Director of Development
Website OnPoint Development
OnPoint delivers complex, high-stakes land use and entitlement solutions across California. We specialize in navigating CEQA, multi-agency approvals, rezones, and politically sensitive development environments. We’re seeking a senior leader who can run our civil engineering + entitlement process team—someone who thrives on resolving regulatory challenges, guiding consultants, and driving projects from concept through approval with confidence and precision.
Role Summary
As Director of Civil Engineering & Entitlements, you will own the strategy, execution, and quality of civil-focused entitlement projects. You will lead internal staff and external consultants, manage client relationships, negotiate with agencies, and ensure all work is technically sound, compliant, constructible, and positioned for fast approvals. This is a high-autonomy, high-impact role for someone who lives at the intersection of civil engineering, land use strategy, and project leadership.
What You’ll Do
Lead Entitlement & Civil Strategy
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Develop entitlement pathways from due diligence through final approval: CEQA, zoning, GP/SP consistency, subdivision maps, utility and infrastructure feasibility, and frontage/ROW requirements.
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Translate planning, environmental, and technical studies into actionable strategies and buildable civil solutions.
Run Project Delivery
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Serve as the primary point of contact for clients and agencies—set agendas, drive updates, and own scope, budget, schedule, and risk.
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Manage complex, multi-disciplinary projects with 30–50+ parallel tasks and long entitlement timelines.
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Ensure all deliverables meet city, county, and state regulatory frameworks.
Guide Agency Approvals
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Represent clients at meetings with planning staff, engineers, DRBs, Planning Commission, and City Council.
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Negotiate conditions of approval, defend code-consistent positions, and prevent unnecessary off-site or non-required improvements.
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Keep projects advancing through comment cycles, resubmittals, and clearance processes.
Oversee Technical Quality
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Direct and review work from traffic, environmental, survey, geotech, civil, landscape, and utility consultants.
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Ensure civil plans (grading, drainage, utilities, frontage improvements, access) are feasible, cost-efficient, and constructible.
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Apply value-engineering and conflict-resolution skills to remove obstacles before they hit the field.
Lead & Develop the Team
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Manage and mentor internal civil/entitlement staff.
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Delegate appropriately while maintaining accountability.
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Build scalable internal processes and improve quality systems over time.
What You Bring
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12–20+ years of progressive civil engineering experience in California, with deep entitlement, CEQA, and local regulatory expertise.
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10+ years of project management running long-duration entitlement projects with multi-agency oversight.
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Strong technical background in grading, drainage, utilities, site design, public improvements, and constructability.
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High-level communication skills—confident with clients, comfortable negotiating with agencies, fast at resolving issues.
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Demonstrated leadership experience: delegating, directing teams, and elevating consultant performance.
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Tools: AutoCAD (Civil 3D preferred), MS Project or Smartsheet, MS Office Suite.
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B.S. in Civil Engineering required; California PE strongly preferred.
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Based in or willing to relocate to San Diego.
What You’ll Get
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Opportunity to lead high-stakes, non-cookie-cutter land use projects with meaningful complexity.
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A decisive, supportive team that values expertise, judgment, and clear strategic thinking.
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Direct influence on consultant selection, project strategies, and internal process improvements.
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A role where strong leadership and impact are recognized and rewarded.
To apply for this job email your details to info@onpointdev.com
