Forward Planning Manager

What You’ll Do:

The Forward Planning Manager is a cross-functional leader responsible for aligning teams and driving execution across the full lifecycle of community development. Acting as the central point of coordination, this role bridges land acquisition, development, and vertical operations, with a primary focus on ensuring timely and accurate progress from permitting through home start. This position also oversees the division starts process, ensuring accurate permit processing, utility approvals, and spec home configuration, while managing production processes, BuildPro administration, and providing administrative support to leadership for continuous improvement and timely project completion.

Your Key Responsibilities Include:

• Manage division starts process including:
  • Ensure the accurate and timely processing/receipt of all building permits; manage the permit tracker usage.
  • Manage the Starts Process, slotting schedule and all associated deliverables to ensure permits are processed on time and issued prior to the projected start date.
  • Ensure all necessary utility approvals are obtained and controls are in place for accurate cut-off of utilities upon HO transfer.
  • Accurate and complete configuration of spec homes, including design addendums as needed.
  • Maintain the Community Starts Tracker Spreadsheet to ensure accuracy of all data.
  • Facilitate vendor Starts memo and coordinate the processing of POs with the purchasing team.
  • Perform quality checks and facilitate Start package improvement loops with the construction team.
  • Continuously assess and implement opportunities to improve the Starts process for the Construction Team and vendor partners.
  • Manage start dates (permit & vertical) in system to ensure achieving monthly/quarterly Business Plan expectations
  • Reconcile starts by community to ensure plan diversity and timing of homes going on and off the production line
• Manage/support production processes:
  • Operational Set-up and updates of community information in BuildPro, including master project information.
  • Provide BuildPro report support (construction schedule, EPO, etc.).
  • Process change orders from the sales team to the construction team and our vendor base.
• Oversee plan, elevation and exterior color palettes for each community to meet desired streetscape and feel and comply with community CC&R’s/ARB
• Maintain and manage Division Central Document Repository to ensure all internal and external partners have access to critical data to accurately perform on their respective job functions.
• Review and approve all option addendums submitted by the Community Sales Managers and ensure the VP of Sales is engaged in this process.
• Create building sequencing plans in conjunction with the land development and construction teams and develop community pre-paneling matrix
• Initiate and ensure timely completion of lot fit matrix for all communities
• Secure site surveyors and work with architects to obtain lot specific plans in order to meet permit applications
• Purchasing processes:
  • Perform delivery and field verification on new existing plans. Directly process return materials as applicable and investigate additional materials ordered by plan.
  • Identify areas of opportunity related to plan issues, value engineering and any area where process or material improvement can be made.
  • Communicate with Builders and Trade Partners, changes received from the morning report supplied by Construction Services.
• Perform other duties as needed or assigned.
• Other division support as needed.

What You Have:

• Proficiency in financial analysis and budgeting, including experience with proformas, feasibility studies, and month-end reporting.
• Expertise in project management software, particularly MS Project, for scheduling and tracking land development and community openings.
• Strong knowledge of land acquisition processes, including preparing Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) reports and coordinating due diligence activities.
• Ability to execute tasks and achieve results with strong attention to detail.
• Manages time effectively to meet project deadlines.
• Communicates and summarizes complex information clearly.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills and the ability to identify problems.
• Takes a lead role in resolving conflicts.
• Stays current on technical information and tools.

Your Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with preferred area of emphasis in Business, Finance or Civil Engineering.
• 4 + years of successful project management/expediting experience in residential or multi-family builder.
• Experience in scheduling, budgeting and creation of business strategies for each project.
• Experienced managing multiple projects.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word; familiar with
• SharePoint).