Real Estate Development Manager

The Development Manager is a mid-level, independent operating role with end-to-end responsibility for development project management across Freehouse's three sector verticals — industrial, select service hospitality, and workforce multifamily — including ground-up development, CapEx projects, and fee development engagements.The role spans three distinct buckets: feasibility and opportunity evaluation, pre-construction setup, and active construction management. The Development Manager owns the project management, reporting, and presentation functions for development work, with deep financial analysis support from internal analysts. This is not a financial analyst role. It is a real estate development role for a builder who wants ownership over outcomes.PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIESFeasibility & Early Development Evaluation (~30%)Partner with principals on opportunity identification and early-stage evaluationCoordinate market supply pipeline research alongside firm financial analystsEngage construction partners and architectural/engineering firms to develop preliminary cost and schedule analysisManage feasibility study workflows from intake through deliveryProduce complete feasibility packages for internal review and external client/partner consumptionOperate effectively in nuance, where projects are not perfectly scoped and decisions require triangulation across incomplete informationPre-Construction & Project Setup (~30%)Coordinate architectural, engineering, and pre-construction phasesSource, scope, and manage relationships with construction partners, architects, engineers, and consultantsManage budgets, scopes of work, schedules, and partner deliverables through the pre-construction phaseStand up project governance: anticipated cost reports, draw schedules, project calendars, and reporting cadenceHand off cleanly into active construction with all project infrastructure in placeConstruction & Cost Management (~40%)Run weekly project management on active development and CapEx projects across the portfolioOwn the anticipated cost report (ACR), draw management, and cost tracking functionManage all construction partner and vendor relationships through completionCoordinate diligence and fee development engagements as project ownerReport progress to internal team, principals, partners, and lendersDrive accountability and follow-through on construction deliverables, schedule, and budgetQUALIFICATIONSExperience & Education5+ years of real estate development or construction experience in commercial assets — office, industrial, hospitality, or multifamily — in a development management or project management role that involved active constructionDemonstrated track record of carrying projects from feasibility through pre-construction and into active constructionDirect experience coordinating architectural, engineering, and construction partners on ground-up or CapEx workReads development pro formas fluently and can pressure-test analyst output on a project basisBackground in mid-sized real estate development, real estate private equity, or development-oriented construction preferredBachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or Architecture preferredTechnical ProficienciesStrong financial literacy and command of development cost reporting and draw managementProficiency with construction administration tools (Procore, Bluebeam, MS Project or Smartsheet for schedules), project management platforms (Asana or Monday), and a modern productivity stack (Notion, Claude, ChatGPT)Excellent written and verbal communication, including presentation-quality output for partner-facing feasibility packagesStrong document and information organizationPersonal AttributesIndependent operator — comfortable being individually responsible for project output, not just coordinating a teamOwnership mentality — wants to be in a builder's seat, not a process-administrator seatComfortable with ambiguity, particularly during feasibility and early-stage evaluationSelf-motivated with strong initiative and exceptional follow-throughAdaptable problem-solver across multiple concurrent projects and asset typesLOCATION & TRAVELDenver-based. Flexible work-from-home / office.Denver provides the best coverage for Freehouse's core markets in western Montana, central Idaho, and Wyoming.Regular travel for project visits across active markets, flexing with project responsibilities.COMPENSATION$120,000 – $140,000 base salary range, plus incentive compensation and vesting promote share based on qualified project performance. Full benefits package commensurate with experience.WHAT WE OFFERDirect ownership over development project outcomes across three sector verticalsExposure to ground-up development, CapEx projects, and fee development engagementsSmall, sophisticated team with deep financial analysis supportDirect access to principalsUpper-Rockies real estate exposure in markets with strong fundamentals and limited institutional competitionIncentive compensation and vesting promote share based on qualified project performance