Description

Head of Real Estate

The Head of Retail Real Estate is responsible for owning the full lifecycle of the company’s retail real estate function, from tactical execution to long-term strategic planning. This leader drives our national growth strategy by identifying, securing, and optimizing store locations that deliver strong financial performance. The role manages all external broker relationships, evaluates and adjusts brokerage coverage, leads site selection analysis, and partners closely with Finance and Operations to support profitable expansion. This position reports to the CEO.

This position requires a highly analytical, relationship-oriented leader who can balance speed, discipline, and strategic thinking to accelerate the company’s growth.

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Key Responsibilities

Strategic Real Estate Leadership

· Lead the end-to-end retail real estate strategy to support the company’s growth objectives.

· Analyze market trends, competitive landscapes, demographic data, and financial modeling to determine optimal markets and sites.

· Own the long-term real estate pipeline, including new market entries and infill strategies.

· Evaluate performance of current brokerage partners and determine changes, improvements, or expansions in coverage.

Site Selection & Deal Execution

· Identify, analyze, and recommend new store sites based on customer, financial, demographic, and operational criteria.

· Conduct thorough site visits to evaluate trade areas, access, competition, and store performance potential.

· Prepare and present site recommendations for internal approvals, including financial analyses and risk assessments.

· Lead negotiations for leases, renewals, amendments, and real estate deal terms to ensure profitable store economics.

Portfolio & Broker Management

· Maintain strong relationships with brokers, landlords, developers, and municipalities.

· Measure broker performance and replace or adjust partners as necessary.

· Oversee portfolio optimization strategies, including relocations, closures, and renegotiations of existing stores.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Partner with Finance to evaluate deal profitability, ROI, and long-term contribution.

· Work closely with Operations, Legal, and Store Development teams to ensure smooth execution of approved sites.

· Provide real estate expertise for corporate planning, capital allocation, and multi-year growth models.

Business Impact & Governance

· Monitor market conditions and proactively identify risks and opportunities that impact the portfolio.

· Ensure compliance with internal processes, documentation standards, and approval requirements.

· Maintain accurate records, reporting, and analytics for all prospective and active deals.

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Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree in Business, Real Estate, Finance, or related field.

· 8+ years of experience in retail real estate acquisition, strategy, or portfolio management.

· Demonstrated success managing broker networks and negotiating commercial leases.

· Strong analytical skills—ability to interpret data, build financial models, and support deal profitability.

· Experience working across multiple states or regions.

· Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship-building abilities.

· Ability to balance tactical urgency with strategic long-term planning.

EOE/M/F/VET/DISABLED DRUG FREE WORK PLACE