Real Estate Development Manager
About The Position
We are seeking a driven, highly organized, and strategic Real Estate Development Manager to lead new store growth initiatives across assigned markets. This role is responsible for identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and executing retail real estate opportunities from site selection through store opening. The ideal candidate is both a hunter and an operator - someone who can source quality opportunities, build strong broker and landlord relationships, coordinate cross-functional consensus, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and navigate a fast-paced approval/opening environment with discipline and urgency.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree preferred in Real Estate, Business, Finance, Urban Planning, or related field
- 3–10+ years of experience in retail real estate, commercial brokerage, development, site selection, or related field
- Proven experience negotiating retail leases and/or purchase agreements
- Strong understanding of trade area analysis, demographics, traffic patterns, and retail site fundamentals
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously in a high-volume environment
- Strong communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills
- Self-motivated with a high level of accountability, urgency, and professionalism
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
- Willingness to travel extensively within assigned territories 70%
Nice To Haves
- Competitive and results-oriented
- Strong negotiator and relationship builder
- Comfortable operating independently in the field
- Highly organized with excellent follow-up habits
- Strategic thinker with strong real-world business judgment
Responsibilities
- Identify and secure high-quality retail locations that align with company growth objectives and market strategy.
- Manage the full development lifecycle from initial site identification through store opening
- Conduct market analysis, trade area evaluation, competitor mapping, and demographic review to prioritize opportunities
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with brokers, landlords, developers, municipalities, and key stakeholders
- Negotiate letters of intent, purchase agreements, leases, renewals, easements, and related real estate documents
- Coordinate cross-functionally with Research, Construction, Legal, Finance, Operations, and Leadership teams throughout the approval and development process
- Prepare and present real estate opportunities to various approval committees and executive leadership
- Manage project timelines, entitlement coordination, permitting, and overall deal progression to ensure timely execution
- Maintain accurate pipeline reporting, site tracking, and forecasting within internal systems
- Travel regularly throughout assigned territory to tour sites, evaluate markets, meet stakeholders, and oversee active projects
- Exercise strong judgment and financial discipline when evaluating opportunities, ensuring quality growth over volume-driven decisions
- Consistently generate pipeline activity while balancing strategic market planning and execution
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
