General Manager, Station Twelve

WS Development; Eggertsville (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus program

Job summary

WS Development is seeking a General Manager for Station Twelve, a premier open‑air project in Buffalo. The GM will lead a cross‑functional team including Marketing, Operations, and Office Management, collaborating with security and maintenance vendors to deliver an exceptional customer and tenant experience.

The role requires strategic leadership, adaptability, and strong financial acumen to balance guest experience with the bottom line.

Qualifications

• MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• 10–15 years’ experience in retail property management, retail, hospitality, or related fields.
• Proven leadership in hiring, developing people, and achieving business goals.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive day‑to‑day operations excellence for Station Twelve.
• Oversee budget and financial performance, aligning with the business plan.
• Lead brand management, marketing, operations, and customer service with cross‑functional teams.
• Build external partnerships with tenants, customers, community, government, and financial partners.
• Drive leasing leads in collaboration with Leasing to attract top tenants.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Cross‑functional collaboration

Sales leadership

Communication

Project management

People development

Adaptability

Decision making

Education

MBA or advanced degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Budgeting software

Job description

Overview

The General Manager (GM) has overall responsibility for the success and excellence of Station Twelve and is relentlessly focused on customer, tenant, and client experience while always keeping the financial bottom line in mind. The property will be the newest open‑air project in this historic city and home to best‑in‑class retailers and beloved Buffalo locals. The GM is a leader at WS Development with direct reports including Marketing Manager, Operations Manager, Office Manager, and works closely with security, housekeeping, and maintenance vendors.

The ideal candidate will be both a strategic leader and one that motivates his/her cross‑functional and direct report team with a passion for and understanding of a modern consumer‑centric experience. This person looks to analogous but disparate industries (think Disney, cultural centers, civic public space, etc.) for inspiration and understands our innate challenge is a battle for people’s time – in the pursuit of creating places where people want to be. Further, this person will possess exceptional interpersonal skills, the ability to sell what we do and inspire partners around the mission. This includes selling in the context of Leasing tours and brand partnership development.

We work in an entrepreneurial environment, so the candidate must have the ability to pivot and evolve, and to make decisions in a rapidly changing environment. Comfort in business plans, strategy, and financial fluency are a part of day‑to‑day project management. Candidates will come from a wide variety of backgrounds including retail, hospitality, entertainment, and marketing. The day‑to‑day work of a GM is highly cross‑functional in nature. The GM will report to a regional Director of Asset Strategy and Experience.

Key Position Accountabilities

• Overall responsibility for achieving excellence in the day‑to‑day operations of Station Twelve
• Oversight and ownership of general budget, supporting the business plan, and thinking like a fiduciary
• Lead regular activities of the center including brand management, marketing, operations, customer service, sales, and administrative management, in partnership with the Marketing Manager
• Build and manage external partnerships, including those with tenants, customers, the community, the government, and financial partners
• Actively consider your consumer and help identify leads for Leasing; partner with Leasing to attract, retain, and grow the best tenants in the market
• Partner with Construction and Development to improve the property and continually focus on the details that make the customer experience the best it can be (consider parking, added services, amenities, public spaces, art, etc.)
• Build and drive strategic brand partnerships, resulting in incremental revenue and added value experiences for guests, in coordination with the Marketing Manager
• Experience working in a complex cross‑functional environment involving management of a wide variety of stakeholders – including the Executive Committee, marketing, operations, brand partnerships, competitive landscape, etc.
• Manage the property finances within the context of its performance and critically evaluate financial trade‑offs, including preparing a budget and its management
• Juggle a large workload with a focus on impact vs. effort (and where your ROI will be the most effective)
• Develop and participate in a proactive MOD (Management on Duty) plan for the center
• Embrace and actively integrate AI tools into daily workflows, proactively explore new technologies to identify opportunities that drive efficiencies and better outcomes across the business.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Experience-centric mindset
• Enthusiasm, curiosity, entrepreneurial initiative, and a strong work ethic
• A people‑person who enjoys developing people, growing relationships, and collaboration
• Ability to provide both strategic guidance and day‑to‑day tactical direction on a wide variety of operational and marketing‑related matters
• Strong organizational skills
• Salesmanship and passion
• Clear, concise communication skills
• Desire to work hard and with a strong sense of urgency
• Can‑do, optimistic attitude
• Orientation toward innovation and trying new things
• Consistent focus on optimization and improvement (both self‑improvement and the work)
• High ethical standards and integrity
• Proficiency in computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Experience leading a cross‑functional team towards productive, shared outcomes
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
• Comfort with ambiguity and adaptability to change

Education and Experience

• A college degree required with MBA or other advanced degree preferred
• 10–15 years’ experience in retail property management, retail, consumer goods, hospitality, marketing, or a service industry preferred
• Experience working in a fast‑paced, rapidly evolving workplace
• Demonstrated success as a proven leader, passionate about hiring great people, leading great people, and developing great people

The expected salary range for this position is $120,000-$140,000 per year. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as skills, qualifications, experience, and location. This role is also eligible toparticipatein our annual bonus program.

About WS Development

Massachusetts‑based WS Development is a mixed‑use developer with a singular mission: creating places people want to be. With an approach that values art, science, innovation and, above all else, people, WS strives to engage each community it serves with best‑in‑class installations and activations. Established in 1990, WS is a vertically‑integrated company that conceptualizes, owns, operates and leases more than 100 properties that range from cutting‑edge urban spaces to lifestyle and community centers. With over 22 million square feet of existing space and an additional nine million square feet under development, it is one of the largest privately‑owned development firms in the country. For more information, visit www.wsdevelopment.com, call 617.232.8900 or follow WS Development on LinkedIn.

WS is where great ideas and great people come together to design, build, and operate some of the best loved real estate projects in the country. We live at the intersection of entrepreneurship and establishment. We have the infrastructure of decades supporting a culture of free‑thinking excellence.

We expect every WS employee to feel welcomed and valued irrespective of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, and life experiences. Or for any other reason.