What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate | Retail Services position at Crawford Square Real Estate Advisors?
Reports to: Vice President of Retail Services
Crawford Square Real Estate Advisors, a privately held full-service real estate firm who leases and manages retail and mixed-use assets in the Southeast and represents Tenants on their store expansion in the Southeast, is seeking an Associate – Retail Services in its Birmingham office. The shopping center portfolio includes properties totaling over 11 million square feet in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The Tenants we represent include local and national businesses expanding in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida panhandle. The company strives to provide a unique approach to retail real estate, which provides exceptional results for our clients.
Primary Responsibilities:
Tenant Representation
- Represent restaurant operators, business owners, franchisees, retailers, and expanding brands in market expansion strategies
- Identify and secure optimal retail locations based on demographics, traffic patterns, co-tenancy, visibility, and trade area analytics
- Conduct site selection, market tours, and competitive analysis
- Negotiate Letters of Intent (LOIs), contracts, leases, renewals, relocations, and expansions
- Develop and maintain relationships with property owners, retailers, franchise groups, and business owners
- Track market activity, new developments, and retailer expansion trends
- Coordinate with property owners, clients, attorneys, architects, contractors, and municipal officials during the transaction process
- Advise clients on occupancy costs, market rents, demographics, and real estate strategy
Landlord Representation
- Lease neighborhood centers, power centers, mixed-use developments, and single-tenant retail properties
- Develop merchandising plans and leasing strategies to maximize occupancy and asset value
- Prospect and recruit new tenants to shopping centers
- Maintain relationships with national, regional, and local retailers and restaurant operators
- Prepare leasing proposals, LOIs, and marketing materials
- Conduct property tours and broker outreach
- Analyze tenant mix, market positioning, and competitive properties
- Work closely with property owners, developers, and asset managers on leasing initiatives and reporting
- Maintain accurate pipeline, prospect, and transaction reporting
Business Development
- Generate new tenant and landlord representation assignments
- Build relationships through networking, industry events, ICSC participation, outreach, and market canvassing
- Develop long-term relationships with developers, landlords, retailers, and franchise operators
- Maintain strong market knowledge across Southeastern retail corridors and growth markets
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Active real estate license in Alabama at a minimum (or ability to obtain)
- 2 years of commercial real estate, retail leasing, brokerage, or related sales experience preferred
- Strong understanding of retail real estate fundamentals, shopping center leasing, and site selection
- Knowledge of restaurant and retail expansion strategies preferred
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
- Self-starter with strong business development abilities
- Ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines simultaneously
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, CRM systems, mapping software, and demographic platforms
- Familiarity with CoStar, Crexi, Placer.ai, or similar platforms
- Willingness to travel throughout the Southeast region