Vice President, Commercial Development

Arizona Cardinals Football Club•Tempe, AZ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Rawhide Development Company, the real estate development platform established by the Arizona Cardinals Football Club, is seeking a Vice President of Commercial Development. This role is a key partnership with the President & CEO, responsible for leading the development of a 217-acre mixed-use district in north Phoenix. The position owns the commercial aspects of the project, including transactions, feasibility, pre-development, and ensuring the necessary planning and infrastructure are in place. This is a hands-on executive role requiring the ability to negotiate, analyze financial models, and interact with various stakeholders, from city planners to ownership. The ideal candidate is equally adept in strategic discussions and detailed financial modeling.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in real estate, business, finance, planning, architecture, engineering, or a related field.
At least twelve (12) years of progressive commercial real estate development experience, with significant responsibility on large-scale, multi-phase mixed-use projects or master-planned communities.
Demonstrated record of transaction execution — land sales, ground leases, build-to-suits, anchor or major-user leases, and/or joint ventures — as the lead negotiator.
Sound knowledge of horizontal development: infrastructure planning, phasing, cost allocation, and entitlements.
Command of commercial real estate documents, including PSAs, ground leases, REAs, CC&Rs, and development agreements.
Strong financial acumen, including the ability to build, audit, and defend development pro formas and cash-flow models in Excel.
Excellent written and verbal communication; able to lead with the answer and present concisely to Ownership, partners, and public officials.
Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays; hours may vary depending on business needs.
Must successfully complete pre-employment screening, including a background check.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a student or employment Visas (including, but not limited to F-1, M-1, J-1, H-1B, OPT and/or CPT programs, etc.).

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree (MBA, MRED, or similar).
Experience in the Phoenix/Scottsdale market and with Arizona entitlement and public finance processes.
Experience with medical office, corporate campus, hospitality, or sports-affiliated real estate.
Experience at a start-up or early-stage development platform, or in standing up a new business unit.
Proficiency with project management software.

Responsibilities

Manage transaction execution across land sales, ground leases, build-to-suits, joint ventures, and anchor leases.
Support and coordinate opportunities with end users, developers, operators, and capital partners consistent with the district master plan and Rawhide’s return objectives.
Prepare investment memoranda with feasibility, underwriting, and clear recommendations for decision by the CEO and Ownership.
Oversee the drafting, review, and negotiation of LOIs, PSAs, ground leases, development agreements, CC&Rs, REAs, and cost-sharing agreements with the Rawhide and Cardinals legal team.
Evaluate each deal for its long-term impact on district value, use mix, access, parking, and future phases.
Serve as a day-to-day lead with master planners, architects, civil engineers, and land-use counsel to advance and refine the district master plan, design guidelines, and phasing strategy.
Help drive approvals processes with the City of Phoenix and other jurisdictions; build productive, durable working relationships with agency staff.
Oversee master infrastructure planning including sequencing, cost allocation among parcels and users, and alignment with pad delivery commitments.
Ensure obligations of the Development Agreement and other agreements are met and tracked.
Manage the evaluation and implementation of public finance tools (e.g., community facilities districts, SAID, and related mechanisms) with the CFO and outside advisors.
Lead efforts in identifying and applying for additional public funding sources for public infrastructure and improvements.
Lead feasibility and pre-development for commercial parcels and vertical projects: market validation, program definition, site planning, underwriting, and schedule.
Coordinate closely with the Rawhide construction team on the procurement, scope, and management of consultants and contractors; hold them accountable to budget, schedule, and quality.
Ensure seamless coordination with, and hold accountable, the Rawhide project delivery team on the delivery of the headquarters, performance center, and shared site work, along with partners such as Dignity Health and their obligations.
Assist in building and maintaining the development management backbone of the company including master development schedule, reporting, decision logs, risk registers, and document control.
Collaborating with FP&A, prepare pre-development, feasibility, and lease-up/disposition budgets; report quarterly and manage to them.
Manage the financial analyst team in the analysis and underwriting of development activities and opportunities.
Own monthly development health reporting (budget, schedule, revenue, risk) in coordination with finance, accounting, and construction.
Partner with internal and external finance and capital markets advisors on project financing strategies, capital partner structures, and lender and investor requirements.
Ensure activities comply with contractual obligations, partner commitments, and applicable local, state, and federal requirements.
Collaborate with the CEO on market research and use-mix strategy for retail, office, medical, hospitality, entertainment, and residential components; translate findings into merchandising and leasing strategies.
Maintain active, trusted relationships with the Phoenix brokerage, developer, tenant, and capital communities.
Work with marketing and communications teams and outside consultants to position the district and Rawhide’s brand with purpose and discipline.
Represent Rawhide at industry events (e.g. ICSC, ULI, NAIOP) with a return-driven approach.
Help design and implement Rawhide’s processes, policies, and approval frameworks alongside the CEO and Cardinals shared services.
Contribute to resource planning and, as the company grows, recruit, lead, and develop direct reports.
Model the culture Rawhide Development is creating: high standards, clear accountability, candor, and an emphasis on action.
Other duties as assigned.