Executive Hiring in Homebuilding for 2025

With rising land costs, tightening labor markets, shifting buyer preferences, and increase of cost for building products, the homebuilding industry faces a challenging road ahead. At the same time, leadership turnover and talent shortages are putting added pressure on companies to secure high-performing executives who can do more than just manage—they must innovate, scale, and lead through uncertainty.

As a top homebuilding recruiter, Joseph Chris Partners has helped builders nationwide find exceptional leaders to fill roles ranging from Division Presidents to C-Suite executives. Here’s what we’re seeing as we help our clients navigate executive hiring in 2025.

Talent Gaps Are Widening at the Top

In recent years, a growing number of long-tenured executives in homebuilding have retired or transitioned out of the industry. While this opens doors for fresh perspectives, it also creates a significant void in leadership experience. Today’s leadership roles, especially at the Division President level, require more than operational knowledge. They demand individuals who can drive market expansion, manage diverse teams, and navigate increasingly complex business challenges, including supply chain volatility and regulatory shifts.

Builders can no longer rely on promoting solely from within or hoping a referral turns up the right person. Partnering with a homebuilding executive search firm is becoming essential to finding well-rounded leaders who are ready to step into high-impact roles with confidence.

Veronica Ramirez is currently leading multiple Division President searches for both public and private builders across the U.S. Her conversations with hiring leaders and executive candidates confirm that the gap is real—and growing. More than ever, it’s critical to take a proactive, strategic approach to succession planning and leadership hiring.

Geographic Shifts Are Driving Demand

The homebuilding map is shifting, and fast. As affordability challenges push buyers out of traditional urban cores, builders are expanding into high-growth, lower-cost metros like Houston, Denver, and cities across the Southeast. These aren’t just hot housing markets, they’re talent markets, too. And finding the right leaders to open, operate, and grow new divisions is becoming a strategic priority.

In these regions, demand for strong executive leadership, especially at the Division President, VP of Land, and Area Construction Manager levels has skyrocketed. Builders need professionals with deep local knowledge, municipal relationships, and a pulse on consumer preferences in their markets.

That’s where industry-specific recruiters come in. At Joseph Chris Partners, we’ve supported homebuilding recruiters in Houston, TX and homebuilding recruiters in Denver, helping companies identify executives who bring more than just a resume, they bring relationships, reputation, and readiness to lead in fast-changing environments.

Culture Fit Matters More Than Ever

While skill sets and resumes still matter, today’s homebuilding companies are placing greater emphasis on cultural alignment when hiring executive leaders. In fact, for many of the builders we partner with, cultural fit can be the deciding factor, even outweighing experience. Why? Because the wrong leadership style, even from a high-performing candidate, can derail momentum, morale, and market success.

No one understands this better than Erica Lockwood, who has spent her career helping builders identify the "right fit," not just the “best resume.” She partners closely with her clients to understand team dynamics, communication styles, and long-term vision, then works to find executive candidates who not only check the boxes but belong in that environment. Erica’s ability to read between the lines in conversations with both clients and candidates is a critical reason she’s built such a strong reputation in the homebuilding executive search space.

Because at the executive level, success isn’t just about what a leader can do, it’s about how they do it, who they bring along, and why they lead the way they do.

Companies Are Turning to Retained Search for Key Hires

Open executive roles cost more than time, they cost momentum, revenue, and in some cases, company morale. Builders are increasingly using retained executive search services to proactively identify and engage leadership talent, even before a formal opening arises.

Retained search allows recruiters to work confidentially, build relationships with passive candidates (those not actively looking), and ensure alignment at every stage of the process. Particularly in competitive roles like Division President or VP of Operations, working with a homebuilding executive recruiter on a retained basis ensures the right balance of speed, discretion, and strategic intent.

Candidates Are Selective—and They Should Be

Executive-level professionals in the homebuilding industry aren’t just looking for a job. They want to know how their role fits into a company’s growth plan. They want clarity on succession paths, bonus structures, and company culture before making a move.

At Joseph Chris Partners, we help bridge that conversation—so companies and candidates are aligned from day one.

In a competitive and shifting market, hiring top executive talent in homebuilding requires more than a job ad. It takes industry insight, deep networks, and a clear understanding of what makes a leader successful today. If you're looking to make a critical hire or you're a homebuilding executive considering your next step, fill out the form below to start the conversation.