Director of Real Estate

Director of Real Estate

Salary

$160,000.00 Annually

Location

Boston City Hall - 1 City Hall Sq

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

2026-00016

Department

Planning Department

Opening Date

09/08/2026

Closing Date

11/10/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits

Overview

Under the supervision of the Chief of Staff, provide leadership and management of the BPDAs real estate portfolio of 13 million square feet of land and the associated Real Estate Division staff. This involves managing properties such as the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park and strategic property dispositions.

The Planning Departments real estate team manages, develops, acquires, and leases the BPDAs real estate with a focus on fiscal responsibility and community development. We treat our property like we live next door and strive to find ways to use our real estate to make the lives of Bostonians better. Our efforts fund the Planning Departments planning and economic development functions, while also supporting the mission to guide inclusive growth in our city.

The Director of Real Estate is responsible for ensuring the departments commitment to use public land for public good while also making fiscally responsible decisions on how to best deploy the BPDAs real estate assets to achieve both revenue and public policy goals. The Director of Real Estate oversees the five teams within the department: 1) Commercial Leasing, 2) Disposition and Strategy, 3) Operations and Administration, 4) Capital Construction, and 5) Coastal Resilience Delivery.

Responsibilities

The general duties and responsibilities of the position are included in, but not limited to, the information listed below.

Leadership:

• Provide executive leadership for all functions of the Real Estate Division by establishing strategic priorities, directing organizational performance, and ensuring alignment with the Citys economic development and public policy objectives.
• Develop and execute the Departments long-term real estate strategy governing the acquisition, disposition, leasing, development, and stewardship of City-owned assets.
• Supervise the Director of Engineering and Facilities Management, Deputy Directors and staff of Operations and Administration, Capital Construction, Disposition and Strategy, Commercial Leasing, and Coastal Resilience Delivery.
• Direct the development, administration, and oversight of operating and capital budgets, ensuring responsible stewardship of public resources and long-term financial sustainability.
• Articulate the policy objectives of the City of Boston for BPDA property and advance these priorities.
• Coordinate with other City of Boston departments on department objectives related to Real Estate activities.
• Develop, recommend, and implement policies governing the management and strategic deployment of City-owned real estate assets.
• Resolve staff managerial/administrative issues. Work with the HR Director on departmental HR issues.

Real Estate Portfolio Management:

• Establish strategic priorities for maximizing the long-term public and financial value of the Citys real estate portfolio.
• Leverage the BPDAs real estate portfolio to achieve important public policy outcomes such as affordable housing creation, job creation, climate resilience, economic development, and increasing diversity and inclusion in Bostons real estate market.
• Oversee the disposition and RFP process for BPDA properties.
• Lead efforts to acquire property in support of City of Boston policy objectives.
• Oversee the planning and management of all BPDA projects and contracts from pre-development through completion of construction and subsequent operational management.
• Directly and through staff, administer the capital construction departments operating budget and project budget. Evaluate and recommend action on budgetary overruns.
• Ensure that all BPDA real estate assets and leases are accurately tracked and accounted for.

Community Engagement:

• Represent the Planning Department before elected officials, community organizations, developers, regulatory agencies, and other public and private stakeholders regarding major real estate initiatives.
• Advise executive leadership regarding strategies that promote economic development, industrial retention, neighborhood investment, and equitable use of public land.
• Manage the integration and consolidation of interests of developers, neighborhood organizations, community, government, and other involved parties. Ensure the protection of organization and city interests in all projects.
• Participate in public discussion and community meetings to engage the public and achieve consensus wherever possible on real estate priorities and projects.
• Lead and approve complex, high-value negotiations involving leases, acquisitions, property dispositions, development agreements, and public-private partnerships.

In addition to the tasks above, the Director of Real Estate may also perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Entrance Qualifications

• Work requires a Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Real Estate, Public Administration, or a related field or equivalent, plus eight or more (8+) years of directly relevant real estate development experience. A Masters degree is preferred and may be used to substitute for required experience.
• Values-driven leader that prioritizes diversity, inclusivity, and public good.
• Exceptional real estate finance skills and the demonstrated ability to build accurate conceptual real estate development pro-formas.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Self-motivated team player that is curious and able to lead cross-functional groups through complex work.
• Detail-oriented project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, coach, and mentor assigned staff.
• Strong critical thinking to continuously review internal policies and procedures in order to improve upon and standardize processes.
• Understanding of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 30B governing the disposition of public real estate preferred.
• Understanding of Massachusetts laws related to procurement and contracting desirable.
• Must exercise discretion and sound judgment and be capable of handling confidential and highly sensitive information with professionalism and unquestionable integrity.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Office environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Little or no exertion.

SCOPE:

Manage Real Estate Division staff of approximately 30 professionals. Manage approximately 7 Deputy Director or Senior positions directly.

BOSTON RESIDENCY REQUIRED

Terms:

Union/Salary Plan/Grade: Non-Union / $160,000

Hours per week: 35

The City of Boston is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite applications from all qualified individuals and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other protected category.

At the City of Boston, we provide our employees with a wide array of benefits and resources that foster both their professional and personal development. Our goal is to make City government a place where everyone is empowered to make a positive impact for the communities in which we live, work, and play.

For full-time positions, employees may be eligible for the following benefits depending on the nature of their employment and applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the position. View the Collective Bargaining Agreements page to learn more.

Benefits Available to City Workers

• Retirement & Savings Opportunities: Membership in the Boston Retirement System (BRS), a benefit pension plan providing lifetime income to vested employees when they retire, along with deferred compensation options to help you build a secure future. Visit boston.gov/retirement to learn more.

• Health Insurance & Benefits: The City offers competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus flexible spending (FSA), dependent care accounts, and life insurance for our employees. Visit boston.gov/insurance to learn more.

• Other Benefits: City employees enjoy a benefits package featuring paid time off and leave, subsidized transit (MBTA and Bluebikes), educational assistance, and employee wellness programs. Visit boston.gov/life-city-boston to learn more.

• Salary information: To view salary plans and understand how salaries work at the City of Boston, go to boston.gov/salary.

Part-time employees who are scheduled to work for 20 hours or more per week may also be eligible for benefits on a pro-rated basis. Please refer to the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to learn more about any benefits available for this position.

If you have any questions about the benefits offered for this position, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 617-635-3370 or ohr@boston.gov.

Employer City of Boston (MA)

Address 1 City Hall Plaza, Room 612

Boston, Massachusetts, 02201

Phone 617-635-3370

Website https://www.boston.gov