Real Estate Services Division Director

Job Description

Position Description

The City of Seattle's Finance and Administrative Services Department (FAS) seeks an innovative, collaborative and accomplished professional to join our leadership team as the Real Estate Services division director. FAS is a dynamic organization of about 630 employees. FAS services include a wide array of government support functions including facility management; property acquisition and management; fleets; finance and risk management; business licensing and tax administration; consumer protection and regulatory enforcement; contracting and purchasing; and the Seattle Animal Shelter. 

The City owns an extensive real estate portfolio, including 7,328 acres and approximately 3 million square feet of City facilities within the City limits. Jurisdiction over the portfolio is currently assigned to nine different departments, including the FAS Real Estate Services division, which plays a central management role in organizing the City's real estate portfolio, the property reuse process and associated policies and procedures.

The Real Estate Services division director is a strategic, pragmatic, people-oriented leader with an in-depth knowledge of real estate laws, property management, and right-of-way issues with an emphasis on transactions related to fee-owned property.
 

Job Responsibilities

The Real Estate Services division director leads a team of real estate experts and oversees the acquisition, management, leasing, and sale of City-owned real estate and property rights to protect the best interests of the City. This includes leading the legislative process and community involvement needed to complete property transactions. In addition, the director recommends strategic goals, strategies, and policies to the Chief Operating Officer, Department Director and Mayor and Council.
 
Specific responsibilities:

• Make critical and strategic decisions regarding the City's real property, property rights and property management issues.
• Foster entrepreneurial ideas, relationships and projects without losing site of bread-and-butter ongoing transactions.
• Lead real estate negotiations, close transactions and conduct mediations, often including complicated ownership, financing and phasing structures.
• Lead interdepartmental efforts to identify and address the challenges balancing financial and service strategies with community interests and make recommendations on alternatives that may help align all of these interests.
• Work with the City Budget Office (CBO), the City Attorney's Office and departments to identify known financial and legal obstacles and make recommendations on improvements.
• Manage a study and develop recommendations to leverage the City's position as a strategic owner, occupier, and user of real estate to increase the utility and overall benefits to the public of its real estate portfolio. 
• Brief FAS leadership, Mayor and Council on real estate matters and property transactions.
• Review staff work products for quality and professional standards. Ensure all required documents are properly executed.
• Oversee staff and provide leadership, including employee development, training and discipline.

  
The position reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and may also serve as the deputy COO.
 

 

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Real Estate, Urban Planning, Public Administration or related field (other combinations of education, training and experience will be evaluated on an individual basis for comparability).

Experience: Five or more years' professional experience in real estate management, preferably in both the private and public sectors, including in depth knowledge of real estate laws and practices, as well as right-of-way issues. This experience is typically gained through progressively responsible assignments, including at least three years as a manager or supervisor in a large, complex multicultural and diverse organization.

Desired Qualifications:  
 
The most competitive candidates will possess:

• Excellent facilitation and written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated experience in negotiation of complex, politically sensitive, highly visible acquisitions, sales and leases with multiple constituencies, customers and other stakeholders.
• Solid understanding of public administration including project funding programs, project development, program planning, and budgeting techniques.
• Ability to think critically and strategically.
• Experience in long-range strategic planning.
• Ability to foster and model an effective customer service ethic.
• Experience preparing legislation and in the legislative process.

 
The most competitive candidates will also demonstrate:

• Strong ability to work effectively with interdepartmental division leadership and ensure the delivery of high-quality customer service.
• Proven success as an organizational leader, managing multiple teams toward the strategic and efficient achievement of competing goals and priorities.
• Demonstrate the skills and abilities to function as the deputy Chief Operating Officer, who oversees all FAS facility construction, facility operation, real estate, fleet management and animal sheltering functions.

The City is currently considering substantial reorganization of its real estate functions which may include centralizing more responsibilities in FAS. The successful candidate will contribute to the organizational planning and be clearly capable of leading the existing FAS real estate group or an expanded group with increased direct service responsibilities to other City departments.
 

Additional Information

Please submit an online application, a cover letter outlining your qualifications and experience, and a current resume in order to be considered for this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Finalists will be required to undergo a background check.