Senior Director, Community Planning, Real Estate Strategy and Investment Estate and

RWJF•Princeton, NJ

5d•$185,600 - $204,160•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Community Planning, Real Estate Strategy and Investment, is RWJF’s internal lead for community planning and partnerships, real estate strategy, and future land and facility initiatives in Newark, New Jersey. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Foundation Services, with a dotted-line relationship to the Chief Operating Officer, this externally focused leadership role helps ensure the Foundation’s real estate and community investments align with its mission, values, and long-term commitments. The Senior Director serves as the primary liaison between external initiative partners and Foundation leadership and governance, coordinating resources and translating complex real estate, development, financial, community, and organizational considerations into clear, supported decisions. The role works closely with the AVP of Foundation Services, COO, executive leadership, Board of Trustees, New Jersey department, and a broad range of external partners. It leads coordination with external project management partners and helps guide community and civic engagement, site selection, development strategy, and Community Benefit Agreement commitments. Success includes helping RWJF identify and secure a future headquarters site that meets long-term needs, earns community trust and support, and establishes the Foundation as a committed neighbor before occupancy. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, three-year-term appointment, with an option to extend to four years. Employment is anticipated to conclude at the end of the term unless extended based on organizational needs, funding, and approval. The position is assigned to the Princeton, New Jersey office under RWJF’s Hybrid: Flexible Purpose model. Travel may be required up to 60%.

Requirements

Commitment to racial and health equity and to the Foundation’s vision, values, and Guiding Principles.
Approximately 10 or more years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement, economic and real estate development, institutional facilities, major capital initiatives, or a related environment.
Familiarity with New Jersey real estate and development, particularly Newark.
A demonstrated portfolio of complex mixed-use facilities and infrastructure projects led or supported to meet program needs.
Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate complex subjects to executive- and Board-level audiences.
Significant experience working with senior executives, governing boards, steering committees, or other senior decision-making bodies.
Strong facilitation, partner management, and consensus-building skills.
Excellent judgment about what information matters, when decisions are required, and how issues should be framed for different audiences.
Ability to synthesize large amounts of technical and strategic information into clear conclusions, options, and recommendations.
Sufficient knowledge of real estate development, design, construction, finance, and transactions to represent an institutional owner and engage critically with professional advisors.
Strong organizational awareness and ability to navigate complex institutional dynamics with discretion and credibility.
Ability to operate effectively amid ambiguity, evolving information, and long-term strategic decisions.
Experience within a foundation, university, healthcare institution, nonprofit, corporation, or other organization with complex internal governance.
Experience supporting Boards and executive leadership teams on significant capital or real estate initiatives.
Experience navigating community opposition.
Experience with public-private partnerships, municipal or state development processes, and community-oriented or mission-driven development.
Experience working with external owner representatives, project managers, architects, developers, brokers, and other professional advisors.
Ability to build trust quickly and work effectively in close partnership with experienced external advisors.
Collaborative rather than hierarchical approach; comfort sharing responsibility while maintaining clear accountability for RWJF’s internal decisions.
Ability to communicate candidly, clearly, and efficiently, including when issues are complex, evolving, or sensitive.
Intellectual curiosity and comfort testing assumptions, asking questions, and considering differing professional perspectives.
Ability to judge when to engage deeply in an issue and when to empower the project team to execute.
Confidence without ego and ability to build productive relationships across disciplines, personalities, and working styles.
Mission-driven approach and ability to balance commercial, technical, and institutional realities with RWJF’s broader purpose.
Ability to travel to RWJF offices for relevant internal meetings and other in-person events, and as needed for grantee meetings, conferences, site visits, and community events, up to 60%.
Ability to perform job duties in a typical business office environment and operate basic office equipment; attend meetings in person, off-site, by phone, or by videoconference.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with brownfield redevelopment, environmental remediation, New Jersey incentive programs, and/or complex redevelopment processes; due diligence experience is beneficial.
Twelve years of experience related to the required qualifications and proven experience with real estate site selection and contract negotiation may be considered for higher placement within the salary range.
Fifteen years of experience related to the required qualifications and proven experience with real estate site selection and contract negotiation may be considered for higher placement within the salary range.

Responsibilities

Serve as the lead for the real estate and facilities initiative and coordinate its external project resources and partners.
Work with the AVP of Foundation Services and COO to develop and implement external engagement plans and build alignment around project objectives, priorities, governance, and decisions.
Translate complex technical, financial, development, design, schedule, community, project, and organizational information into decision-ready materials for executive and governance audiences.
Coordinate advisors, project resources, and partner input so analyses, recommendations, communications, and materials are integrated and ready for executive and Board review.
Synthesize real estate, financial, community, operational, and organizational considerations into clear options, risks, opportunities, and trade-offs for leadership decision-making.
Maintain clear communications about project progress, decisions, outstanding issues, and required actions; prepare leadership for key decisions, risks, opportunities, and sensitivities.
Serve, under the AVP’s direction, as the lead interface with the Foundation’s external owner’s representative/project manager; communicate RWJF priorities and review project reporting and recommendations.
Determine with the owner’s representative what information should be elevated to RWJF leadership and how it should be framed; facilitate access to internal partners when organizational input is needed.
Thoughtfully challenge external recommendations when appropriate while empowering experienced professionals to lead execution in their areas of responsibility.
Serve as the primary point of integration across external advisors, project partners, community partners, and internal leadership, including close collaboration with the New Jersey department.
Coordinate the work of community engagement partners, communications and public affairs advisors, government relations professionals, real estate advisors, legal and financial advisors, and other specialists.
Lead community and civic engagement related to real estate strategy, site selection, and development with the New Jersey department and internal stakeholders; partner with the external engagement team to steward Community Benefit Agreement commitments through implementation.
Build and sustain strategic relationships with Newark anchor institutions, neighborhood and community organizations, philanthropic peers, municipal leaders, and other relevant partners.
Advise RWJF leadership on real estate and development matters, including evaluation of potential sites, development opportunities, ownership structures, partnerships, and transaction strategies.
Help leadership understand the opportunities, risks, trade-offs, and long-term implications of real estate decisions; critically assess external advisors’ information and recommendations.
Evaluate development risks and opportunities identified through due diligence and determine when issues need escalation or further investigation.
Support strategic relationships with developers, municipalities, public agencies, economic development organizations, institutional partners, and community partners.
Develop a strong understanding of development activity, market dynamics, and partner relationships in Newark and other relevant New Jersey markets.