What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President, Real Estate Development position at Merus?
VICE PRESIDENT, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
This person must be located in Cincinnati, as well as know and understand the Cincinnati commercial real estate market.
Why Merus?
Formerly known as Al. Neyer, Merus combines more than 130 years of commercial real estate expertise with an integrated team of company owners. We specialize in the construction, development, ownership, and management of a diverse portfolio of real estate assets across a growing footprint in the eastern U.S.
We’re all owners here. This not only sets us apart but deeply influences our culture and operations. Every team member demonstrates a deeper sense of ownership and accountability — in both their daily tasks and the collective success of the organization. Learn more about our culture at www.merus1894.com.
Summary of Responsibilities
The Vice President, Real Estate Development will lead the execution of the development strategy in the Cincinnati regional markets. The VP, Real Estate Development is involved with site acquisition, underwriting, entitlements, land planning, architectural and design decisions, construction, financing, marketing strategy, lease-up, and all other aspects of development. Always focused on our brand presence in our business markets, a successful leader in this role will leverage new and existing relationships with real estate brokers, advisors, politicians, developers, service providers and end-users to ensure Merus continues to be regarded as a leader in real estate development in the communities we serve.
All Cincinnati region Development team members will report to the VP, Real Estate Development. As the leader of the Cincinnati region real estate development team, the VP will ensure the Cincinnati real estate development team has all the resources needed for continued growth and success. This role is responsible for accountability to sustainable development processes to ensure timely development investment closings, construction owner’s representation and leasing. The VP, Real Estate Development, will work closely with our Talent Team to plan and forecast future talent needs and to develop career growth paths for the Cincinnati region real estate development team.
Essential Job Functions
- Coach, lead, and manage real estate development team members, including directing, mentoring, and managing their career development while maintaining a high-performing team
- Involvement as needed with site/asset acquisition, underwriting, entitlements, land planning, design, construction, financing, lease-up, and all other aspects of development to drive successful development project closings
- Contribute to, implement, and monitor the progress of the corporate strategic plan for all cities within region
- Responsible for assistance to other departments in selling their services to prospective clients
- Implementation of, and accountability to, all real estate development processes and advocate for improvement when necessary
- Ensures all project-specific issues outside the “standard list” are identified and executes a plan to address
- Utilize strong local industry relationships to ensure the continued success of our brand and strategic focus
- Encourage and lead real estate development team members to establish new and leverage existing relationships with real estate brokers, advisors, politicians, developers, service providers, and end-users to drive profitable business opportunities
- Other duties as assigned
Essential Competencies
- Builds Effective Teams - Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals
- Attracts Top Talent - Attracting and selecting the best talent to meet current and future business needs
- Financial Acumen - Interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions
- Cultivates Innovation - Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful
- Drives Engagement - Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives
- Values Differences - Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization
- Manages Ambiguity - Operating effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear
Position KPIs
- Development Fee Signings per employee-owner and in total
- Development Fee Revenue per employee-owner and in total
- Days to closing and Days /- Target Closing Date
- Dead deal costs
Position Requirements
- Enthusiastic, entrepreneurial, and outgoing individual with the drive to take initiative and work both independently and collaboratively with a team
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining strong attention to detail
- Proficient skill to analyze data and make recommendations to a diverse audience, both internally and externally
- Aptitude to use critical thinking to directly and timely address and solve complex problems
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; communicate professionally with external partners, including planning commissions/other government bodies, as well as internal teams of executives and colleagues
- Familiarity with principles of real estate finance and real estate financial models
- Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops and webinars, reading professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional organizations
Qualifications and Experience
- Minimum of 15 years of experience in commercial real estate experience in development, finance, or civil engineering
- Bachelor’s Degree in either Business, Finance, Civil Engineering, Law or Planning required; MBA or JD, preferred
- Proven leadership and project management skills: creative, organized, systems-oriented and people-skilled
- Extensive knowledge of the principles of real estate finance and real estate financial models
- Have an established network real estate brokers, advisors, politicians, etc. and are a recognized practitioner in the commercial real estate market
Safety Hazard of the Job
Normal safety hazards associated with office work, and with occasional observational visits to construction sites.
Physical Demands
Low physical effort required to sit, stand at files, bend, stoop, lift, and walk. Maximum unassisted lift is 35 lbs. Average lift is less than 10 lbs. Requires ability to use a keyboard and monitor. Also requires the ability to communicate verbally, both in person and on the telephone. May require some travel by car or plane.
Environmental Requirements
Average inside office environment. Average office noise levels. No personal protective equipment is required. Ambient temperature is between 68F and 76F.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by their immediate supervisor and other management as required. This job description is not a contract or offer for employment, and either you or Merus may terminate employment at any time for any reason.
