Senior Vice President – Land Development

Job Description:

Overview 

The Senior Vice President of Land Development is a senior executive leader responsible for the strategic direction, technical excellence, and sustained growth of the firm’s land development practice. This role provides enterprise-level leadership across commercial, residential, and site development services, ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality, compliant, and client-focused solutions. 

As a leader of leaders, the Senior Vice President oversees multiple Vice President–level teams and senior managers, sets strategic priorities, develops future leaders, and makes high-impact decisions that shape the organization’s performance, culture, and reputation. This role embodies the firm’s values, holds teams accountable to leadership principles, and is recognized internally and externally as a trusted industry leader. 

Responsibilities 

• Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight for the land development practice, including site, commercial, and residential development services. 

• Lead and develop multiple Vice President–level teams, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, consistent performance, and excellence in project delivery. 

• Establish and uphold technical standards, quality controls, and best practices for land development engineering across all teams. 

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing land development, permitting, and site infrastructure.  

• Serve as a senior client advisor and relationship manager, strengthening long-term partnerships and ensuring superior client satisfaction. 

• Drive strategic growth through business development, market positioning, client engagement, and expansion of land development services. 

• Oversee financial performance for the practice, including budgets, resource planning, staffing strategies, and profitability. 

• Mentor and develop senior leaders and emerging talent, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. 

• Represent the firm externally with clients, agencies, industry groups, and professional organizations as a recognized leader in land development. 

• Champion the firm’s mission, values, and culture, ensuring leadership excellence and consistency across all teams. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a related field from an ABET-accredited program; advanced degree preferred. 

• Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the state of employment. 

• 15+ years of progressive experience in land development engineering, including significant leadership experience overseeing large, multidisciplinary teams. 

• Demonstrated success leading complex land development programs involving grading, drainage, utilities, and site infrastructure. 

• Extensive experience managing senior leaders and multiple teams at scale (typically 20+ staff and multiple leadership layers). 

• Strong understanding of state and local land development regulations, permitting processes, and approval frameworks. 

• Proven ability to set strategic direction, make high-level organizational decisions, and drive sustained business growth. 

• Exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills, with a strong commitment to client service and professional excellence. 

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EEO Statement:

All qualified applicants for Pape-Dawson Engineers will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.