Real Estate Manager (Contract or Firm)
Dix Park is a new, 308-acre destination adjacent to Downtown Raleigh. Its ongoing transformation represents an extraordinary opportunity to create a landmark urban park, a beloved public space, and a common ground for the entire Raleigh community.
Guided by the Dix Park Master Plan adopted by Raleigh City Council in 2019, the Park’s evolution is already underway. Gipson Play Plaza, the 18.5-acre destination play space, which includes the renovated House of Many Porches, will open in Spring 2025 and is anticipated to welcome over one million visitors in its first year. Meanwhile, the renovation of the Flowers Cottage, All Faiths Chapel, and the three historic Stone Houses have all been completed, marking the beginning of the adaptive reuse of the Park’s expansive real estate portfolio.
The most important parks and public spaces in America often rely on public-private partnerships to make them vibrant and sustainable. The effort to create Dix Park is one of those best-practice public-private partnerships – between the City of Raleigh and Dix Park Conservancy. The City of Raleigh owns and operates Dorothea Dix Park. The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to support the City in its efforts, serve as its partner, and help ensure the creation and long-term success of Dix Park.
In total, Dix Park has over 1MM square feet of existing building space on its grounds. City-led studies conducted over the past two years recommend that approximately half of that square footage be studied and evaluated for preservation and adaptive reuse, while the other half be demolished.
In January 2027, the City is scheduled to take over the entirety of the existing building space from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This new responsibility represents an enormous opportunity, while also bringing many substantial challenges to be solved.
To prepare for this building transfer, the Dix Park Conservancy is seeking to hire a motivated and experienced Real Estate Manager to develop and implement strategies for the potential adaptive reuse of the buildings on campus. The primary responsibility of this position is leading the evaluation and implementation of a redevelopment strategy for select existing buildings within Dix Park.
Position Description and Key Responsibilities
This position can be structured as a full-time, 40-hour per week, two-year contract (1099) position or dedicated PM from a firm. At the end of the contract, there may be an opportunity to extend the position contingent on funding availability, project status, job performance, and other factors. This position will report to the CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy or designee.
Applicants can submit as an individual contractor or as a dedicated PM as part of a larger firm.
The work of the Real Estate Manager can be broken into the following components:
Development Manual: A set of design standards, policies, and procedures (restrictive covenants) to serve as a guide for the adaptive reuse and redevelopment of buildings at the Park. The Real Estate Manager will be expected to issue and manage an RFP for a design consultant team to develop the Manual, and then oversee their work in collaboration with the City and key park stakeholders.
Redevelopment Strategy: A process and strategy to determine which buildings will be preserved, create a process for how they will be leased, managed, and operated, and draft and negotiate the terms of lease contracts and operating standards within the Park. The Real Estate Manager will be expected to issue and manage an RFP for a development advisory consultant team to develop the strategy, and then oversee their work in collaboration with the Conservancy, City, and key park stakeholders. Once the strategy is complete, the manager may oversee the implementation of the strategy, including building preservation and upfit, tenant identification and selection, lease negotiation, property management, and operating standards.
Two primary types of partners are anticipated:
Commercial Partners: A process to match commercial partners with larger buildings, including approximately 8 buildings with 325K SF, which may include the issuance and management of an RFP for a development partner to lead the adaptive reuse of Park buildings.
Community Partners: A process to match community partners with smaller (<50K SF) spaces, including approximately 9 buildings with 200K SF, which may include the issuance and management of multiple RFPs for community partners.
Additionally, this position may facilitate a process to consider the viability of new park-supportive construction in limited locations in the Park. We expect this position will make significant progress on each of these components in the next two years with a targeted start date in February 2025.
Supporting and tying into these redevelopment components are the following critical projects that will be led by the City of Raleigh. This position will be responsible for interfacing with the City on each of these projects as they relate to the Development Manual and Redevelopment Strategy:
A more detailed Infrastructure Master Plan to ensure infrastructure can support the Park’s future development.
A Regulatory Framework that will establish zoning for the Park.
A Funding Strategy that will assess and recommend potential revenue streams (including real estate) to fund the Park’s anticipated capital and operating costs over time.
Core Competencies and Qualifications
Ideal candidates will have a combination of experience associated with the full real estate development cycle, from planning and predevelopment through financing, design, construction, leasing, and property management. Experience working with both public and private sectors is a plus, as is experience on adaptive reuse projects.
To perform this work, we anticipate the following core competencies:
Project Management: Oversee and manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to construction procedures and quality standards. Coordinate with internal teams and external stakeholders to achieve project objectives. Develop and maintain project schedules.
Contract and Vendor Management: Review and negotiate contracts, change orders, and other agreements. Ensure all contractual obligations are met and manage any necessary amendments.
Financial Management: Develop proformas to evaluate the potential success/sustainability of each project, manage budgets including value engineering, and monitor financial performance. Prepare and review financial reports.
Market Understanding: Conduct and/or access research and analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and risks. Utilize data-driven insights to inform strategic recommendations and decision-making.
Portfolio Management: Develop the process to solicit tenants and manage the lease process from negotiation to execution. Ensure compliance with lease agreements and park operating covenants, and handle tenant inquiries and issues.
Risk Management: Identify potential risks and develop strategies to minimize or mitigate them. Address issues proactively to minimize impact on project timelines and budgets.
Reporting: Provide regular updates and detailed reports to staff and relevant committees. Document project progress, changes, and any significant issues.
Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Business Administration, Planning Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering or a related field. Master’s degree and/or professional certifications preferred.
Experience: Minimum of 15 years of experience in real estate development and/or asset management or a similar role. Experience operating within a public-private partnership is preferred. Proven track record of managing diverse projects and leading teams.
Skills: Strong project management and organizational skills, excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, and a keen eye for detail. Proficiency in project management software and tools. Solid understanding of development process, budgeting and scheduling.
Attributes: The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing complex projects and driving results, excellent organizational and communication skills, and the ability to lead teams of consultants and contractors effectively. This role requires a hands-on, deep level of understanding of real estate development, construction processes, and client relations.
Application Requirements and Instructions
Interested applicants should submit the following materials for consideration:
Cover Letter
A 1-page statement describing your interest in the position and a summary of your (firm’s) relevant experience.
An overview of your approach to real estate strategy and how it aligns with the park’s mission.
Resume or CV
A detailed summary of your professional background, including education, certifications, and relevant work experience.
Portfolio or Work Samples
Examples of completed projects related to real estate strategy, land use planning, or similar fields. These can include project summaries, reports, or case studies.
Fee
Provide a detailed fee proposal, including:
Your proposed hourly rate or project-based fee.
Any anticipated expenses (e.g., travel, materials, or subcontractor costs).
References
Contact information for at least three professional references who can speak to your experience and qualifications.
Submission Instructions
All application materials should be submitted as a single PDF file.
Applications should be emailed to jobs@dixparkconservancy.org with the subject line: “Real Estate Manager – [Your Name].”
The application deadline is February 7, 2025.
Additional Information
This is a contract position; applicants should include their expected hourly or project-based rate.
Candidates may be required to complete a brief interview or provide additional materials upon request.
For questions about the role or application process, please contact jobs@dixparkconservancy.org.