and physical demand characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions and nothing in this herein restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The employee in this position will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at National will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. National does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.