Director, Real Estate Acquisitons
Location: Southern California
Company Description
Our client is a permanent capital investment firm focused on acquiring and growing lower middle-market businesses in manufacturing, distribution, and B2B services. Through a differentiated “buy and hold” model, the firm creates long-term value by investing for yield and providing portfolio companies with hands-on operational support, shared services, and strategic leadership.
Leveraging its experience with U.S. manufacturing businesses and industrial facilities, the firm is establishing a national industrial real estate investment platform. The initial strategy will focus on larger, single-tenant industrial properties, including sale-leaseback transactions involving existing portfolio companies and third-party acquisitions, with plans to expand the platform and investment activities over time.
Position Description
Reporting to the CEO, the Director, Real Estate Acquisitions will help lead the expansion of the company’s inaugural real estate acquisition platform. This role is responsible for identifying, underwriting, and executing the acquisition of industrial real estate assets – both as stand-alone investments and as strategic enablers to their operating companies (i.e., sale-leasebacks, value-add facilities, distribution hubs, etc.).
This is a unique opportunity for a high-performing acquisitions professional to architect a new vertical from the ground up within a proven, permanent capital structure.
The individual will initially be the sole dedicated real estate investment professional and must be able to operate independently, with responsibility for developing acquisition opportunities and executing transactions nationally.
Responsibilities
- Build the industrial real estate acquisition function, aligning investment strategy with broader portfolio needs and long-term yield targets.
- Source and execute industrial property acquisitions nationally, including single-tenant properties, sale-leasebacks and value-add opportunities.
- Lead real estate underwriting, due diligence, and financial modeling.
- Identify and pursue off-market and proprietary deal flow through broker relationships, developers, owners, and direct outreach.
- Partner closely with the operating company investment team to identify portfolio-driven real estate opportunities.
- Negotiate purchase terms, financing structures, and closing documentation in partnership with legal, finance, and third-party advisors.
- Create scalable investment processes and oversee third-party asset management relationships.
Requirements
- 7–15 years of relevant experience in industrial or commercial real estate acquisitions, ideally within a real estate private equity (REPE), real estate investment corporation, REIT, or family office environment.
- Demonstrated track record of sourcing and closing industrial real estate transactions (single-tenant or multi-tenant).
- Strong financial modeling capabilities, including discounted cash flow analysis, IRR calculations, lease analysis and transaction structuring.
- Deep knowledge of industrial markets, tenant dynamics, and real estate asset management best practices.
- Entrepreneurial and self-directed, with the ability to build a function from zero and operate in a fast-paced, flat organization.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills across brokers, sellers, lenders, and internal stakeholders.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in real estate, finance, or business is a plus.
- Candidates should be prepared to provide a representative transaction history covering acquisitions completed during the past several years, including their specific responsibilities for each transaction.
Personal Characteristics
They are seeking an entrepreneurial, self-directed individual who combines acquisition execution experience with the ability to establish and manage a new business. The successful candidate should demonstrate:
- Leading by Example: Demonstrating and fostering, by example, a sense of urgency, strong commitment/accountability, and sound decision making to achieve goals. Consistent and disciplined in following process, while pragmatic with a high propensity for action. Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
- Vision and Purpose: Embracing and communicating the vision and its goals while reflecting a dedication to success which inspires and motivates.
- Motivational and Inspirational: Energetic with a “get-it done” attitude while keeping the team enthusiastic about the business and the goals set ahead. Encouraging and inspiring colleagues to stretch beyond what they thought they could accomplish.
- Leadership and Conflict Resolution: Empathetic and humble leader with a high “EQ.” Ability to work through controversy while looking through the lens of consensus, turning conflicts into opportunities for improvement, and striving for win/win resolutions.
- Ethics and Values: Adhere to a code of conduct with a moral compass focused on the highest level of integrity and ethics.
- Problem Solving and Pace: Proactive both in problem solving and in recognizing and acting on opportunities. Comfortable in high pace, dynamic environments.