A residential developer COO runs construction across every community, from grading and utilities for new lots to framing and finishing the homes. They set build schedules, manage the managers and subcontractors, and keep sites safe, on time and on budget.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, residential builders and remodelers · BLS, May 2025
Provides strategic and operational leadership to drive efficient day-to-day construction operations, scheduling, and resource allocation for residential building projects. Ensures optimal productivity and quality while aligning operational activities with overall business objectives.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee daily construction operations, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
Develop and implement strategies for efficient resource allocation and utilization.
Collaborate with project managers, subcontractors, and stakeholders to optimize scheduling and workflow.
Monitor performance metrics and efficiency KPIs to drive continual operational improvements.
Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards on all residential construction sites.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review and update construction project schedules to reflect real-time progress.
Allocate resources effectively by coordinating with on-site teams and suppliers.
Conduct daily briefings with construction and project management teams to identify and resolve potential issues.
Analyze operational data to make informed decisions that enhance productivity and reduce downtime.
Resource Utilization Rate: Maintain a minimum of 90% efficiency in resource allocation.
Safety Incident Rate: Keep workplace incidents below 2% per quarter.
Budget Compliance: Ensure project expenditures do not exceed 100% of allocated budgets.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
Minimum of 10 years of experience in construction project management and operations.
Strong leadership, strategic planning, and financial management skills.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience as a COO or in a senior leadership role within the residential construction or development industry.
Proven track record of managing large-scale residential construction projects.
Experience with advanced project management software and construction technologies.
Hands-on experience with lean management or similar efficiency-driven methodologies.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to visit and evaluate construction sites regularly.
Capability to lift and carry light equipment as needed during site inspections.
Comfortable working in variable weather conditions and on-site environments.
Occasional travel to multiple project locations as necessary.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Regular work schedule of 40+ hours per week with extended hours during peak project periods.
Frequent on-site visits to ensure operational efficiency and project oversight.
Limited overnight travel for project-related reviews and meetings.
Fast-paced environment requiring quick decision-making and adaptability.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary range of $150,000 - $200,000 USD.
Performance-based bonus potential of up to 20% of base salary.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) retirement plan with company matching.
Additional fringe benefits such as paid time off and professional development opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a forward-thinking, growth-oriented company with a passion for creating quality homes and building communities.
Our culture emphasizes innovation, continuous learning, and collaborative teamwork to help every member achieve their full potential.
We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive environment where fresh ideas and proactive solutions drive our success.
Join us to be part of an industry-leading team that values integrity, excellence, and customer satisfaction.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Every COO keeps work moving. A developer's COO runs two kinds of building at once: the site work that turns land into lots, and the houses that go on them.
Utility trenches come before the first house
Sewer, water and storm lines for a new street mean deep trenches. In any trench 5 feet deep or more, OSHA requires cave-in protection, from sloped walls to shoring or a trench box, unless the trench is all stable rock. A competent person must inspect the trench and its protection before work starts each day. Make each site contractor name that person in writing. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.652, requirements for protective systems.
In Nebraska, contractors register before work starts
Nebraska requires a contractor to register with the state Department of Labor before performing any construction work in the state. A subdivision can have dozens of trades on it in a month. Make a current registration part of every subcontract, and check it before a crew starts, not when the first invoice arrives. Source: Nebraska Revised Statutes 48-2104, contractor registration.
Lot readiness drives the start schedule
House crews can't start until a lot has its grading, utility stubs, street access and permit. Keep one schedule that shows when site work will finish each block and when house starts can follow. When site work slips, decide early whether to hold starts or shift them to another phase, rather than leaving framers idle.
Streets are built for the town to take over
Roads, sidewalks and water lines in a new subdivision are usually built to the town's specifications and handed over once its engineer accepts them. Plan for the town's inspections at each stage of site work, keep the as-built records the town will ask for, and budget for repairs found at the final walk.
How much residential developer COOs make
The closest BLS group for residential developer COOs is chief executives. Chief executives who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $213,510 a year ($102.65 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $213,990 median for chief executives in all industries. About 520 of the 204,350 chief executives in that survey work for residential builders and remodelers.
Typically a salary with a performance bonus. The BLS pay shown is for chief executives as a whole, a code that also holds COOs, and this template pays less than that code's median for residential builders.
Residential builders and remodelers
$213,510$213,510 median Middle half $157,070–$315,530 10th–90th $91,200–$392,560
All industries
$213,990$213,990 median Middle half $129,540–$356,200 10th–90th $75,700–$507,730
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Residential builders and remodelers
$91,200
$157,070
$213,510
$315,530
$392,560
All industries
$75,700
$129,540
$213,990
$356,200
$507,730
BLS reports home builders and remodelers together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Has run land development and home construction at the same time
Reads civil plans, grading plans and utility profiles
Builds and holds a schedule for several communities at once
Has managed superintendents and project managers, not only crews
Knows OSHA rules for excavation, fall protection and heavy equipment
Teach these on the job
Your towns' inspection steps and contacts
Your house plans and option lists
Your scheduling and project software
Your trade partners and their crews
Expect a construction platform such as Procore, Buildertrend or BuildPro for house schedules, plus the civil engineer's plan sets and a site work schedule for each phase. The ad should state which of these the COO owns and which stay with the land team.
Residential developer COO interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Allocating resources across subdivisions
Three subdivisions all want more superintendents and trades than you have. How do you allocate?
A strong answer: Ranks by closings, contracts and cost of delay, moves people where it matters most, adds trades where possible, and tells each community what changed.
Behavioral · Lean methods
Tell me about a time you used lean methods or pull planning to cut waste in construction.
A strong answer: Names the method, the waste found (waiting, rework, extra trips), how crews took part, and the measured gain.
The listed targets are examples. Pick numbers from your last few phases and your trades' real capacity, and revisit them quarterly with the CEO.
Project Completion Rate
Count phases and homes finished by the date promised to buyers or lenders, out of all those due in the period. Track site work and house completions separately.
Resource Utilization Rate
Each month, compare the crews, machines and superintendents you pay for with the work that was ready for them across all communities. Use it to decide when to add, cut or move a crew.
Safety Incident Rate
Log every recordable injury and near miss on company and subcontractor crews, by community. Review causes monthly with superintendents and the trades involved.
Budget Compliance
Compare actual site work and house spending against each phase's approved budget. Flag any line that needs a change order before the money is spent.
Career path
SuperintendentRuns the houses in one community day to day.
Director of constructionOversees superintendents and site contractors across several communities.
Chief operating officerOwns building, site work, safety and schedules company-wide.
Should a developer do its own site work or hire it out?
Owning dozers, excavators and a pipe crew gives you control over a common delay, waiting on lots. It also brings equipment debt, mechanics and a crew to keep busy between phases. Many developers this size hire site contractors and keep a strong land development manager to watch them. Price out your next few phases both ways before you buy equipment.
How much does a residential developer COO make?
Chief executives who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $213,510 a year ($102.65 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $157,070 and $315,530 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
What should a COO look for in a new superintendent?
Look for someone who has built in a community, not only single homes on scattered lots. They should be able to walk a street of houses at different stages and know what each one needs next, keep the trades in order, and deal calmly with buyers who visit their home. Ask for a past schedule and a reference from a trade partner.
When does a developer need a safety manager?
When the COO can no longer visit every site often enough to see problems firsthand, or when several communities run at once. A safety manager runs orientations, site audits and incident reviews and keeps training records. Until then, give each superintendent a written checklist and audit a sample of sites yourself each month.
What site work is behind the COO template's weather and carrying lines?
The template keeps those lines word for word. For a developer's COO they mean crossing graded lots and unpaved streets in any weather, carrying a level, tape, tablet or sample boards through an inspection, and stepping through homes under construction. Ask each candidate how they would do these tasks, and discuss an accommodation if one is requested.
