VP Sales - New Development

The Vice President of Sales for New Development leads the sales strategy and execution for new senior living communities throughout the pre-development, development, and lease-up phases. This strategic role partners cross-functionally with real estate development, design and construction, marketing, and operations teams to create and implement sales approaches that meet or exceed occupancy and revenue targets. The VP plays a vital role in establishing community positioning, generating early momentum, and ensuring a successful handoff to operational leadership upon stabilization.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The following essential functions are the fundamental job duties of the position to be completed with or without reasonable accommodation.

• In partnership with the SVP of Sales, design and execute market-entry and lease-up sales strategies from concept through stabilization.
• Utilize market feasibility research, and demographic analysis to inform pricing, product offerings, and competitive positioning.
• Lead the planning and implementation of sales infrastructure, including sales offices, model units, marketing collateral, and promotional launch plans.
• Recruit, manage, and support high-performing pre-opening sales teams.
• Oversee lead generation, sales pipeline development, and reservation-to-deposit conversion metrics.
• Integrate sales needs and messaging into the community design process in collaboration with the development and construction teams.
• Collaborate with operations to ensure a smooth and successful transition from development to occupancy.
• Track and manage pre-opening budgets, sales forecasts, and performance milestones.
• Champion a prospect-centered selling approach focused on relationship-building and understanding the emotional drivers of senior living decisions.
• Establish systems for robust prospect relationship management and nurturing throughout the sales journey.
• Build strong relationships with local referral networks, healthcare providers, community organizations, and municipalities to support outreach and early move-ins.
• Partner with marketing to design and execute pre-opening events that create buzz, increase engagement, and foster early resident commitments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in sales leadership, with at least 3 years in pre-opening or lease-up roles within senior living, multifamily, or hospitality sectors.
• Demonstrated success in launching and stabilizing new assets, including experience with site selection input, pricing strategy, and pre-opening sales campaigns.
• Expertise in prospect-centered selling, relationship-based sales, and CRM pipeline management.
• Strong understanding of the senior living customer journey and the unique emotional drivers of older adult decision-making.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate remote and field-based sales teams.
• Experience working cross-functionally with development, construction, operations, and marketing teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence across functions and levels.
• Highly organized, proactive, and capable of managing multiple pre-opening projects and timelines.

Expected Performance

• Willingness to travel extensively across new market geographies as needed (50–75%)

• Ability to work varied schedules to include weekends, evenings, and holidays.