Director of Development, Construction and Capital Projects

Director of Development, Construction, and Capital Projects

Position Summary

The Director of Development, Construction, & Capital Projects is responsible for leading SAL Management Group's facility growth strategy from concept through completion. This role oversees new development opportunities, property due diligence, municipal approvals, land acquisition, entitlements, construction project management, capital improvements, major renovations, and owner-requested facility enhancements across the company's portfolio of assisted living communities.

Working closely with executive leadership, ownership groups, architects, engineers, municipalities, contractors, and operations teams, this individual ensures projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with SAL's mission of providing exceptional environments for residents and team members.

Primary Responsibilities

Development

• Identify potential sites for future assisted living communities
• Perform preliminary feasibility analysis
• Coordinate due diligence activities
• Manage entitlement, zoning, and permitting processes
• Build relationships with municipalities and planning departments
• Coordinate utility providers and infrastructure planning
• Present project updates to executive leadership and ownership

Design & Pre-Construction

• Lead architects and engineering consultants
• Review plans for operational efficiency
• Coordinate value engineering opportunities
• Assist with budgeting and estimating
• Review construction documents for constructability
• Coordinate state licensing requirements related to building design

Construction

• Serve as owner's representative during construction
• Manage general contractors and subcontractors
• Conduct regular project meetings and site walks
• Monitor schedules and budgets
• Approve change orders
• Track project risks and resolve issues
• Ensure quality standards are maintained

Existing Communities

• Oversee major remodels and renovations
• Manage capital improvement projects
• Coordinate vendor selection and bidding
• Develop annual capital improvement plans
• Assist operations with large maintenance projects beyond normal facility maintenance

Vendor & Contractor Management

• Develop preferred contractor relationships
• Negotiate contracts
• Evaluate contractor performance
• Ensure compliance with safety standards
• Manage warranty work

Financial

• Develop project budgets
• Track expenditures
• Forecast capital needs
• Report project status to executive leadership
• Recommend cost-saving opportunities

Ideal Background

• Commercial construction
• Healthcare construction
• Assisted living or senior housing
• Multifamily development
• Hospitality
• General contractor
• Owner's representative
• Project executive
• Construction management
• Civil/site development

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Business, or related field preferred
• 7-10+ years of commercial construction or development experience
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong understanding of municipal permitting and entitlement processes
• Experience with healthcare or senior living preferred
• Ability to travel to project sites throughout Utah and surrounding states
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and leadership skills

Personality Traits

Since this person will interact with cities, owners, architects, contractors, and your operations leaders, I'd look for someone who is:

• Highly organized
• Comfortable making decisions
• Calm under pressure
• Strong negotiator
• Relationship builder
• Financially minded
• Able to balance detail with big-picture thinking
• Accountable and self-directed