Associate Director of Research

CBRE; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

CBRE in Phoenix seeks a senior leader for Field Research to position CBRE as the definitive source of Arizona commercial real estate intelligence. You will lead market monitoring across office, industrial, retail, multifamily, data centers, and land, serving as CBRE’s public voice on trends while developing client-focused thought leadership.

You will partner with market leadership to shape outputs, engage brokers, and elevate the CBRE brand through speaking opportunities and conferences,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred in economics, real estate, finance or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in commercial real estate research with at least 2 years in people leadership.
• Expertise on the Phoenix market across office and industrial sectors with local dynamics.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for presentations to brokers, clients and public audiences.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with brokers, market leaders and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic research partner to Arizona market leaders and senior brokers, supporting pitches and client meetings to drive revenue.
• Oversee market data operations for Phoenix and Tucson, maintaining CBRE’s database of availability, vacancy, rents and development.
• Deliver high-quality quarterly market reports, market overviews and bespoke client-facing outputs.
• Architect differentiated market perspectives and translate real estate dynamics into compelling client narratives.
• Collaborate with national research leadership to align Arizona perspectives with broader thought leadership.
• Lead and develop Arizona-based research analysts, managing hiring and performance.

Skills

Strategic partnership

Leadership

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Time management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Master’s degree in economics, real estate, finance, or related discipline

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

About The Role

The successful individual will position CBRE as the definitive source of commercial real estate intelligence for the Arizona markets, delivering actionable insights that drive business development, client engagement, and transaction flow across the state's diverse asset classes.

Arizona Field Research translates local market data into strategic intelligence, publishing targeted outputs to support CBRE's brokerage, investment, and advisory businesses. You will lead a team responsible for comprehensive market monitoring across office, industrial, retail, multifamily, data centers, and land sectors, while serving as CBRE's foremost public voice on Arizona commercial real estate trends.

You will work alongside Arizona market leadership to establish a compelling agenda of research outputs, cultivate broker engagement, and elevate CBRE's brand through client-facing thought leadership, speaking opportunities and conferences. Delivering measurable business impact through research — both externally and internally — will be a core measure of success.

What You'll Do

• Business Partnership and Revenue Support: Serve as a strategic research partner to Arizona market leaders and senior brokers, participating in key pitch and pursuit processes, mobilizing team resources to address specific client needs, and presenting market findings in client meetings and presentations to drive revenue growth and deepen client relationships.

• Market Intelligence and Data Operations: Oversee comprehensive market data operation and integrity across the Phoenix and Tucson markets, maintaining CBRE’s proprietary database covering availability, vacancy, lease rates, comparables, development pipeline, and tenant occupancy. Ensure delivery of high-quality quarterly Figures reports, market overviews, building stacks and skylines, and bespoke client-facing outputs.

• Thought Leadership and Brand Positioning: Architect differentiated market perspectives and translate complex local real estate dynamics into compelling narratives for clients, media, and internal stakeholders. Cultivate relationships with Phoenix and Arizona business publications and trade organizations, seeking select speaking opportunities to amplify the CBRE brand and establish CBRE as the leading authority on commercial real estate.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Orchestrate strategic alignment between local research outputs and national research initiatives, collaborating with national Americas Research leadership, Forecasting, and Sales Management to ensure Arizona perspectives are integrated into national thought leadership products and proprietary data platforms.

• People Leadership and Team Development: Lead and develop the Arizona based research analysts, overseeing hiring and performance management. Foster a high-performance culture focused on analytical excellence, professional development, and collaborative engagement with the broader CBRE business.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Regularly convene with Arizona market leaders, key brokers, and cross-functional teams to gather feedback, align research priorities with business objectives, and identify opportunities to strengthen CBRE’s research value proposition across the region.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in economics, real estate, finance, or a related discipline preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in commercial real estate research or a closely related field, with a minimum of 2 years of people leadership experience.
• Expertise on the Phoenix commercial real estate market; knowledge of multiple asset classes with focus on the office and industrial sectors, and their underlying supply and demand dynamics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to prepare and deliver compelling presentations to brokers, clients, and public audiences.
• Relationship-builder with the ability to establish trust and credibility with brokers, market leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and quantitative skills, able to demonstrate good time management across multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with strong attention to detail and proven ability to oversee and quality-control the team’s work.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, working experience with LLMs, data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI is advantageous.

Why CBRE

When you join CBRE, you become part of the global leader in commercial real estate services and investment that helps businesses and people thrive. We are dynamic problem solvers and forward-thinking professionals who create significant impact. Our collaborative culture is built on our shared values — respect, integrity, service and excellence — and we value the diverse perspectives, backgrounds and skillsets of our people. At CBRE, you have the opportunity to chart your own course and realize your potential. We welcome all applicants.

Applicant AI Use Disclosure

We value human interaction to understand each candidate's unique experience, skills and aspirations. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to make hiring decisions, and we ask that candidates disclose any use of AI in the application and interview process.

About CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2024 revenue). The company has more than 140,000 employees (including Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves clients through four business segments: Advisory (leasing, sales, debt origination, mortgage serving, valuations); Building Operations & Experience (facilities management, property management, flex space & experience); Project Management (program management, project management, cost consulting); Real Estate Investments (investment management, development). Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity: CBRE is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. We have a long-standing commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, veteran status, political belief, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Candidate Accommodations: CBRE values the differences of all current and prospective employees and recognizes how every employee contributes to our company’s success. CBRE provides reasonable accommodations in job application procedures for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at [e-mail] or via telephone at [phone] (U.S.) and [phone] (Canada).

CBRE, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Aff…