Growth-Oriented Real Estate & Development Leader (Hybrid)

Blue River PetCare; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan with company match

PTO & holidays

Job summary

Blue River PetCare, headquartered in downtown Chicago, seeks a Director of Real Estate & Development to lead the company’s real estate strategy across a growing network of veterinary hospitals.

You will partner with Operations, Finance, and Executive Leadership to support relocations, expansions, de novo developments, and lease management, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in real estate development, construction management, facilities leadership, healthcare development, or multi-site operations.
• Experience managing multi-site capital projects and lease negotiations preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret spend data and develop actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Willing to travel up to 25% of time within United States.

Responsibilities

• Lead real estate strategy for relocations, expansions, de novos, and facility optimization initiatives across the hospital network.
• Evaluate market opportunities, demographic trends, and site feasibility to support growth and operational objectives.
• Partner with Operations and Executive Leadership to identify facilities requiring expansion, relocation, or redevelopment.
• Lead site selection, broker relationships, and end-to-end lease execution including LOIs, lease reviews, and landlord negotiations in partnership with legal counsel and executive leadership.
• Negotiate lease terms, including tenant improvement allowances, lease economics, renewals, and extensions, to optimize financial performance and long-term portfolio strategy.
• Oversee all phases of development and construction, managing service providers and ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with operational requirements.
• Develop and evaluate financial models, ROI analyses, and project economics including revenue potential, EBITDA impact, and return on invested capital.
• Monitor and optimize real estate portfolio performance, including occupancy costs, lease terms, and space utilization across the network.
• Coordinate facility maintenance priorities and long term capital planning in partnership with Operations, Clinical Leadership, and Finance teams.
• Oversee insurance claims and reimbursement processes for property damage, ensuring timely recovery of funds and coordination with insurance carriers and service providers.
• Provide hands-on support for day-to-day facility and site readiness activities, resolving on the ground issues and coordinating service providers.

Skills

Real estate strategy

Lease negotiations

Multisite capital projects

Financial modeling

Team leadership

Travel readiness

Tools

Microsoft Office

Construction management software

Lease tracking software

Job description

Blue River PetCare, headquartered in downtown Chicago, seeks a Director of Real Estate & Development to lead the company’s real estate strategy across a growing network of veterinary hospitals.

You will partner with Operations, Finance, and Executive Leadership to support relocations, expansions, de novo developments, and lease management, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.