Director, Real Estate

BLUE ORIGIN • West Melbourne, FL

1d

About The Position

The Director of Real Estate leads strategic planning, acquisition, disposition, lease administration, and portfolio management for Blue Origin’s national and global real estate portfolio. The role establishes the frameworks, processes, and governance needed to manage a complex, high-growth portfolio in support of Blue Origin’s mission.

As the enterprise real estate subject matter expert, the Director partners with executive leadership and teams including Finance, Legal, Construction, Facilities, Operations, Business Intelligence, and Information Technology. The position is accountable for portfolio optimization, transactions and lease management, capital planning, vendor and broker relationships, and compliance with applicable real estate obligations and regulations.

The Director assesses the current portfolio; develops performance measures and executive reporting; establishes processes for evaluating future requirements and financial impacts; strengthens cross-functional collaboration; identifies optimization opportunities; and builds a high-performing real estate team and vendor network. The role also provides executive advice on market conditions, risks, and opportunities and leads a data-driven, scalable real estate function.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Business Administration, Finance, Urban Planning, Construction Management, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive commercial or corporate real estate experience, including expertise in portfolio management, transactions, and lease administration.
• 5+ years of experience leading high-performing real estate teams within complex, multi-site organizations.
• Proven track record negotiating and executing large, complex real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, and long-term leases.
• Strong understanding of real estate financial analysis, total cost of occupancy modeling, and capital planning.
• Experience with lease accounting standards, including ASC 842, and real estate financial reporting.
• Demonstrated experience developing executive-level reporting, KPIs, and performance management frameworks.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and organizational transformation.
• Excellent executive communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
• Ability to complete the required standard background check; additional checks may apply to certain job profiles.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree (MBA, MS Real Estate, MPA, or related field).
• Real estate licensure or professional certifications such as CCIM, SIOR, MCR, or CPM.
• Experience in aerospace, national defense, aviation, heavy manufacturing, or other complex operational environments with specialized facility requirements.
• Experience implementing integrated workplace management systems (IWMS), lease administration platforms, or enterprise real estate technology solutions.
• Familiarity with government property, federal contracting, and real estate compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a long-term real estate strategy aligned with Blue Origin’s mission, operational footprint, and workforce growth plans.
• Assess ambiguity in operational requirements and develop flexibility in the real estate portfolio.
• Partner with executive leadership to anticipate space needs and translate organizational priorities into real estate solutions.
• Lead portfolio planning, including site selection, market analysis, build-versus-lease evaluations, and long-range capital planning.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing real estate team.
• Advise senior leadership on real estate market conditions, risks, and opportunities.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive benchmarks, and regulatory changes that may affect real estate strategy.
• Oversee acquisitions, dispositions, lease negotiations, renewals, terminations, and subleases.
• Structure transactions to minimize cost and risk while maximizing long-term flexibility and value, in collaboration with Finance and Legal.
• Establish and manage a national broker network and external real estate advisory relationships.
• Lead due diligence for new site acquisitions and portfolio dispositions.
• Implement and govern a centralized lease administration system with accurate records of lease obligations, incentives, critical dates, and financial commitments.
• Ensure compliance with lease covenants, landlord obligations, and applicable local, state, and federal real estate regulations.
• Partner with Finance on lease accounting under ASC 842 and internal financial reporting requirements.
• Develop and manage rent and common area maintenance (CAM) payment and reconciliation across lease agreements.
• Develop and manage the real estate capital and operating budget.
• Model and report total cost of occupancy, space utilization, and portfolio financial performance with Finance.
• Identify and execute portfolio cost-reduction and optimization opportunities.
• Provide executive-level reporting on real estate expenditures, commitments, and forecasts.
• Support capital project planning through real estate due diligence, site feasibility analysis, incentive opportunities, and entitlement assessments.
• Establish governance frameworks, standard operating procedures, and decision-making criteria for transactions and portfolio management.
• Lead process improvement using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
• Implement scalable systems and tools to support portfolio growth and improve operational performance.
• Align real estate processes with enterprise operational standards and identify ambiguity in space needs and timing.
• Develop enterprise KPIs and performance frameworks for utilization, cost per square foot, transaction velocity, lease compliance, and capital deployment.
• Partner with Business Intelligence and Information Technology to deliver executive dashboards and reporting solutions.
• Establish data standards and governance across real estate systems and platforms.
• Monitor portfolio performance and present strategic recommendations to senior leadership and governing boards.
• Drive accountability through transparent reporting and measurable outcomes.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the real estate function.
• Lead organizational change initiatives that support a mature, data-driven real estate function.
• Communicate complex real estate findings and recommendations clearly to executive leadership.
• Assess the current portfolio and develop standardized KPIs, scorecards, and executive reporting on performance, cost, utilization, obligations, expirations, market exposure, and capital requirements.
• Establish leadership review processes and decision gates for future requirements and financial impacts before site searches begin.
• Strengthen collaboration across Facilities, Maintenance, Security, Construction, Finance, Legal, Government Relations, Operations, and Information Technology.
• Identify and execute portfolio optimization opportunities, including lease consolidations, dispositions, and strategic acquisitions.
• Develop selected vendor partners capable of supporting Blue Origin’s growth.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Basic and supplemental life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Short- and long-term disability
• 401(k) with company match of up to 5%
• Education Support Program
• Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week
• Up to four weeks of paid time off per year based on weekly scheduled hours
• Up to 14 company-paid holidays
• Role- and job-level-dependent eligibility for benefits and bonuses, subject to company discretion

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director