Executive search
Real Estate, Construction & Capital Projects
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: Securing interim leadership for real estate and capital projects requires rigorous evidence of technical competency beyond standard management experience. We assess candidates for the Interim Owner Representative role by validating their specific history in GMP management and change order control for projects of matching scale.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
You have a business to run.
Hiring a senior person yourself takes time you do not have. Here is what we hear from owners and hiring managers every week.
Not sure if you need interim or fractional? Use the decision helper
- The seat is open and the work is piling up on you.
- A job posting brings in hundreds of resumes and none of them have done the job.
- You do not have weeks to screen, chase and schedule.
- You need to know the person can do it before they start, not after.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
Real Estate, Construction & Capital Projects titles we fill
Titles with a page link through to it. The rest are titles we also fill; choose one and we pass it to the form with your request.
- Interim Owner's RepresentativeSpecialist search for Interim Owner's Representative. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Interim Capital Projects DirectorSpecialist search for Interim Capital Projects Director. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Interim Director of Capital ProjectsSpecialist search for Interim Capital Projects Director. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Interim VP ConstructionSpecialist search for Interim VP Construction. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Interim Development DirectorSpecialist search for Interim Development Director. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Interim Head of Real EstateEngage an executive who manages active portfolio performance, oversees capital expenditure, and directs development project outcomes.
- Interim Head of Asset ManagementAn interim head of asset management brings immediate executive oversight to your real estate portfolio, ensuring operational stability and financial rigor.
- Interim Facilities DirectorFix facility operational gaps with an interim director who manages maintenance, vendor contracts and energy efficiency without requiring a long term search.
- Interim Head of Preconstruction & EstimatingManage the transition from design to construction with an interim lead who drives estimate accuracy, subcontractor bidding and project feasibility.
- Interim Construction Operations ExecutiveAn Interim Construction Operations Executive restores order to failing capital projects. They replace confusion with oversight and fiscal control.
- Owner's repHire an executive owner's representative to manage high-value capital projects, ensure contract compliance, and enforce budget discipline effectively.
- Interim Owner's Project ManagerHire an interim owner-side project manager to control GMP contracts, mitigate change order inflation, and recover lost time on active construction projects.
- Owner-side development managerHire an owner-side development manager to control costs and schedules. Learn how to verify their contract expertise and project oversight capabilities.
- Interim Head of Capital ProgramsHire an Interim Head of Capital Programs to control multi-site budgets, enforce contract compliance, and drive delivery without long-term headcount.
- Interim Construction Program DirectorFix capital program budget slippage. Hire an interim construction program director to enforce contract compliance and stabilize complex, multi-site workstreams.
- Interim Head of ConstructionFind an experienced interim Head of Construction to manage development projects, oversee contractor performance, and lead complex preconstruction phases.
- Interim Director of Construction (owner or developer side)Find an experienced Interim Director of Construction to manage GC relationships, preconstruction workflows, and vertical asset delivery for your firm.
- Interim Head of DevelopmentAn Interim Head of Development solves project stagnation by managing complex entitlement hurdles and restoring transparency for equity partners.
- Interim VP DevelopmentAn Interim VP Development manages project liquidity and entitlement risks during corporate transitions, focusing on capital reporting and site momentum.
- Development consultantEngage an executive development consultant to stabilize entitlement timelines and align capital reporting with partner expectations for complex projects.
Hiring guides
Not sure which title fits? Describe the seat in the form and we will match it.
Related roles
Technical Assessment of Project Oversight Roles
Securing interim leadership for real estate and capital projects requires rigorous evidence of technical competency beyond standard management experience. We assess candidates for the Interim Owner Representative role by validating their specific history in GMP management and change order control for projects of matching scale. For those targeting the Interim Capital Projects Director position, we scrutinize their track record in multi-project capital program governance and complex capex forecasting.
To achieve high precision, we examine the specific asset class experience each candidate brings to the table. For instance, a leader with deep expertise in high-density residential development may not naturally possess the regulatory knowledge required for industrial logistics sites. We map project experience to your asset type to ensure the candidate hits the ground running. Our evaluation process includes verifying their ability to handle real-world challenges, such as unexpected site conditions, supply chain disruptions, and complex stakeholder negotiations.
Validating Execution Capabilities in Development and Construction
Effective interim construction leadership hinges on a proven capacity to handle sensitive technical challenges during critical project phases. We qualify candidates for the Interim VP Construction role by verifying their specific expertise in preconstruction workflows and the selection of general contractors for vertical developments. Simultaneously, for the Interim Development Director role, we screen for sophisticated experience in managing entitlement pathways and complex capital stack structures, including reporting to joint venture or limited partners. We demand evidence of successful pipeline management and regulatory navigation.
We also assess how candidates handle the intersection of field operations and financial reporting. A strong interim leader must be comfortable translating site progress into actionable financial reports for owners and investors. Our qualification process reviews how they have previously communicated budget variances or schedule slippage to senior leadership. We look for individuals who have built sound internal tracking mechanisms for projects exceeding specific budget thresholds.
Sourcing Specialist Talent Beyond Job Boards
Our method identifies high-caliber interim talent by engaging specialists currently employed in active leadership roles across the real estate and construction sectors. We do not rely on passive job posts that attract candidates between permanent positions. Instead, we surgically map the market for professionals who possess the exact skills required for your specific transition, such as owner-side development management or program-wide construction oversight.
Professionals who are highly sought after often move when they reach a natural project conclusion or encounter a mismatch in corporate vision. By maintaining contact with this active population, we identify individuals who are ready to transition into a new challenge that matches their specific technical interests. We look for evidence of career longevity in complex environments and evaluate their motivations for interim work. Many of these specialists prefer the intense, project-focused nature of interim assignments over permanent, office-based roles.
Defining the Scope of Interim Engagement
An effective interim engagement is defined by the precise alignment of responsibilities and clear authority, specific to your immediate project requirements or program recovery goals. Whether your need involves an Owner Representative for a long-term project or a Capital Projects Director for a major program, we define the shape of the role to match the necessary oversight and project lifecycle stages. We ensure that authority levels are articulated clearly to balance the need for swift decision-making with existing corporate governance standards.
We also assist you in determining the exact duration and expected outcomes of the assignment. Often, the scope changes as a project progresses from pre-development to construction or close-out. We help define these project-based milestones so that the interim leader understands their specific duties throughout their tenure. By creating clear expectations regarding reporting lines, access to decision-makers, and key performance indicators, we help you build a framework that supports the interim leader's success.
Priorities and Handover Protocols
Successful interim deployments focus on setting clear technical priorities and establishing disciplined handover processes to maintain continuous progress. Upon commencement, we assist in aligning the interim executive with your immediate site requirements, such as schedule recovery for projects behind timelines or governance restructuring for fragmented capital portfolios. We prioritize the stabilization of reporting lines and communication protocols between stakeholders and contractors.
Managing the end of an interim engagement is as vital as the initial integration. We facilitate the creation of exit reports that detail outstanding tasks, contractor relations, and open financial items. By making this documentation part of the interim executive's final deliverables, we ensure that your team is not left with significant gaps in knowledge or project oversight. We encourage you to plan the final phase of the interim assignment well in advance to prevent any disruption to your ongoing projects.
Search Process and Buyer Decisions
Our search methodology is designed to present you with several vetted, highly qualified options, empowering you to make the final selection based on direct interactions. We provide detailed evaluations of each candidate against your specific criteria, such as their experience with GMP frameworks or JV reporting requirements. We believe that no fee should be charged unless you engage an individual whom we have presented for your review.
When you review our shortlist, you have the opportunity to interview each candidate to test their practical knowledge and decision-making style. We support your decision by providing context on each individual's previous successes and potential risks based on our thorough background assessment. You retain complete control over the hiring decision, as you know the nuances of your business and project requirements best. By providing you with multiple options, we help you evaluate different approaches to your current challenges.
Questions
How does a Real Estate, Construction & Capital Projects search start?
We confirm each candidate has managed vertical development or capex forecasting for equivalent project sizes before scheduling your initial interviews with prospective project leaders. We filter candidates by their specific history with similar asset classes and capital project governance to provide you with experts prepared for your site conditions.
What fee do I pay to start?
No fee unless you engage someone we present. The scope and terms are agreed before any engagement begins.
When do I pay?
You do not pay to submit a request, review a shortlist or interview. Payment terms apply only once you engage a candidate as agreed in writing.
What if none of the candidates fit?
If you engage nobody we present, you owe nothing. We discuss which requirements were missed before agreeing on the next steps.
Can the request be confidential?
Yes. We agree what can be shared and with whom before identifying your business. You can use the confidential checkbox to signal your requirements.
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.
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.