Industrial Business Development Director

Job Summary:  Lead market origination and deal execution for build-to-suit industrial/warehouse assets ≥100,000 sq. ft. in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Source sites, structure transactions (LOIs through close), and deliver ≥3 closed deals per year while establishing the company’s footprint in the Midwest industrial/warehousing sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Market scouting and site selection (greenfield/brownfield), including diligence on utilities, infrastructure, labor pools, and incentives.
• Relationship-building with municipalities, developers, brokers, utilities, rail/intermodal, and logistics players.
• Underwriting and deal structuring; lead LOIs and negotiations through close in partnership with legal and finance.
• Pipeline/CRM management and forecasting; maintain diversified sourcing channels (developer, brokerage, municipal/economic development leads).
• Cross-functional coordination (legal/finance/construction) to compress cycle times and de-risk entitlement/permitting.
• Executive reporting to CEO; establish scorecards, dashboards, and post-mortems on wins/losses.
• Operate solo initially; scope and hire analyst support as pipeline scales.

Qualifications

• 5 years in industrial real estate/business development with a background at a real estate developer or brokerage firm.
• Proven track record sourcing and closing ≥100k sq. ft. industrial/warehouse transactions in OH/MI/IN.
• Financial modeling (DCF, sensitivity), rent/cap rate assumptions, yield-on-cost, and margin drivers.
• Working knowledge of zoning, entitlement, permitting, and incentive programs.
• Negotiation and stakeholder management across public and private actors; executive communication.
• Self-starter able to build the business from the ground up.
• Proven ability to drive the sales process from plan development to close.
• Demonstrated experience in achieving sales targets and developing client-focused, differentiated, and achievable solutions.
• Excellent listening, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Excellent quantitative, verbal, and written communications skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and excel in a fast paced and dynamic work environment.
• Must be able to competently manage competing, multiple tasks simultaneously.

Core Competencies & Behaviors

• Deal origination and strategic market analysis
• Relationship capital and ecosystem mapping
• Negotiation, resilience, and data-driven decision-making
• Executive communication and cross-functional leadership
• Alignment to company behaviors.
• Use a consultative approach, partner with customers to understand their business objectives and prospect for opportunities and then develop and deliver solutions that meet those objectives.
• Effectively communicate the value proposition through proposals and presentations by understanding and delivering tailored solutions including lease options, configurations, access requirements and value add services.
• Understand industry and client markets and trends, and report on forces that could shift tactical goals and strategic direction.
• Develop and execute product positioning and pricing strategies that produce the highest possible long-term market share and earnings.
• Ensure effective control of business development results and take corrective action to guarantee that achievement of business development objectives falls within corporate objectives.
• Acts with a high degree of market expertise by staying informed on market trends, land availability, pricing, regulatory developments, and competitor offerings in industrial real estate.
• Represent the company at trade association meetings, conferences, and industry events.
• Establish and maintain relationships with industry influencers and key strategic partners.
• Monitor competitor products, sales, and marketing activities.