Vice President of Entitlement

The Vice President of Entitlement is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the entitlement process for new communities, from due diligence through final governmental approvals. This includes securing zoning, land use approvals, environmental clearances, and agency permits required to initiate development. The role requires extensive knowledge of local planning regulations, public agency processes and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This individual will collaborate with internal teams, consultants, and public agencies to obtain timely approvals and ensure entitlement strategies align with business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the entitlement process for multiple residential communities, including general plan amendments, specific plans, zoning, tentative maps, and subdivision approvals, ensuring timely delivery of entitlements aligned with the Division's business plan and budget objectives.
• Direct feasibility and due diligence efforts for new acquisitions, including entitlement risk assessments, CEQA requirements, and coordination with land acquisition and development teams.
• Strategic input to the Division President and Land team on entitlement timelines, jurisdictional policy changes, and environmental constraints that impact land acquisition and development decisions.
• Manage the preparation of all environmental documentation in compliance with CEQA, including Initial Studies, Mitigated Negative Declarations, and Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), and interface with environmental consultants, legal counsel, and lead agencies.
• Navigate complex multi-agency entitlement processes across California jurisdictions including coordination with local municipalities, regional air and water boards, LAFCO, school districts and utility providers.
• Address regional transportation and infrastructure mitigation requirements, including traffic impact studies, regional development fees and Nexus based assessments.
• Collaborate with legal counsel and environmental consultants to ensure compliance with state and local regulations.
• Review and manage consultant scopes of work, budgets, and performance to ensure effective support for entitlement activities.
• Provide leadership to consultants, internal teams, and jurisdictional partners to facilitate collaborative, complete, and code-compliant entitlement submittals.
• Represent the company in public hearings, planning commission, and city council meetings; serve as a liaison with municipal staff, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders to secure approvals and resolve entitlement-related issues.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Civil Engineering, Environmental Studies, or related field required.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in entitlement, land planning, or related land use fields.
• Minimum 5 years of experience specifically managing residential project entitlements.
• California Only: Extensive experience with CEQA compliance, including managing EIR processes and agency negotiation.
• Strong relationships with planning and permitting agencies in key markets preferred.

Technical Skills:

• Familiarity with planning and zoning codes, subdivision ordinances, and environmental regulations.
• Ability to read and interpret civil engineering, site, and planning documents.
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage complex, multi-agency approval processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Project).

Interpersonal/Communication Skills:

• Strong Oral/Written Communication and Interpersonal, and Customer Service skills; ability to communicate effectively with a high degree of professionalism
• Frequent interactions with a wide variety of internal and external contacts, with all levels of authority and responsibility
• Ability to react and respond favorably, manage conflict and resolve problems in a professional manner
• Team Player; and demonstrated ability to work within cross-functional teams

Judgment:

• Sound judgment and a high level of integrity with the ability address sensitive and confidential information and make good decisions under pressure.
• Results-oriented, accurate, with keen attention to detail
• Self directed; takes initiative, proactively addresses problems; can work with minimal oversight

Mental Abilities:

• Analytical; with the ability to give, receive and interpret information to determine the root problem and bring issues to a successful conclusion.
• Organized and flexible with the ability to multi-task, prioritize projects and meet deadlines, often with interruptions, changing circumstances, in a fast-paced work environment.
• Thrives in changing environment and maintains a positive attitude

PHYSICAL- ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Work Environment:

• Work is generally performed both onsite and, in the office, and is supervisory in nature.
• Must be able to walk construction sites with frequent exposure to all weather conditions and potential construction site hazards.

Work Schedule:

• Work is generally performed during what is considered to be normal business hours; however, on occasion may be required to work overtime.

Travel:

• Position has minimal travel requirements, however, from time to time may be required to travel for meetings, training, and visits to other office locations.

Physical Requirements:

• Work requires frequent walking on a variety of surfaces including inclines, stairs, and rough terrain.
• Work is performed in all types of weather conditions; with occasional extended exposure to weather conditions.
• Incumbent will frequently encounter construction equipment and other moving objects
• Work may consist of frequent exposure to dust, dirt, hazardous chemicals and other particulates, occasionally in spaces with poor ventilation.
• Work rarely includes hands-on construction. However, in some circumstances an incumbent. may perform limited hands-on construction related tasks using tools of the trades.

Are you looking for an incredible career opportunity? Then Meritage Homes is the place for you! From the homes we build to the careers we offer, we believe in quality. Meritage Homes is the ENERGY STAR Partner of The Year in Sustained Excellence for being a leader in protecting the environment and advancing energy efficiency in homebuilding. We are looking for candidates who are excited about furthering their careers, as well as being a part of an organization that helps people live happier, healthier lives. With over 100,000 homes built, Meritage Homes is looking for professionals who are self-starters and want to help our organization grow by providing new and innovative ideas.

When joining Meritage Homes, you and your career can benefit in several ways, including:

• A work environment that encourages creativity and innovative ideas from every level
• An organization that lives by its core values everyday
• Team atmosphere where every individual is considered a vital asset
• State of the art technology to provide an optimal working environment
• A competitive pay structure
• Strong benefits
• Flexibility in work-life integration
• Team-oriented environment where all individuals play an integral role in the company
• Opportunity to further your career in a growing national organization
• Maintain a competitive drive to be the best

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