Vice President – Land Acquisition and Development

Summit Homes is the largest new home builder in the Kansas City area, building more than 1,600 homes since we began in 2002. Our award-winning company is known for developing and building exceptional communities as well as its innovative design practices. Providing a world-class customer experience to families all over Kansas City continues to drive our success well into the future.

In 2016, Summit joined Clayton Properties Group, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Combining the regionally well-established Summit brand with the strength of Clayton and Berkshire Hathaway provides Summit with the platform for continued and sustainable growth for years to come.

Summit is also community-focused, actively supporting numerous organizations committed to helping children and those unable to help themselves, including Children’s Mercy Hospital, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Drumm Farm Center for Children, Hope Haven of Cass County and Harvesters: The Community Food Network. The dedication of our Team Members to the service of others is inspiring, humbling and another reason we are recognized as a leader in our industry.

Summit Homes is committed to offering a benefit plan that ensures access to quality healthcare and provides for financial security in the future. Through our benefit, profit sharing and 401(k) plans, we offer a sense of security and peace of mind to our Team Members and their families. Our current benefit plans include:

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Vacation and Holidays

Paid Team Member Birthday and Community Service Day

Life Insurance

Short Term Disability Insurance

Long Term Disability Insurance

401(k)

Profit Sharing Program

Your career is waiting for you at Summit Homes. Contact us today!

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Job Description:

The Vice President – Land Acquisition and Development is responsible for all aspects of strategic land planning, land and lot acquisition, direct community design, manage the entitlement process and development operations. The VP is a goal-driven, humble leader focused on coaching, mentoring and training team members for success in accomplishing stated goals. The VP promotes the Summit culture and ensures profitability and a best-in-class customer and team member experience using the company’s mission, vision and core values as a benchmark for leadership.

Key responsibilities:

• Collaborate with senior leadership and the development team to establish department goals and objectives together with strategic plans for achieving same on a periodic basis.
• Formulate specific land acquisition and development strategies to drive established growth objectives and meet sales demand.
• Collaborate with marketing to establish the highest and best use for each piece of property prior to acquisition and gather and present marketing data to support land acquisition.
• Review and evaluate all land and lot acquisitions and present potential projects to the management team.
• Lead and facilitate the Land Development Process including investigations, acquisition, entitlements, and delivery of fully developed lots.
• Develop realistic and achievable timelines for the entitlement and development process with a sense of urgency in delivering finished lots on time and in budget.
• Responsible for the overall direction and success of the development activities.
• Plan and develop communities in an integrated manner with a customer first approach.
• Create and maintain land pipeline and availability inventory system for Summit in accordance with the company’s strategic plan.
• Maintain a network of industry, real estate, and political contacts to maintain a current awareness of available and upcoming acquisition opportunities.
• Conduct timely feasibility studies to assess physical, political and financial aspects of land opportunities.
• Analyze market potential and targeted market areas in order to identify specific target properties.
• Establish and maintain continuous projections from feasibility proforma to budget
• Accountable for representing Summit in negotiating each project’s acquisition
• In cooperation with Finance & Accounting, prepare and submit annual department budget and quarterly updates.

Accurately estimate cash flow projections compared to the strategic plan.

• Accountable for statutory approvals, land plan designs, developmental agreements and servicing contracts
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state and local laws as it pertains to the operation of the department activities.
• Develop, monitor and adhere to Summit’s land development schedule and budget for each project and provide regular updates to the Chief Operating Officer.
• Provide leadership to the Summit Development team including overall people management, talent identification and recruiting, and team member development.
• Develop and promote teamwork and internal integration.
• Review and make recommendations regarding external events that could affect the value of real estate assets.
• Ability to communicate the Summit Homes way of differentiating our business processes from those of our competitors.
• Proactively promote innovative, non-traditional land uses (new acquisitions and existing inventory) to the Summit team.
• Vertical and horizontal research, value engineering and construction management.
• Collaborate with the Construction Operations Team on development and home building related issues.
• Provide oversight to ensure architectural controls and zoning.
• Participate on and provide oversight and management of HOA’s for Summit communities in collaboration with HOA Management firms.
• Contribute to building and maintaining a “Customer for Life” culture with a focus on an everlasting relationship built on trust, value, fairness and the value of our communities, products and services by going the extra mile and providing clear timely communications.
• Manage and direct the department towards its primary objectives with profitability and a commitment to our core values top of mind.
• Engage in regular accountability sessions and periodically evaluate performance of managers and direct reports and collaborate with same to ensure the team is moving in a positive direction towards achieving goals and objectives.
• Develop and maintain succession plans with an emphasis on “building the bench” focused on leadership and team development.

• Engage and participate in monthly team lunches focused on building our culture, informing all team members about goals and objectives and progress, celebrating team and individual wins, recognizing significant events, and team building.
• Engage and participate in quarterly 12-week planning sessions and an annual Vision Meeting to set goals, objectives, strategies and tactics for each quarter and year with a three and five-year game plan as well.
• Meet with customers as required to ensure satisfaction.
• Meet with and present to local officials, community groups, neighborhood associations, and other members of the public from time to time and become involved with community centric organizations with a focus on building Summit’s brand and identity in the market.
• Communicate to Summit’s executive leadership periodically with relevant business information and deliver all required reports in a timely manner.
• Pursue continuous improvement of processes and systems focused on the overall goals of the department and overall organization.
• Mitigate risk for the organization by installing effective policies and procedures in the Division.
• Perform related project assignments.

Qualifications:

The Vice President – Land Acquisition & Development must be competent in each of the job requirements and successful execute same. The VP must be a strong, proven leader and practice servant leadership using Summit’s core values as a playbook for every decision. To perform this role successfully, the VP must possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or ten years of progressively more responsible experience in a new home building & development environment and/or any combination thereof.
• Experience in homebuilding & land development in a comprehensive leadership role encompassing land acquisition, entitlements, and development with a strong management and leadership background, including a successful record of establishing and meeting goals.
• Must demonstrate the ability to build credibility and communicate effectively with all areas of the organization.
• Must have the ability to promote unity and teamwork and be able to build relationships.
• Possess a strong drive for results, be highly motivated, energetic and have excellent leadership skills.
• A customer-focused mindset with experience communicating patiently and professionally with customers and internal team members both orally and in writing.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents including development plats, building plans, financial statements, spreadsheets, and productivity reports.
• Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations to company management and public groups.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions after separating relevant and irrelevant information and evaluating alternatives. Ability to “think on one’s feet.”
• Position requires both field and office work including occasional evenings or weekends.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• May be required to lift as much as 40 lbs.
• Employment subject to a background check, clean driving record, and drug screening.

Job Type: Full-time

Additional Compensation:

• Bonuses

Work Location:

• One location

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off

This Company Describes Its Culture as:

• Team-oriented — cooperative and collaborative
• People-oriented — supportive and fairness-focused
• Outcome-oriented — results-focused with strong performance culture