Senior Associate, Development

Related•West Palm Beach, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This Senior Associate will play a key role on the Related Ross development team, supporting the execution of hospitality development projects — including branded hotels and mixed-use assets — while also contributing to new deal origination and underwriting across the platform. The role spans the full project lifecycle, from site acquisition and feasibility through design, construction, opening, and stabilization, and includes a reporting component to external partners and stakeholders. This individual will focus on all aspects of hospitality acquisitions and development, including financial analysis and modeling, site acquisition, due diligence, zoning, legal document review, budgeting, construction, and design. The Senior Associate will prepare detailed financial analyses and models for transaction underwriting and return-on-investment analysis, provide key takeaways to business units, corporate finance, and senior management, and deliver timely explanations of variances between actual results and forecasts or budgets.

Requirements

A passion for real estate and hospitality, a strong entrepreneurial mindset, and the drive to be part of a growing platform on the cutting edge of development.
Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Finance, Business, Hospitality Management, Engineering, or a related field; MBA or Master's degree is a plus.
5–7 years of experience in real estate development, hospitality development, or a closely related discipline (e.g., hotel acquisitions, hospitality consulting, construction management for hotel assets, real estate corporate finance, investment banking, or private equity), with demonstrated exposure to the full project lifecycle from site acquisition through stabilization.
Excellent quantitative and analytical skills; strong financial modeling and MS Excel proficiency required. Experience building hotel-specific pro formas preferred. Argus proficiency is a plus.
Familiarity with hotel brand standards, management agreement structures, and the branded hotel development process.
Exceptional time management and prioritization skills to succeed in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple projects with significant responsibilities and competing priorities.
Clear and concise communication and interpersonal skills at all levels, both verbally and in writing, with experience preparing investment committee or board-level presentations.
Strong attention to detail, along with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset and desire to grow and succeed.
Must be a self-starter who thrives working autonomously, while collaborating effectively with senior leadership and cross-functional teams across offices.

Nice To Haves

MBA or Master's degree
Experience building hotel-specific pro formas
Argus proficiency
Experience with South Florida or resort-market hospitality development

Responsibilities

Drive key workstreams on hospitality development projects, including design coordination, construction monitoring, budgeting, management partner alignment, and pre-opening strategy, while also supporting new deal origination across site acquisition, financing, governmental approvals, and project positioning.
Lead financial analysis and underwriting for hospitality deals, including pro forma modeling, sensitivity analysis, return-on-cost benchmarking, and the preparation of business plans, annual operating plans, financial forecasts, strategic plans, and investment memoranda.
Support the negotiation and management of hotel management agreements (HMAs), restaurant management agreements, franchise agreements, and related brand documentation in coordination with internal legal and external counsel.
Conduct market assessments, site assessments, zoning analyses, and other due diligence related to site acquisition and development feasibility for hotel and resort projects.
Support asset management of the firm's operating hotel portfolio, including annual budgeting, monthly performance tracking, interfacing with management company partners on issues requiring owner approval, and forecasting ownership distributions.
Perform research and analysis to benchmark trends in target hospitality markets by tracking RevPAR, ADR, occupancy, operating costs, competitive supply, and expansion activity.
Regularly assess the financial and operational performance of assets at every stage of the project lifecycle, provide timely variance analyses against forecasts and budgets, and prepare detailed quarterly updates to present to senior leadership and external partners.
Assist in the preparation and presentation of investment committee packages and board-level materials.
Coordinate with capital markets and finance teams on deal structuring, debt placement, and equity discussions for hospitality assets.
Work cross-functionally across development, design, construction, legal, and accounting teams to oversee project budgets, schedules, and milestone deliverables.
Author internal and external correspondence including transaction descriptions, property overviews, offering memoranda for asset sales and capital raisings, and responses to RFPs.
Manage detailed municipal filings for development-related programs such as real estate tax abatements and municipal financing applications, as well as the broader entitlement and permitting process in partnership with external counsel and government affairs teams.
Collaborate with external partners, brand representatives, and design consultants to coordinate requests and ensure alignment with project goals and timelines.
Mentor and support junior team members, including analysts and interns.