Summary/Position Description:

The Division of Facilities, Planning and Operations at Rowan University is a growing enterprise. The Division’s mission is to create and sustain a vibrant, safe, supportive environment at Rowan’s campuses. The Division is dedicated to providing leadership in facilities, campus planning, development and maintenance. Organizationally, the Division is led by the Vice President of Facilities, Planning, and Operations/Executive Director South Jersey Tech Park (SJTP) who is a member of the President’s executive cabinet.

The Department of Facilities Operations is a part of the Division of Facilities, Planning and Operations.  Through collaboration and partnership with the rest of the Division of Facilities, Planning and Operations and campus community, this Department leads the overall management of facilities operations including Trades Staff, Central Plant Operations, Department of Environmental Health, Safety and Fire Safety, Real Estate and Custodial Operations.

The Associate Vice President, Real Estate works under the direction of the Vice President of Planning, Operations and Facilities/Executive Director South Jersey Tech Park (SJTP) who provides overall management of the University’s Real Estate development activities across all campuses.

The Associate Vice President, Real Estate will manage the University’s lease portfolio as well as the Real Estate operations including defining and implementing short-term and long-term strategic plans for Rowan University’s development. The Associate Vice President, Real Estate will cultivate relationships with stakeholders to spur economic development, research, and expansion of business and industry through real estate initiatives and academic affiliations for economic growth and to create community partnerships. Supporting Developers for lead generation and building a pipeline to meet the University’s real estate objectives is essential.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

University Lease Portfolio

• Manage a diverse University Lease Portfolio including but not limited to the Glassboro campus, South Jersey Tech Park (SJTP), Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, NJ as well as various locations in Camden, NJ.
• Develop a Real Estate plan for University Owned and Leased properties.
• Maximize Return on Investment (ROI’s) on Real Estate holdings.
• Generate revenue through leasing and/or facilitating sale of surplus property.
• Manage the acquisition, leasing and disposition of University real estate guided by the University administration which includes but is not limited to identification, feasibility, analysis, and negotiation.

Real Estate Development

• Provide market research evaluation and parameters for anticipated transactions in support of investment or disposal plans.
• Identify creative solutions with the ability to disseminate best practices across all University Real Estate activities as well as development projects/transactions.
• Administer all key aspects of development lead projects from inception to completion.
• Create development budgets and schedules, then manage execution within those committed financial model parameters.
• Conduct project assessments and make recommendations on project feasibility relating to financing, marketability, operational and physical viability.
• In coordination with the AVP for Construction and AVP for Planning and Design, oversee the project design process, confirming financial feasibility & constructability of design scheme.
• Lead the budget process for Development projects and complete ongoing financial reviews to manage budget to actual variance and project margins.
• Support Developers in working with community members, government bodies and other interested parties to obtain necessary project permits during the entitlement and permitting processes.
• Identify project exposures, develop risk management and contingency plans to reduce and/or eliminate project risks.
• Track and report progress of each project against goals, objectives, approved budgets and timelines, and lender and jurisdictional requirements.
• Project activities related to fund raising, funding goals, and objectives.
• Manage the tracking and reporting of project status against goals, objectives, budget, and timelines.

Economic Development and Community Partnerships

• Cultivate relationships with stakeholders to spur economic development, research, and expansion of business and industry through Real Estate initiatives and academic affiliations.
• Communicate and coordinate with partners, principals, stakeholders, and other departments within Rowan University to define project requirements and to create and execute strategy.
• Provide extensive interface with community members and government authorities during the entitlement and permitting processes.
• Prepare proposals for grants, subsidies and/or economic benefits in support of real estate development activities.
• Lead research on local, state, and federal regulations that may impact development and new construction.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local housing programs and rules and regulations.
• Maintain a working relationship with internal and external partners including real estate finance resources, mortgage bankers, lenders, government entities, mortgage and program departments at the local, state, and federal level, and private real estate development industry stakeholders.
• Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: 

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Real Estate, Engineering, Finance, or related field of study; Master's degree preferred.

Experience:   

• 5+ years of experience in a senior leadership role within real estate/development industry
• 10+ years of experience leading and/or managing the lifecycle of commercial real estate developments. Experience in Higher Education preferred.

Knowledge and Abilities:

• Self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset including well-rounded knowledge of the commercial Real Estate industry.
• Strategic leadership skills, negotiation skills and strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills, via both telephone and written communication; ability to communicate and articulate with all levels both internally and externally to the University; ability to be an active listener.
• Ability to communicate on delicate subject matter and build effective relationships with internal & external customers; ability to assist others in resolution of conflicts.
• Strong collaboration, time management, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), and other software that can track and generate reports on real estate projects or long-term leases.
• Must be proficient in writing, with experience in contracts.
• Possess exceptional attention to detail.
• Proven ability to multi-task and manage projects on strict deadlines.
• Handle sensitive issues, confidential material, and/or situations effectively.
• Must have ability to understand problems/issues, then work to facilitate resolution to those problems, while providing a good basis of understanding of the solution.
• Significant experience reviewing and analyzing financial plans related to real estate development; understanding of debt financing including public and/or TIF financing, public incentives, and tax credits.
• Advanced understanding of the decision-making processes and structure of large, complex, multi-campus educational institutions.
• Ability to effectively lead the development and implementation of public/private development strategy and policy in a higher education setting.
• Ability to facilitate and negotiate activities among multiple cross-campus constituent groups at all levels.
• Ability to understand, evaluate, and implement trends in the evolution of development practices.
• Ability to effectively analyze both qualitative and quantitative information to support decision-making to drive economic value and ROI.
• Ability to define strategic initiatives and to oversee the development of long-term plans and proposals.
• Ability to define, organize, and manage multiple large-scale projects concurrently.
• Knowledge and understanding of the real estate development concepts and practices to identify opportunities.
• Self-motivated with the desire to work independently and be resourceful.

Note: Rowan University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diverse people and abilities. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the US, and the university will not sponsor an applicant for a work visa for this position.