Director of Leasing

Benderson Development•Sarasota, FL

About The Position

Benderson Development is seeking an accomplished retail leasing professional to join its Sarasota team as Director of Leasing. This highly visible role is for an experienced dealmaker with strong industry relationships, sound business judgment, and the ability to identify opportunities and turn them into successful transactions. The Director of Leasing will shape retail leasing strategy, strengthen tenant mix, and drive value across the portfolio. The role focuses on pursuing deals, building relationships with retailers and brokers, and solving complex leasing challenges. The successful candidate will work directly with ownership and collaborate with legal, construction, property management, development, and marketing teams. Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate.

Requirements

At least 7 years of successful retail real estate leasing experience.
A strong track record of sourcing, negotiating, and closing transactions with local, regional, and national tenants.
A meaningful network of retailer, restaurant, broker, and industry relationships, and the ability to develop new relationships and opportunities.
Strong business and financial judgment, including the ability to understand how a deal contributes to an asset's overall success.
A proactive, entrepreneurial mindset and ability to create opportunities rather than simply respond to them.
Strong negotiation skills and confidence navigating sophisticated transactions with experienced tenants, brokers, and business partners.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
Ability to work effectively with ownership and cross-functional teams in a fast-moving, highly collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

Drive retail leasing strategy and execution across the portfolio to maximize occupancy, strengthen tenant mix, and create long-term asset value.
Source and pursue new retail leasing opportunities through retailer and restaurant relationships, broker networks, market knowledge, direct tenant outreach, and creative deal sourcing.
Build and expand relationships with local, regional, and national retailers, restaurants, brokers, and other retail real estate partners.
Lead transactions from opportunity through execution, including new leases, renewals, expansions, and relocations.
Evaluate deals strategically and financially, considering tenant strength, economics, market positioning, merchandising strategy, co-tenancy, tenant mix, and long-term property value.
Maintain a strong understanding of retailer and restaurant activity, competitive shopping centers, emerging concepts, consumer trends, and changing market dynamics.
Find creative solutions for complex leasing opportunities, including challenging vacancies, unique spaces, redevelopment situations, and evolving tenant needs.
Partner directly with ownership on significant transactions, leasing strategy, and key portfolio decisions.
Collaborate with legal, construction, property management, development, and marketing teams to move deals from initial discussions through lease execution and tenant delivery.
Bring a leasing perspective to acquisitions, redevelopment, new development, and other strategic portfolio initiatives.