Director of Real Estate & Products

Description

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18^th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

The Director, Real Estate and Products is responsible for the management, leasing and development of the Foundation’s real property; and the management of the Products department and administration of all aspects of the Foundation’s contractual relationship with Aramark.

Essential Functions:

1. Oversees and directs all real estate, products and related services of the Foundation.
2. Develops and executes a strategic plan for Merchants Square incorporating leasing strategies, marketing directions, and capital improvement projects.
3. Develops and implements leasing plans. Analyzes and evaluates new lease transactions and renewals. Directs work of marketing and advertising consultants. Works with the Merchants Square Marketing Committee to create effective annual marketing plans. Works with consultants to conduct research and to implement marketing and promotional plans.
4. Oversees and manages the establishment of rents, negotiation of leases, advertisement of space for rent, identifying and contacting prospective tenants, property showings, preparation of space for rent. Responds to inquiries.
5. Acts as primary liaison to the Merchants Square Association. Responds promptly to tenant complaints and concerns with responsibility for building and maintaining positive relationships with tenants with the Merchants Square Association.
6. Prepares annual financial forecasts and quarterly performance reports. Oversees the preparation of accurate, timely, and complete reports on sales and rental revenues. Develops operating budgets for Merchants Square operations and for the Marketing Fund.
7. Administers leases: assures the proper setup and termination of leases, the proper management of payables and receivables, and the timely calculation, billing, and receipt of rental revenues. Addresses and resolves issues with tenants including rent payment issues in collaboration with the Office of the General Counsel.
8. Oversees landscape, custodial, and facilities maintenance of Merchants Square and selected commercial properties. Inspects properties regularly. Identifies maintenance problems, develops and implements solutions, and prioritizes work to be performed. Coordinates work with tenants to ensure work is accomplished expeditiously, efficiently, and with minimum disruption.
9. Directs strategic commercial development projects.
10. Administers the Foundation’s relationship with Aramark.

Required and Preferred Education and Experience:

Required: This position requires a bachelor’s degree in business, real estate, or related field. 10-12 years of commercial property management or related work experience (additional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement).

Preferred: Virginia real estate salesperson license, MBA, or CCIM certification

Qualifications:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Customer service and/or customer contact experience are required, as are fluency in basic computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook) and a basic understanding of legal and accounting principles related to commercial real estate.
• Financial analysis skills are required. Prior commercial property management experience is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with and/or connection to the local real estate market.