Global Real Estate Director (Aerospace and Defense)

Cushman & Wakefield•Herndon, VA

About The Position

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Global Real Estate Director to support an Aerospace & Defense client account. The role partners closely with the client’s Global Real Estate team to turn portfolio, transaction, and operational data into clear insights that inform strategic decisions across a large, diverse global portfolio. The successful candidate combines business intelligence and storytelling skills with hands-on commercial real estate transaction experience. They analyze portfolio performance, track lease and transaction milestones, support strategic planning, and create executive-ready dashboards and presentations to identify opportunities, reduce risk, and guide real estate decisions. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint is required. The role requires travel of up to 25%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
Commercial real estate experience.
Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
Experience with BI visualization and executive-level reporting.
Ability to travel up to 25%.
Highly analytical and detail-oriented, with comfort working across large, complex datasets.
Ability to turn analysis into actionable recommendations.
Effectiveness in a fast-paced, client-facing environment, with utmost integrity.
Strong communication skills and ability to influence through clear, polished deliverables.
Collaborative approach and ability to work across cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting lease transactions, portfolio reporting, and real estate analytics.
Familiarity with property management, real estate development, tenant representation, facilities, construction project management, IWMS, CMMS, or similar real estate systems.
Notary Public Commission, or ability to obtain one within three months of hire.

Responsibilities

Analyze real estate portfolio, transaction, and operational data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
Design and deliver dashboards, reports, and executive presentations that translate complex data into clear, consistent, and automated business insights.
Develop data-driven narratives to support stakeholder alignment and decision-making.
Support strategic research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and ad hoc reporting as business needs evolve.
Monitor portfolio health using property and operational data, including occupancy, lease expirations, rent roll accuracy, delinquency, maintenance activity, CapEx, and tenant improvement allowance spend.
Support portfolio optimization by evaluating performance and helping implement plans aligned with client objectives.
Assist with internal capital planning, budgeting, and business case development.
Review and interpret financial information to support strategy and reporting.
Track transaction activity and critical lease dates, including expirations, renewal notice deadlines, and tenant improvement timelines.
Maintain accurate transaction records, files, and reporting databases.
Coordinate documentation and communications among landlords, client stakeholders, brokers, and legal counsel.
Engage with landlords and support lease transaction negotiations and execution.
Present transaction activity and performance updates to the client.
Assist Portfolio Managers in ensuring client and broker engagement documentation is completed accurately and on time.
Build relationships within the business, manage information exchange, and tailor Global Real Estate insights to business needs.
Engage with business stakeholders to assess short- and long-term needs and communicate them to Cushman & Wakefield and client teams to inform strategy.
Shape a future-state portfolio that enables business success, drives efficiency, and reduces costs.