National Real Estate Development Manager

ACE Hardware•Oak Brook, IL

9d•$137,700 - $175,600

About The Position

The National Real Estate Development Manager is Ace Hardware’s primary growth leader and subject matter expert for real estate strategy and development. The role partners with New Business leadership, Market Development Managers, prospective and existing retailers, brokers, landlords, and developers to source, evaluate, negotiate, and secure high-quality retail locations. Its goals include increasing the number, quality, and velocity of qualified sites in the New Business pipeline, improving site quality, reducing location and occupancy risk, accelerating new store growth, and helping Ace retailers open stores in better locations and on better economic terms. The position owns national real estate opportunity sourcing, site selection, market analysis, broker-network management, pipeline development, and landlord and developer account strategy. It collaborates across New Business, Legal, Finance, Retail Operations, Sitewise, Salesforce, and external partners to move opportunities from identification through lease execution and activation. It also supports lease negotiations and deal structuring, standardizes real estate processes, and presents financial and site analyses to leadership, Market Development Managers, and retailers. The successful candidate is a strategic, results-oriented real estate leader who combines market insight, financial expertise, negotiation ability, and relationship-building with cross-functional influence. The position requires extensive travel throughout the United States, stated as 40–60%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Real Estate, Finance, Urban Planning, Economics, or a related field.
At least seven years of commercial retail real estate experience.
Demonstrated experience in site selection, commercial leasing, landlord negotiations, retail development, and market analysis.
Expertise in market analysis, retail site selection, lease negotiation, deal structuring, occupancy-cost and deal-economics analysis, comparative site analysis, financial modeling, ROI assessment, site productivity forecasts, pipeline reporting, CRM discipline, and location intelligence and reporting tools such as Sitewise and Salesforce.
Ability to build and manage national relationships with brokers, landlords, developers, REITs, shopping center owners, and real estate disposition firms.
Ability to influence without authority across New Business Leadership, Market Development Managers, retailers, Legal, Finance, Retail Operations, and external partners.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, including preparing clear site recommendation packages and presenting findings to senior leadership and retailers.
Ability to travel extensively throughout the United States; the posting specifies 40–60% national travel.
Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and measure a national real estate pipeline; establish broker- and market-level performance metrics; identify gaps and bottlenecks; and use data, accountability, and cross-functional influence to improve the quantity, quality, and velocity of qualified sites.
Strong strategic thinking, real estate negotiation, retail site selection, business acumen, financial analysis, relationship-building, market analysis, presentation, and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Ten or more years of retail real estate experience.
Experience supporting multi-unit retail expansion.
Background in home improvement retail, hardware retail, franchise development, commercial brokerage, or tenant representation.
CCIM, SIOR, CPM, or a related professional designation.

Responsibilities

Own the national strategy and execution for proactively sourcing qualified real estate opportunities for Ace Hardware new store development.
Lead site selection and market analysis using Market First Strategy, demographic, traffic, psychographic, competitive, retail performance, and location intelligence data.
Partner with New Business leadership and Market Development Manager leadership to translate growth priorities into broker assignments, market searches, and real estate deployment strategies.
Identify markets where real estate availability is limiting growth and develop intervention plans.
Establish, manage, and evaluate the national network of local tenant representation brokers, including selection, onboarding, market coverage, performance expectations, accountability, communication, and replacement of underperforming brokers.
Develop and maintain a national pipeline and inventory of potential store locations, identifying opportunities such as second-generation retail locations, grocery-anchored centers, redevelopment projects, urban infill, new construction, retail vacancies, major retailer closures, bankruptcies, portfolio dispositions, and emerging developments.
Coordinate with New Business Leadership, Legal, Finance, Retail Operations, Sitewise, Salesforce, brokers, and consultants to support opportunities from site identification through lease execution and activation.
Maintain pipeline visibility and reporting accuracy; identify bottlenecks, stalled searches, broker performance issues, landlord delays, and other barriers affecting speed-to-site; and develop and execute corrective action plans.
Prepare and present financial, site, and decision-support analyses, including occupancy-cost assessments, comparative site analyses, deal economics, site productivity forecasts, ROI considerations, and fact-based recommendations.
Own or significantly influence national real estate process standardization for broker engagement, site submissions, market tours, comparative site analysis, LOIs, site recommendation packages, retailer decision support, and cross-functional handoffs.
Support lease negotiation and deal structuring through the local tenant broker network, including LOIs, lease negotiations, renewals, purchase agreements, ground leases, and build-to-suit opportunities.
Evaluate and recommend deal terms related to base rent, tenant improvement allowances, free rent, CAM charges, renewal options, exclusivity, signage rights, and co-tenancy provisions.
Develop a national landlord and developer account strategy by identifying high-value national and regional ownership groups, REITs, developers, shopping center owners, and disposition firms, and creating engagement plans to generate portfolio-wide and off-market opportunities.

Benefits

Incentive opportunities based on role and grade level.
401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution in the first year, quarterly contributions, and an annual discretionary contribution, subject to eligibility requirements.
Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage for employees and dependents.
Short-term disability coverage for up to 26 weeks and long-term disability coverage.
21 days of vacation immediately available, prorated in the first year.
Up to six paid holidays, depending on the month of hire.
Company car, phone, and fuel card for field-based positions.
Annual Ace Cares Week and 20 hours off work per year to volunteer.
Tuition assistance, on-site classes, and facilitator-led courses.
On-site campus events and services, including mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, and more.
Employee discounts on Ace merchandise, travel, fitness, computers, and other products and services.
Paid bonding time off for birth or adoption.
Adoption cost reimbursement.
Employee Assistance Program with access to therapists, lawyers, financial guidance, elder and childcare assistance, and entertainment-ticket assistance.
Identity theft protection.