Description

The Regional Director of Investments is the primary team member charged with the generation of acquisition and development opportunities. Their top priority is the identification and successful pursuit of investments that are consistent with Ram’s stated objectives. The Director must have a comprehensive understanding of how to value both acquisition (value-add) and development projects, ideally for both retail and multifamily assets. More importantly, the Ram team will rely on the Director to be the market expert in a given geography. 

· Maintain a deep working knowledge of each market and submarket. The knowledge extends beyond simply knowing what opportunities are available to include (a) competitor activities, (b) market trends, (c) local politics and growth management policies, (d) regional economic development trends, and (e) changes in asset/land prices.

· Participate as subject matter expert in the periodic review of investment strategy. Active dialogue, open debate, and a healthy exchange of ideas is encouraged.

· Establish and cultivate relationships with property owners, civic organizations, government officials, landowners, other developers, and the brokerage community.

· Represent Ram at conferences and industry events, as well as active participation in civic organizations.

· Initiate direct contact with property owner(s) and/or their representatives. This specifically includes “cold calling” ownership directly, where appropriate.

· Obtain and review all relevant information from property owner and their representatives to assist in valuation.

· Conduct cursory due diligence of information provided, including review of public information (e.g., zoning, transaction history, competing rents, etc.) and internal market data (e.g., existing portfolio data, prior offering memoranda, recent cost information, etc.).

· Prepare initial financial analysis incorporating cost and operating assumptions to determine likely range of values. The financial analysis may also be performed by an analyst, in which case the Director will be responsible for a detailed review of the model.

· Provide leadership, mentoring, professional guidance, and direction to the analyst (where applicable). 

· Collaborate with developer(s) and asset manager(s) regarding potential business plans and ideas for value creation.

· Summarize and review preliminary analysis with VP of Investments, Team Leader and other members of senior management, specifically highlighting both profit/return potential and risk factors.

· Draft letter of intent (LOI) to purchase and present (upon approval from VP of Investments) to owner and/or broker.

· Actively participate in negotiation of LOI and contract (with assistance from General Counsel); act as ongoing liaison with seller through closing.

· Provide support to developer or asset manager (depending upon nature of transaction) throughout the due diligence process, including final preparation of presentation materials for the Investment Committee.

Requirements

These requirements represent the education, knowledge, skill, certifications/licensure and/or ability required to perform the job satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties noted above.

· An undergraduate degree, preferably with a real estate, finance, or business major. An MBA or advanced degree with an emphasis on real estate development or finance is a plus.

· Minimum of seven years of hands-on real estate experience preferably with a focus on multifamily, retail and/or mixed-use assets. While the industry experience may not be limited to an acquisitions officer role, the candidate should have progressive accomplishments that demonstrate increased responsibility in a variety of related functions (e.g., site acquisition, brokerage, analyst, etc.). 

· Proficiency with Microsoft Excel (and preferably Argus) as the Director will produce, review, and analyze relatively complex project budgets and financial projections.

· Strong presentation experience, preferably for projects with a total capitalization of at least $50 million.

· Must be able to analyze and interpret econometric research, government/zoning regulations, property level financial statements, and basic real estate related legal documents. Direct experience negotiating letters of intent and purchase and sale agreements is highly preferred. 

Skills: The Director should have a general working knowledge of what is required to fully execute an investment (i.e., “round trip a deal”). It is unrealistic, however, to expect the Director to be an expert in each part of the process. As a result, there are key skills that must be cultivated to successfully fulfill the role: 

· Analytical Skills – strong attention-to-detail; evaluation of complex financial projections; consideration of technical issues, market conditions, and impact to projected risk-adjusted investment returns. 

· Critical Thinking – evaluation of alternative concepts; assess and discern competing opinions and facts; synthesize varied financial scenarios with a specific focus on the relationship between risk and reward.

· Communication Skills – both in writing and verbally, preferably including experience with the following: (a) presenting information to a prospective investor, lender, or investment committee, (b) advocating for a client/principal as the preferred buyer, and (c) participating in professional forums. The ability to actively listen is equally, if not more, important.

· Interpersonal Skills – including social intelligence, situational awareness, and political acumen. The acquisition process involves varied constituents and requires problem-solving skills and an ability to effectively persuade sellers. 

These characteristics are highly valued throughout the Company and essential for all team members:

· High degree of professionalism.

· Commitment to quality and a constant desire for improvement.

· Being open-minded and willing to learn.

· Humility and an ability to admit “I don’t know” or “I made a mistake”.

· Knowing when and how to ask for help.

· Adaptability and flexibility.

· A deep belief in the importance of putting the team first.

· A strong sense of respect for self and others.

· An unwavering commitment to integrity (no matter the perceived short-term cost).

Please note: This description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of duties and responsibilities that may be required of the employee. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.