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
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Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight for the land development practice, including site, commercial, and residential development services.
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Lead and develop multiple Vice President–level teams, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, consistent performance, and excellence in project delivery.
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Establish and uphold technical standards, quality controls, and best practices for land development engineering across all teams.
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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.
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Drive strategic growth through business development, market positioning, client engagement, and expansion of land development services.
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Oversee financial performance for the practice, including budgets, resource planning, staffing strategies, and profitability.
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Mentor and develop senior leaders and emerging talent, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
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Represent the firm externally with clients, agencies, industry groups, and professional organizations as a recognized leader in land development.
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Champion the firm’s mission, values, and culture, ensuring leadership excellence and consistency across all teams.
Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a related field from an ABET-accredited program; advanced degree preferred.
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Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the state of employment.
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15+ years of progressive experience in land development engineering, including significant leadership experience overseeing large, multidisciplinary teams.
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Demonstrated success leading complex land development programs involving grading, drainage, utilities, and site infrastructure.
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Extensive experience managing senior leaders and multiple teams at scale (typically 20+ staff and multiple leadership layers).
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Strong understanding of state and local land development regulations, permitting processes, and approval frameworks.
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Proven ability to set strategic direction, make high-level organizational decisions, and drive sustained business growth.
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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.
