Permissions Manager – Global Real Estate Projects

About the role

Utopia is seeking a Permissions Manager to design and implement a unified permitting process across its worldwide hospitality and residential projects. You will work closely with development, architecture, construction, legal teams and local consultants to accelerate permit approvals in multiple markets.

Key responsibilities

• Design and roll out a master permitting template adapted to local regulations in Brazil, Costa Rica, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Dubai and Cape Town.
• Map and continuously update the regulatory landscape for each market, covering zoning, building, environmental and hospitality licensing.
• Identify bottlenecks, sequence submissions in parallel and anticipate authority requirements to reduce approval timelines.
• Coordinate local architects, lawyers, expeditors and consultants to ensure complete, high‑quality submissions.
• Track the status of every permit, providing leadership with clear timelines, risk assessments and mitigation plans.
• Integrate permitting milestones into overall project schedules and document lessons learned for continuous improvement.

Required profile

• Proven experience securing permits for real‑estate, construction or hospitality developments in multiple jurisdictions.
• Track record of building standardized processes or templates that shortened approval timelines.
• Strong understanding of zoning, building codes, environmental approvals and land‑use regulations.
• Experience managing external consultants, local counsel and public‑authority interactions.
• Fluent English; Spanish and/or Portuguese are a plus.

Required skills

• Jira
• Confluence

What we offer

• Fully remote work (GMT‑3 to GMT+3) with occasional business trips.
• All necessary tools from day one, including laptop and project documentation platforms.
• Opportunity to work on projects across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
• Collaboration with a global team of developers, architects, engineers and legal specialists spanning 30+ countries.