Manager, Advisory – TOD Advisory

AECOM•Chicago, IL

5h•$130,000 - $170,000•Hybrid

About The Position

AECOM Advisory is seeking a Manager to support its global Advisory business, with a focus on transit-oriented development (TOD), real estate, and housing. The role supports public- and private-sector clients on complex infrastructure and built-environment challenges, including affordable housing strategies, TOD program implementation, financial feasibility and due diligence for public land, and real estate and development transactions. The Manager will develop, lead, and manage client engagements, advise clients on feasibility and implementation, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and deliver analytical and strategic work. The position is based in a hybrid work model and is recruited for in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least 5 years of experience in real estate development, finance, capital markets, management consulting, or similar experience.
Strong interpersonal skills, a client-service mindset, and the ability to act as a trusted adviser.
Ability to collaborate with internal teams across geographies and business lines.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-context, client-facing environment and maintain poise under pressure.
Self-directed, anticipatory, and responsive to iterative feedback.
Outstanding attention to detail.
Exceptional numerical reasoning and quantitative skills.
Strong analytical, logical reasoning, and structured problem-solving skills, including the ability to address ambiguous client problems and process large volumes of information.
Commercial acumen and an informed point of view, with interest in enterprise challenges and understanding of client industries and context.
Strong verbal communication and narrative development skills, including conveying insights to C-suite and senior management audiences.
Ability to work collegially on a small, motivated team of diverse consulting professionals.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Management, Economics, Public Policy, Planning, or a related field.
Experience in affordable housing financing, development, or policy.
Experience with transit agency joint development, real estate, or TOD organizations.
Experience supporting real estate disposition, leasing, or acquisition transactions from feasibility through financial close, including procurement strategy, RFQ/RFP documents, market soundings, bid and proposal evaluation, and negotiation support.
Proficiency in financial modeling, including developing and reviewing Excel-based models, scenario and sensitivity analysis, and evaluating real estate project and program financial feasibility.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted adviser to clients on TOD, real estate, housing, and related transactions, bringing relevant agency, developer, or investor perspectives.
Advise clients on project feasibility and implementation, including market conditions, feasibility factors, risk management, and transaction next steps.
Build client relationships and manage engagement interactions, expectations, recommendations, and client trust throughout the engagement lifecycle.
Coordinate junior and senior staff and technical experts as a technical lead, task order lead, task lead, or project manager; define work, manage schedules and milestones, and provide quality control.
Manage inputs from regional leadership, Directors, Principals, Client Account Managers, and technical experts, identifying delivery decisions, considerations, and risks related to scope, client satisfaction, and commercial constraints.
Tailor established analytical frameworks, methodologies, financial and analytical models, and deliverable templates to client needs.
Develop new analytical frameworks and methodologies with leadership for novel client needs, including tools that may be reused in future engagements.
Conduct strategic planning and manage stakeholder interactions involving government agencies and external stakeholders.
Develop policy and program guidance, including external policy recommendations, internal policies and procedures, and analytical tools for long-term capacity building.
Draft and finalize memos, reports, executive presentations, and other deliverables, taking ownership of their quality.
Coach and mentor junior staff in consulting and analytical skills, transaction processes, and executive-level recommendations.
Support business development by contributing to proposal responses, preparing pitch decks, defining AECOM Advisory’s value proposition, and applying commercial understanding of client needs, budgets, and contexts.