Director, Land Acquisition and Development

Since 2012, we've grown to become one of the leading single-family rental companies and homebuilders in the country, recently recognized as a top employer by Fortune and Great Place To Work.  At AMH, our goal is to simplify the experience of leasing a home through professional management and maintenance support, so our residents can focus on what really matters to them, wherever they are in life.

The Director, Land Acquisition and Development leads the sourcing, acquisition, entitlement, and development of land and residential lots. Partners with senior leadership to analyze the financial feasibility of all acquisitions and ensure alignment with company objectives. Identifies acquisition opportunities through relationships with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., brokers, builders, bankers, landowners, engineers, planners, attorneys, and municipal officials). Collaborates with local government agencies to confirm entitlement requirements. Oversees the full development lifecycle including due diligence, consultant management, budgeting, permitting, scheduling, on-site development, vendor coordination, and securing all municipal permits and approvals

Responsibilities:

• Identifies, evaluates, and advances land acquisition opportunities through market research, financial analysis, feasibility modeling, and relationship‑based sourcing
• Leads due diligence efforts, including zoning, entitlements, engineering considerations, environmental factors, costs, and jurisdictional requirements
• Prepares and presents acquisition recommendations by compiling financial, market, and risk data for executive and committee review
• Negotiates purchase agreements, contracts, and related documentation to secure strategic land positions
• Oversees entitlement and permitting processes, coordinating with municipal agencies, consultants, developers, and HOAs to ensure regulatory alignment
• Manages the full land development lifecycle, including budgets, schedules, forecasting, consultant oversight, trade partner selection, and cost reconciliation
• Proactively addresses project risks, schedule impacts, and budget variances to support successful project delivery
• Leads and develops a local team through clear expectations, coaching, performance feedback, and continuous improvement
• Promotes consistent processes, best practices, and collaboration across acquisition, development, and internal partner teams

Requirements:

High school diploma or GED required

Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Business, Finance, Economics, Commerce or Construction Management preferred

Minimum five (5) years of experience in land acquisition, land development, land sales, or related real estate or construction disciplines, including contract negotiation and relationship management required

Three (3) years of people leadership experience managing and developing direct reports required

Background in residential development, homebuilding, or comparable real‑estate‑focused environments preferred

Familiarity with financial analysis, pro formas, budgeting, forecasting, and market evaluation

Working knowledge of entitlements, permitting, environmental regulations, and development compliance frameworks

Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse audiences

Comfortable prioritizing multiple initiatives, adapting to evolving market conditions, and exercising sound professional judgment

Proficiency with business productivity tools such as Microsoft Office Suite; experience with CRM systems is preferred

A valid driver's license and capacity to travel locally as needed for site visits and municipal coordination

Willingness to obtain market‑specific certifications or licenses (e.g., real estate license, FAA drone certification, OSHA 30) as applicable

Compensation

The anticipated pay range/scale for this position is $134,609.00 - $188,451.00 Annually. Actual starting base pay within this range will depend on factors including geographic location, education, training, skills, and relevant experience.

Additional Compensation

This position is eligible to receive a discretionary annual bonus.

Perks and Benefits

Employees have the opportunity to participate in medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts and/or health savings accounts; dependent savings accounts; 401(k) with company matching contributions; employee stock purchase plan; and a tuition reimbursement program. The Company provides 9 paid holidays per year, and, upon hire, new employees will accrue paid time off (PTO) at a rate of 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour worked, up to a maximum of 120 hours per year.

CA Privacy Notice: To learn more about what information we collect when you apply for a job, and how we use that information, please see our CA Job Applicant Privacy Notice found at https://www.amh.com/ca-privacy-notice.

#LI-KR1