Director, Retail Real Estate Development

FIRST WASHINGTON REALTY LLC•Bethesda, MD

16d

About The Position

We are seeking a driven, results‑oriented Director, Retail Real Estate Development to lead and shape retail development initiatives. This role will own the full development lifecycle for a diverse portfolio of projects, including ground‑up pad developments, strategic redevelopments, and transformative reconfigurations of grocery‑anchored shopping centers. The ideal candidate brings deep retail real estate expertise and thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution by guiding projects from initial evaluation and due diligence through entitlements, design, and delivery. As a key leader, this role will collaborate closely with asset management, leasing, marketing, construction, legal, and finance teams to bring complex development projects to life, ensuring each initiative aligns with business objectives and enhances long‑term portfolio value.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Business, Urban Planning, Architecture, Engineering, or related field.
7+ years of experience in retail real estate development, preferably with experience in shopping centers, outparcel developments, or mixed-use developments.
Ability to establish design standards and guide internal and external teams through execution.
Familiarity with retail leasing practices and requirements.
Strong knowledge of zoning, title and property documentation, permitting, and municipal entitlement processes.
Experience in creating tax parcels.
Solid financial tracking and budgeting experience.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects in various stages across different geographic markets.
Proficiency in Excel and MS Project.
Travel as-needed for site visits and meetings (typically regional or national).
Proven self-starter with strong time management skills and the ability to work on multiple tasks. simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Outstanding interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
Proactive with a highly professional demeanor.
Ability to build effective working relationships with employees at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

Lead all phases of retail real estate development and repositioning projects from opportunity identification through design implementation.
Collaborate with asset management, research, leasing, and acquisitions teams to evaluate potential retail development opportunities.
Contribute to the competitive positioning of assets and define opportunities to increase value.
Manage relationships and negotiate with city planning departments, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders to obtain necessary entitlements, zoning approvals, and permits.
Oversee the due diligence process, site assessments, title and zoning reviews, parking analysis, traffic studies, and code reviews.
Coordinate with the Development Analyst to evaluate and validate opportunities through financial modeling.
Create and manage project budgets, schedules, and maintain financial pro formas throughout the development process.
Manage all design consultants, architects, and engineers from project initiation through design development.
Coordinate with the internal construction team to ensure project delivery is consistent with development goals and design intent.
Ensure tenant delivery timelines and specifications are met, coordinating with construction, tenant coordination, and leasing teams.
Track project milestones and manage risk to ensure successful execution to achieve established project returns.
Communicate project status updates to internal leadership and stakeholders.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of retail real estate trends, market dynamics, and development best practices.
Other duties and projects, as assigned.