Director of Marketing And Development

The Role

A well-established real estate development firm with a growing Affordable and Mixed-Income Housing vertical. The Director of Marketing & Development will own the full proposal and procurement lifecycle for the vertical, set the strategic marketing direction, and build the tools and messaging that help the development team convert qualified opportunities into awards. You will work closely with development leadership, not at arm's length from it, and your fingerprints will be on every significant submission the vertical puts forward.

This is not a brand awareness or demand-generation role. The work is concrete: pursuit strategy, proposal writing and production, interview prep, messaging architecture, and team leadership. If you have spent your career in affordable housing, public-sector development, or adjacent professional services, and you know what it takes to put together a winning RFP response for a housing authority or city agency, this will feel familiar from day one.

What This Role Is, and Is Not

This role is:

• A pursuit and proposal leadership position, owning RFQ/RFP submissions end to end
• A strategic marketing function for a specific vertical, not a generalist corporate marketing seat
• A people management role, with direct oversight of marketing and procurement leads
• A cross-functional partner to the development team, with shared accountability for win outcomes
• A sector-facing position that requires genuine fluency in affordable housing delivery, public-sector procurement, and community stakeholder communication

This role is NOT:

• A business development role responsible for sourcing or qualifying new opportunities
• A digital marketing, paid media, or brand campaign role
• A support function that executes what others have already decided
• A light-touch advisory position, this person is in the work, not above it
• Entry-level or early-career management

Required Experience & Traits

• 10 or more years in marketing, pursuits and proposals, or strategic communications, with substantial time in real estate development, affordable housing, construction, architecture, or closely adjacent professional services
• Demonstrated track record leading complex RFP and RFQ submissions through to final submission and interview, including win theme development, executive summaries, and presentation strategy
• Working knowledge of affordable and mixed-income housing, including public-private partnerships, community engagement, and how public-sector procurement environments actually operate
• Excellent writing and editing skills, specifically the ability to translate layered development, finance, and community-benefit concepts into clear, persuasive language for agencies, housing authorities, and nonprofit partners
• Experience managing a team, including coaching, workload prioritization, and quality oversight
• Comfort managing budgets and connecting spend to measurable outcomes
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and proposal management workflows; familiarity with project management tools like Asana is a plus
• A bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, real estate, urban planning, public policy, or a related field is preferred, but execution track record matters more than pedigree

Key Responsibilities

Vertical Marketing Strategy

• Set the strategic marketing direction for the Affordable and Mixed-Income vertical, including positioning, messaging, thought leadership, and market visibility
• Develop and maintain a differentiated brand narrative for Gilbane Development's affordable and mixed-income platform, one that reflects mission, execution capability, community impact, and partnership strength
• Align vertical marketing priorities with company brand standards in partnership with corporate marketing and business-line leadership

Pursuit and Proposal Leadership

• Own the end-to-end proposal and procurement process, from pursuit strategy and response planning through compliance, content development, interview preparation, and final submission
• Lead pursuit strategy sessions and develop win themes, executive summaries, differentiators, interview messaging, and visual direction for each submission
• Build and maintain repeatable templates, tools, and content libraries that improve consistency and reduce ramp time across pursuits
• Ensure all pursuit materials are on-brand, compliant, and delivered on time

Business Development Partnership

• Work directly with the development team to strengthen Gilbane's competitive position on active pursuits, providing marketing and messaging support that improves win potential
• Help align marketing efforts to pipeline priorities and support the team in positioning effectively for public-sector, nonprofit, institutional, and community-based opportunities
• Represent the vertical at industry events, conferences, panels, and partner meetings as needed to support brand visibility and strategic positioning

Team Leadership and Operations

• Manage vertical marketing and procurement leads, providing direction, coaching, workload prioritization, and quality oversight
• Establish and monitor KPIs for pursuit performance, brand visibility, and marketing effectiveness, and adjust strategy based on results
• Manage the vertical and project marketing budgets, connecting investments to growth priorities and measurable outcomes
• Streamline pursuit workflows and deliver training that builds team capability over time
• Gather feedback from the development team regularly and use it to refine resources, strategy, and process

Sector Knowledge and Stakeholder Communication

• Apply working knowledge of affordable housing programs, procurement requirements, and community engagement to shape pursuit strategy and messaging
• Ensure all marketing and proposal materials reflect informed, credible command of compliance considerations, stakeholder dynamics, and neighborhood context
• Serve as a communications bridge between complex development and finance concepts and the agencies, housing authorities, and community partners who receive them

Compensation

• Base salary: $167,000 to $200,000, depending on experience
• Total compensation includes bonus eligibility; specific bonus structure to be discussed during the interview process

Why EqualAccess

EqualAccess partners with best-in-class organizations and supports candidates beyond placement. Every candidate we place receives 3 months of post-hire coaching and career support, ensuring long-term success and growth.