Chief Real Estate Officer

Chief Real Estate Officer

Company: First Midwest Group

Location: Rockford, IL / Schaumburg, IL (based between both offices)

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Employment Type: Full-time, Executive

About FMG Group

FMG Group is a family-owned, multi-faceted real estate and operating business built over four decades. Our Illinois and Wisconsin commercial real estate portfolio exceeds 3.5 million square feet across office, retail, and industrial properties, managed out of our Rockford, IL headquarters and growing Schaumburg, IL office. As we enter our next chapter, we're building the executive team that will lead our expansion into new markets.

The Role

FMG Group is seeking an entrepreneurial, deal-driven Chief Real Estate Officer to lead our commercial real estate business end to end — leasing, development, construction, and acquisitions. This is a hands-on executive role for someone who wants to build and run a real estate platform, not just oversee one. You'll report directly to the CEO, sit on FMG's executive management team, and play a central role in shaping the company's geographic growth strategy.

This role owns FMG's commercial real estate — land, retail, office, and industrial. It does not include multifamily, though we welcome you bringing multifamily and other real estate opportunities to the table for the right team to pursue.

What You'll Do

• Own and manage all leasing, development, and construction activity across FMG's commercial portfolio
• Underwrite and build pro formas for every prospective acquisition, development, and leasing deal
• Establish, monitor, and enforce budgets across active projects and the broader portfolio
• Build and maintain relationships with municipal and governmental organizations to secure incentives, entitlements, and approvals
• Lead negotiations on new leases, purchase/sale contracts, and lease renewals
• Personally source, pursue, and close acquisition opportunities — land, shopping centers, industrial, and office assets — either running deals yourself through to close or bringing them to FMG's team
• Serve as FMG's primary lead generator for new commercial real estate opportunities, whether or not you personally execute each one
• Represent FMG in the market and build the relationships and reputation that drive consistent deal flow
• Contribute to company-wide strategy as a member of the executive management team
• Help drive FMG's expansion into new geographic markets

What We're Looking For

Required:

• Direct, hands-on experience in commercial leasing
• Direct, hands-on experience in acquisitions — sourcing, underwriting, and closing deals
• Experience managing people — you'll build and lead a team as this function grows

Also important:

• 15 years of experience in commercial real estate, spanning acquisitions, leasing, development, and construction
• A demonstrated, personal track record of sourcing, underwriting, and closing deals — not just managing a team that does
• Retail leasing experience is strongly preferred, including investment sales and acquisitions of retail properties
• Experience navigating municipal entitlement, incentive, and approval processes
• Strong lease and contract negotiation skills
• A magnetic, relationship-first personality — genuinely energized by people, not just spreadsheets
• A “deal junkie” mentality: driven to find and create value, not just execute what's already on the table
• Strategic thinker who can help shape and execute a multi-year geographic growth plan
• Comfortable operating with significant autonomy and ownership inside a family-owned business
• Willing to be based between FMG's Rockford, IL and Schaumburg, IL offices

Compensation & Benefits

Total compensation of $250,000 commensurate with experience.

Health, Dental, Vision Insurance | 401(K) with Match | Life Insurance | Short-Term Disability | Long-Term Disability | EAP | HSA/FSA | Competitive PTO