Real Estate Assistant Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, Public Administration, Construction Management, Real Estate, or a related field.
• Typically 10 years of significant experience in commercial, institutional, public-sector, healthcare, higher education, or economic development real estate.
• Expertise in acquisitions, development, leasing, valuation, financing, and public-private partnerships.
• Strong financial and analytical capabilities, including feasibility analysis and investment modeling.
• Demonstrated success leading complex transactions and development initiatives.
• Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience advising senior executives, governing boards, and public officials.
• Ability to balance vision, strategy, risk management, and execution within a large and complex organization.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Real Estate Development, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Juris Doctor degree with emphasis in real estate, contracts, or development law.
• Professional certifications such as PMP or licensed real estate broker credentials.
• Leadership experience in higher education, healthcare, government, or institutional real estate environments.
• Knowledge of higher education governance, capital planning, public finance, and regulatory processes.
• Experience leading large-scale development initiatives and complex public-private partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic real estate initiatives that support university growth and mission advancement.
• Establish long-range real estate priorities aligned with the campus master plan and future institutional needs.
• Identify, evaluate, and advance acquisition and development opportunities.
• Lead financial analysis, valuation, feasibility assessments, and due diligence efforts.
• Manage acquisitions, dispositions, and redevelopment initiatives.
• Advise senior leadership on market opportunities, risks, and investment strategies.
• Support long-term planning for campus growth, transition zones, and adjacent development.
• Serve as the university’s primary point of contact for campus-adjacent acquisition opportunities.
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, economic development organizations, developers, brokers, and community leaders.
• Strengthen partnerships with Cherokee Farm Development Corporation, the University of Tennessee Foundation, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, UT Medical Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and local government partners.
• Monitor market trends and identify opportunities that support university objectives.
• Advance collaborative efforts that contribute to compatible development and neighborhood enhancement around campus.
• Lead the evaluation, structuring, and execution of public-private partnerships and other innovative development models.
• Develop real estate delivery and financing strategies that balance institutional objectives and risk management.
• Lead negotiations involving acquisitions, leases, development agreements, easements, and related transactions.
• Evaluate ownership models, financing approaches, and governance structures.
• Coordinate and manage legal, financial, brokerage, appraisal, and consulting partners.
• Collaborate with university departments and system stakeholders on project planning and execution.
• Support long-term asset management strategies that maximize institutional value.
• Prepare executive-level analyses, recommendations, and presentations.
• Support decision-making involving campus leadership, the UT System, the Board of Trustees, and state regulatory bodies.
• Develop policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and portfolio management tools.
• Lead cross-functional project teams and facilitate stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination among university departments, consultants, government entities, and external partners.
• Serve as UT Knoxville’s primary liaison with the University of Tennessee System Department of Capital Projects & Real Estate, aligning campus priorities with system-wide real estate strategies, transaction processes, capital project planning, and state approval requirements.