Development Manager - Low Rise

Senior Development Manager

Location: Greater Toronto Area

Harbinger Network Inc. has been retained to support a confidential search for a Senior Development Manager on behalf of a reputable and established residential developer in the Greater Toronto Area.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proven land development professional with deep experience managing large-scale, multi-phase master-planned communities from visioning and acquisition support through approvals, servicing, registration, and construction readiness.

The successful candidate will play a senior role in managing and directing community development areas, helping deliver serviced lands that support the organization’s long-term business plan.

About the Opportunity
The Senior Development Manager will be responsible for leading complex residential development projects through the municipal approvals and land development process. This includes managing consultant teams, development schedules, budgets, risks, opportunities, municipal relationships, and internal coordination across multiple departments.

The portfolio may include large-scale master-planned communities with low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise components, as well as standalone multi-residential or tower parcels.

Key Responsibilities
• Manage multi-disciplinary consultant and project teams on a day-to-day basis to secure timely and favourable municipal approvals for large-scale residential developments.
• Prepare, manage, and update development schedules, risks, opportunities, and key milestones to support sales launches, construction starts, and overall business plan objectives.
• Provide strategic input and design direction through official plan amendments, draft plans, zoning by-law amendments, site plan applications, condominium applications, site servicing permits, and registrations.
• Lead projects with strong financial discipline, ensuring that development decisions are supported by the numbers and aligned with the project’s proforma, budget, and overall business case.
• Prepare, review, and internally validate land development proformas to maximize financial performance and support life-of-job budget management.
• Lead, mentor, and support Assistant Managers, Development Managers, or other team members, ensuring quality of work, engagement, and professional growth.
• Collaborate with internal departments to proactively identify, communicate, analyze, and resolve challenges related to planning, budget, schedule, approvals, and stakeholder relationships.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with municipal staff, community stakeholders, consultants, and other project partners to advance the entitlement and approval process.
• Support the organization’s awareness of current development regulations, policy changes, municipal processes, and broader market conditions.
• Provide input into acquisition opportunities, including acquisition proformas, preliminary project schedules, risk assessments, and opportunity memos.
• Participate in industry organizations and events to remain current on market trends, policy changes, and best practices.
• Contribute to the continued development and improvement of internal development processes and best practices.

What You Bring
• A bachelor’s degree in a related field such as real estate, urban planning, geography, engineering, business, finance, architecture, landscape architecture, law, or a comparable discipline is preferred.
• Candidates without formal business education should be able to demonstrate strong financial, commercial, and business experience gained through hands-on development work.
• Ten or more years of residential land development experience, with a strong focus on large-scale, multi-phase master-planned communities.
• Direct experience managing residential projects through preliminary and final proformas, budget management, development applications, permits, condominium setup, interim occupancy, and registration.
• Strong working knowledge of development approvals in the GTHA and surrounding municipalities, including local planning frameworks, municipal processes, approval authorities, and key stakeholders.
• Experience with official plan amendments, draft plan approvals, zoning by-law amendments, site plan applications, site servicing permits, and related development agreements.
• Working knowledge of Landowner Group Cost Share Agreements would be considered an asset, though it is not mandatory.
• Established relationships within the local real estate development industry, including consultants, municipal stakeholders, community stakeholders, and other approval-related partners.
• A proven ability to build rapport with a wide range of people, particularly during complex negotiations or challenging approval processes.
• Strong customer focus, with the ability to consider decisions from the perspective of future homeowners, community users, and project stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to prioritize multiple projects, relationships, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Strong strategic execution skills, including the ability to develop project strategy, call on the right people at the right time, challenge the process, and drive outcomes.
• Professional and proactive communication skills, including internal and external reporting on project status, timelines, risks, issues, and financial performance.
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to resolve issues ethically while maximizing project outcomes and preserving important relationships.
• The ability to balance the interests of internal partners, external partners, consultants, municipal staff, political stakeholders, suppliers, trades, and customers.
• Forward planning capability, especially as it relates to project scheduling, resource planning, approvals, servicing, and construction readiness.
• Strong financial management skills, with the ability to manage by the numbers and understand the project’s financial position at each stage.

Technical Skills
• A strong understanding of the various technical disciplines involved in residential development, including the ability to review and comment on consultant deliverables.
• The ability to interpret complex regulatory policy documents, planning reports, technical studies, and legal agreements.
• Strong spatial awareness, with the ability to understand how drawings relate to regulatory requirements, technical standards, site statistics, user experience, and the intended community offering.
• A working level of numeracy and financial acumen.
• Strong writing and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely.

Personal Attributes
• Self-motivated, independent, and detail-oriented.
• Practical, business-minded, and financially disciplined.
• Collaborative and team-oriented.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced development environment with multiple priorities.
• Passionate about creating strong communities while achieving schedule, budget, and business objectives.
• Driven by continual improvement, accountability, and results.

Compensation
A competitive compensation package will be offered, commensurate with experience.

About Harbinger Network Inc.
Harbinger Network Inc. is a Canadian-based firm serving companies across Canada and the USA through a diverse network of recruiters and expertise spanning more than 10 major disciplines, with a mission to connect exceptional professionals with organizations across North America and deliver talent that integrates seamlessly and makes an immediate impact.

To apply for the position of Senior Development Manager – Greater Toronto Area in confidence, please submit your resume to:

Tony Labora, President
Phone: 905-257-9691 Ext. 101
Email: [email protected]

To learn more about Harbinger Network, visit www.harbingernetwork.ca or contact us at 905-257-9691.


Disclosure
This posting represents an active and genuine vacancy with one of Harbinger Network's clients and is not for speculative or pipeline recruitment. Harbinger Network and/or our clients may use AI-assisted tools to support the screening and evaluation of applications; however, these tools are not intended to replace the Hiring Manager's judgement or decision-making in the hiring process.