Senior Director, Acquisitions

Job Description

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), a leading multi-family real estate investment trust (REIT), means being part of a community and striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together. Our portfolio of high-quality properties in urban growth markets – New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles – provides homes where people most want to live, work and play. We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to our residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues. That’s why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that gives our residents a place where they can “Live Remarkably,” and offers a culture where our employees have the opportunity to make their mark.

As a Senior Director, Acquisitions, you will be responsible for providing leadership and oversight of multiple acquisition projects within your assigned region. On a daily basis, you will direct, manage, and coordinate the activities related to the acquisition of multi-family properties in Dallas and Austin, Texas. You will source, underwrite, and assist the VP – Acquisitions with contract negotiation, due diligence and closing. The AVP - Acquisitions will also be responsible for developing relationships with principals, managing broker relationships and understanding market conditions. The position also works closely with the Development group to source joint venture (JV)development opportunities.

Who You Are

• A Leader. You build effective teams and provide direction to help those teams achieve goals and operate cooperatively and cohesively.
• A Strong Communicator. Your writing and speaking skills are clear, articulate, and effective, demonstrating your ability to interact with all levels and helping you connect well with others.
• Organized, Efficient, and Accountable. You have a keen eye for detail and pride yourself on delivering quality work. You multitask well, re-prioritize accordingly, and meet deadlines consistently. Above all, you are flexible and able to juggle the needs of changing priorities of the business.
• Analytical and Creative. You are comfortable analyzing and deciphering data, and evaluating trends. You’ve got strong quantitative skills and you know how to apply them accordingly. You also like thinking outside the box to come up with smart solutions to new challenges, and embrace the day-to-day construction management activities that challenge you to live in the gray.
• A Solution-Oriented Team Player. You enjoy partnering with others —whether internal or external— in order to get work done and deliver great results. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments.
• Decisive. You have a sense of urgency to drive great results, are precise with executing your work, and have successfully demonstrated your ability to effectively influence others.
  
  

What You’ll Do

• Evaluate, manage, and oversee the acquisition of multiple properties, from sourcing to closing in Dallas and Austin, Texas.
• Effectively partner with internal Investment officers to target locations and assets that meet the company’s investment strategy.
• Build and maintain relationships with brokers and key real estate principles and proactively generate leads on potential assets. Tour potential acquisition properties to help evaluate strengths and concerns of asset and suitability for pursuit.
• Initiate and maintain effective communication and documentation with the Investment Analyst in the preparation of property valuations and underwritings; stay current on market conditions and transaction activity.
• Assist with all aspects of due diligence by preparing initial drafts of deal memorandums for submission of acquisition opportunities to the Investment Committee for approval. During due diligence, work with the Investment and property management teams to prepare detailed operating budgets, including leasing plans, facilities and maintenance requirements, environmental/resiliency requirements, capital budgets, projected real estate taxes, and insurance requirements.
• Assist in the negotiation of LOI’s and Purchase and Sale agreements for fee simple transactions, and other potential structures including, leasehold interests, loan assumptions, pre-sales, earn outs, tax deferral (OP units) and other structures as opportunities dictate.
• During due diligence, work with the VP – Acquisitions, IO and property management to prepare detailed operating budgets, including leasing plans, facilities and maintenance requirements, environmental/resiliency requirements, capital budgets, projected real estate taxes , and insurance requirements.
• Work with the retail team toestablish leasing plans and valuations for any commercial space.
• Work with the Capital Markets group on any loan assumptions and incorporate mark to market valuations into pricing of assets.
• Collaborate with the Development team on sourcing, and underwriting joint venture opportunities and identifying and securing land sites for direct development.
  
  

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Advanced degree in a related field (Finance/Real Estate) preferred.
• 6-8 years of experience in real estate, investment banking or another related industry.
• Minimum of two years of experience in identifying and underwriting transactions in a residential or commercial real estate environment required.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills are required.
• Must have excellent analytical skills, be detail oriented, have good business sense, and be able to work on numerous projects concurrently and prioritize workload independently.
• Decisive nature with a sense of urgency is critical.
• Availability and willingness for approximately 25% overnight travel to existing EQR markets and/or potential new markets is required (Primary travel within Texas).
• Proficient in the use of Google, Microsoft Excel, Word, Project, and other programs as necessary.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills and knowledge of work processes, spreadsheets, and EQR systems required as well as strong presentation skills.
  
  

REWARDS

We recognize everyone has different needs outside of work. That’s why, in addition to a competitive benefits package (medical, dental, vision and paid time off), we offer many unique options to employees, like adoption benefits and paid time off for community service projects. To learn more, view our Total Wellbeing page here.