Site Acquisition Manager - Northeast

Zipline•Washington, DC

2d•$120,000 - $160,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, aiming to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to essential goods. They operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, making deliveries globally. This role focuses on network expansion, acting as the primary contact for site acquisition. The Site Acquisition Manager will be responsible for the entire process from sourcing to contracting and handoff, managing a high volume of outreach and negotiations. This position is crucial for expanding Zipline's network in the Northeast US region and requires a self-starter who thrives with autonomy and disciplined processes to meet aggressive targets. The role involves partnering with various internal teams while owning the deal process and outcomes.

Requirements

3+ years of site acquisition / real estate dealmaking experience (distributed infrastructure, retail rollouts, QSR, convenience, telecom, logistics, industrial, or similar).
Proven ability to source and close deals end-to-end (not just support).
Strong negotiation and contracting instincts with sophisticated counterparties.
Experience driving contracting workflows (LOI → definitive agreement) and managing multiple concurrent redlines with Legal.
Working knowledge of early feasibility considerations (zoning/land-use, access, utilities, permitting constraints) to qualify sites pre-signature.
Strong organizational rigor and CRM discipline; proficiency with a CRM system (e.g., Salesforce or equivalent) for pipeline management and forecasting.
Ability to travel up to 20% across the Northeast US region.
Authorized to work in the U.S

Nice To Haves

Experience executing multi-site rollouts and/or building standardized acquisition programs (templates, broker programs, playbooks).
Track record winning competitive sites under tight timelines.
Existing broker/owner network in key North American metros.
Experience in regulated or infrastructure-heavy environments (aviation, EV charging, telecom, logistics, industrial).

Responsibilities

Own the top of funnel (pipeline creation) by building and maintaining a robust pipeline across assigned markets using broker networks and direct-to-owner sourcing.
Run a high-activity outreach engine (cold outreach, tours, meetings, relationship development) to maintain healthy pipeline coverage.
Develop territory plans including target lists, corridor prioritization, competitive mapping, and weekly pipeline forecasts.
Close deals (LOI → signature) by leading negotiations end-to-end, from LOIs/term sheets through definitive agreements (ground leases/licenses, amendments, exhibits) in partnership with Legal.
Secure infrastructure-critical rights and protections including access, easements, construction rights, utility coordination, options/renewals, exclusivity/non-interference, assignment, insurance/indemnity, cure periods/remedies, and termination rights.
Maintain contracting velocity when Legal bandwidth is constrained by triaging redlines, batching issues, using templates/playbooks, and escalating decisions with clear options.
Drive early diligence to avoid dead ends, including zoning/land-use feasibility, access/egress, utilities, title/easements, environmental red flags, and basic constructability considerations.
Create clear internal “site packages” that surface risks early and align stakeholders before pushing to signature.
Maintain clean CRM and deal documentation (using Salesforce or a comparable CRM, plus internal tools) with disciplined stages and accurate forecasting.
Report weekly on pipeline health, conversion, close probability, blockers, and help-needed asks.
Improve playbooks, templates, sourcing strategies, and broker programs to increase close rate and reduce cycle time—building a repeatable acquisition engine.
Anticipate and respond to shifting priorities by continuously monitoring key signals and bringing leadership clear options (tradeoffs, impact, timeline) to drive quick decisions and keep deals moving.
Build durable site-host relationships post-launch to protect performance, reduce fallout, and unlock future expansion.