Role search
Get an Interim Head of Development who can own municipal entitlement pipeline direction.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: Your project is bleeding time because entitlements are trapped in municipal limbo or financial reporting is misaligned with partners. You need someone who steps onto the site and immediately clarifies exactly where the blockages sit.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
- Interim Head of Development
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
Your project is bleeding time because entitlements are trapped in municipal limbo or financial reporting is misaligned with partners. You need someone who steps onto the site and immediately clarifies exactly where the blockages sit. This person must demonstrate the ability to read a zoning code and an operating agreement with equal precision.
Effective leadership distinguishes between local zoning obstacles and actual architectural feasibility gaps. This role demands mastery of city council negotiations while providing clear status updates to project equity partners regarding budget usage. A candidate must transition between urban planning requirements and financial modeling without losing ground. If they fail to bridge the gap between design specifications and actual funding constraints, they remain unsuitable for this specific property development mandate.
This role provides an interim executive who operates with the authority of a Head of Development. The engagement focuses on active project management rather than strategic advice. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
The specialist integrates into your existing reporting hierarchy to resolve active bottlenecks. They maintain site and investor relations until the project reaches the intended milestone or the permanent vacancy is filled.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We evaluate their experience in directing mixed use or industrial entitlement pipelines during cycles of intense bureaucratic scrutiny. We confirm they have led community town hall meetings and obtained building permits within municipalities possessing regulatory requirements as intricate as your proposed construction sites. They must demonstrate prior success in resolving specific site accessibility challenges and infrastructure utility extensions that impact early stage building approvals.
- We inspect their knowledge regarding complex equity arrangements and institutional ownership reporting to verify they communicate accurately with your financial backers. We look for proof that they have processed capital requirements and maintained open communication during unexpected construction budget changes. They must understand the nuances of how individual funding partners track cash flow versus actual physical progress on a job site.
- We measure their capability regarding digital construction management software to ensure they produce precise cost forecasting. We confirm they have mediated disagreements between on-site architectural crews and sub-contractors to maintain building timelines. They should understand how to resolve field discrepancies quickly to keep work moving forward without requiring extensive oversight from the primary office leadership team.
- We challenge their expertise by reviewing how they addressed specific land use denials or sudden changes in construction loan conditions. We ensure their explanations prioritize concrete site recovery tactics rather than abstract management theory or standard industry terminology. They must detail how they mitigated field errors or material procurement gaps to satisfy investor expectations while complying with local building mandates.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We identify candidates currently working inside active large scale residential construction firms or commercial building trusts. These professionals are already overseeing messy jobsites and complex equity partner communications. They understand local zoning nuances immediately because they handle site specific challenges every day. We recruit people who possess the technical grit required for this specific asset class without needing extra training or professional supervision.
The successful candidate directs site entitlement pipelines through intense bureaucratic scrutiny to secure building permits under complex municipal ordinances while managing infrastructure utility extensions that impact early stage approvals. They maintain equity reporting transparency for financial backers and process capital requirements through unexpected budget shifts to track physical progress against cash flow. Beyond coordinating architectural crews to resolve field discrepancies using construction management software, they handle sudden land use denials and procurement gaps to satisfy investor expectations and local mandates without needing primary office leadership oversight for daily technical site recovery decisions.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring someone who treats the interim mandate as a consultative observation period rather than a direct execution role. The business needs a hands-on operator to clear the path, not a third-party analyst to draft a report on why the site is stalling.
- Prioritizing a candidate who possesses deep experience in construction execution but lacks fluency in the capital stack and JV partnership reporting. An individual who cannot explain a variance to a limited partner will fail this specific interim mandate regardless of their site expertise.
- Selecting a candidate who fails to reconcile conflicting priorities between municipal stakeholders and debt providers. A successful hire must possess the political and technical acumen to balance these opposing pressures without halting daily site activity.
The search
How the Interim Head of Development search runs
- We evaluate the specific complexity of your current zoning and entitlement phase to match you with a candidate who has successfully permitted similar asset classes. We audit their past record of clearing regulatory hurdles in comparable jurisdictions to ensure they can manage your local municipal authorities immediately.
- We assess the financial mechanics each candidate has managed, verifying their experience with both equity and debt structures. We confirm they have successfully communicated through capital calls, variance reporting, and refinancing events to ensure they can stabilize your investor communications.
- We facilitate direct discussions regarding your project timeline and current site blocks. This ensures the candidate presents a concrete plan for immediate intervention rather than a high-level theory, confirming they can execute the mandate on day one.
Questions
How does this role differ from a project manager?
A project manager focuses on day-to-day site execution and contractor coordination. A Head of Development manages the capital stack, entitlement risk, and investor reporting requirements.
What is the primary indicator of success for this hire?
Success is measured by the removal of a specific, defined entitlement barrier or the stabilization of a fractured investor reporting process. The candidate must show measurable progress on these items within the first month.
Can this person manage my external legal counsel?
Yes. This executive often directs external counsel on zoning strategy and land-use negotiations based on their prior experience with municipal planning boards.
Do I need to provide them with a full staff?
The ideal interim hire functions independently. They are equipped to integrate with your existing site teams and provide immediate technical leadership without needing to build their own department.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
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The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.