Real Estate Strategy & Acquisitions Lead

TAR•Austin, TX

About The Position

TAR is building an off-grid power plant for data centers using renewable technologies, with the goal of delivering gigawatt-scale power quickly. The Real Estate Strategy & Acquisitions Lead owns TAR’s land function end to end, including strategy, sourcing, structuring, negotiation, diligence, and closing. The role will develop an acquisition playbook for assembling large land positions, initially as a hands-on dealmaker and later by building the land team as transaction volume grows. The position focuses on acquiring large, contiguous tracts—5,000 acres or more—across West Texas and other regions as TAR expands. The successful candidate will identify and structure deals that meet project needs while accounting for price, carrying costs, schedule risk, and project value. The role is based in Austin, Texas, and requires travel.

Requirements

At least 3 years of experience in real estate acquisitions, real estate private equity, infrastructure investing, or land development, with a record of deals personally led and closed.
Track record of large or complex transactions involving multiple parties, unusual structures, or hard-to-reach sellers.
Strong underwriting and financial modeling skills, including the ability to build a deal model and defend a price.
Creative problem-solving ability to reframe challenges and find alternative paths to a goal.
Clear, direct communication skills and ability to build trust with rural landowners, local stakeholders, and leadership.
Drive and organization to manage multiple deals concurrently without letting details slip.
Willingness to travel.
Fluency with AI and productivity tools.
Ability to work from Austin, Texas.

Nice To Haves

Experience with rural, ranch, or large-acreage land deals, ideally in Texas.
Experience acquiring or leasing land for energy, transmission, or data center projects.
Familiarity with Texas land records, mineral and surface rights, and easements.
Experience hiring and leading a small team.
Existing relationships with West Texas landowners, ranchers, or land brokers.

Responsibilities

Own TAR’s land strategy, including acreage, locations, timing, and price, in alignment with the deployment schedule.
Build and manage a pipeline of large, contiguous tracts of 5,000 or more acres across West Texas and new regions.
Lead negotiations from initial conversations through letters of intent, options or purchase agreements, and closing.
Develop creative deal structures, including options, phased takedowns, seller financing, earn-outs, joint ventures, and land swaps.
Underwrite deals for price, carrying cost, schedule risk, and project value, and make clear go/no-go recommendations to leadership.
Manage diligence on title, survey, mineral and surface rights, easements, environmental matters, and access through outside partners, escalating deal-breakers early.
Hire and lead the land team, including the Site Selection Manager, and manage landmen, title companies, surveyors, and brokers.
Improve acquisition methods through data-driven screening, AI-assisted outreach, and inbound landowner programs.