Manager, Land Acquisition

Description Summary:

The Manager, Land Acquisition will work with the Director of Land Acquisition to lead the identification, evaluation, and acquisition of land suitable for data center development across the Southeast U.S. This role requires deep real estate expertise and an ability to navigate entitlements, zoning, and stakeholder negotiations. The ideal candidate will combine strong deal-making skills with technical and industry knowledge to drive land strategy aligned with our long-term development pipeline.  The candidate will also assist in the management of the due diligence process prior to closing, as well as assist with the post-closing permitting activities.

Essential Duties:

• Identify, evaluate, and secure land parcels in strategic locations suitable for data center development.
• Partner with internal teams (real estate, legal, development, engineering) to assess land viability, including power, fiber, water, and other critical infrastructure availability.
• Lead negotiations with landowners, brokers, and municipalities to secure favorable purchase terms or options, in addition to pursuing available tax abatement and incentive programs with the municipalities.
• Oversee due diligence including title review, environmental studies, geotechnical reports, and permitting risks.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of strategic land opportunities in target markets.
• Analyze market trends, zoning regulations, and land use policies to guide acquisition strategy.
• Cultivate relationships with utility providers, economic development authorities, and government agencies to accelerate land entitlement and infrastructure coordination.
• Provide regular reporting on acquisition status, market conditions, and risks to senior leadership.
• Support master planning efforts to ensure land use efficiency, scalability, and alignment with data center design standards.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education/Training/Experience:

• 3-5+ years of experience in real estate acquisition or development.
• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Business, Finance, Civil Engineering, or related field.
• Proven track record of sourcing and closing land transactions.
• Strong understanding of entitlements, permitting, land use, and local government processes.
• Excellent negotiation, financial modeling, and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to travel regularly within the Southeast U.S.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with utility-scale infrastructure or mission-critical facilities.
• Established relationships with landowners, brokers, municipalities, and utilities in the Southeast region.
• Familiarity with GIS and mapping tools for site identification.