Head of Capital Formation

MHW Search; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 200,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

MHW Search has partnered with a Houston-based industrial real estate developer seeking a Head of Capital Formation to lead institutional fundraising and investor relations. You will shape the capital strategy and build a scalable platform in collaboration with executive leadership.

The role targets expanding relationships with insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, RIAs, and private banks to support a growing development pipeline and discretionary funds. A CEO‑level impact is expected.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in institutional capital formation, investment management, or real estate private equity.
• Proven track record raising institutional and private capital for real estate investments or funds.
• Established relationships with institutional investors, family offices, RIAs, insurers, endowments, pension funds, OCIOs.
• Experience structuring discretionary equity, joint ventures, and partner platforms.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Capital Formation and Investor Relations team.
• Develop long-term institutional fundraising strategy and scalable processes.
• Grow a diversified investor base for current and future platforms.
• Structure joint ventures, preferred equity, and institutional partnerships.

Skills

Capital formation leadership

Investor relations

Fundraising strategy

Strategic partnerships

Real estate capital markets

Relationship management

Presentation & negotiations

CRM & analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

MHW Search has exclusively partnered with an Industrial Real Estate development firm in Houston. Our client is a vertically integrated real estate investment and development firm with a proven track record of developing institutional-quality industrial projects throughout Texas. Over the past 36–48 months, the firm has successfully developed nearly 12 million square feet of industrial product and currently maintains an active development pipeline exceeding 7 million square feet, positioning it among the most active privately held industrial developers in the state.

The company has successfully raised more than $200–300 million of equity over the past three years through existing investor relationships and strategic partnerships. With a rapidly expanding development pipeline and increasing capital needs, leadership has made the strategic decision to institutionalize its fundraising efforts by establishing a dedicated Financial Services & Capital Formation Division.

This initiative extends far beyond raising equity for individual transactions. The firm's vision is to build a fully integrated financial services platform capable of serving multiple investor channels while supporting discretionary investment vehicles, private funds, programmatic joint ventures, and deal‑specific equity raises. The successful candidate will play a foundational role in creating a scalable institutional capital platform that supports the firm's long‑term growth strategy.

This executive will inherit an active pipeline of investment opportunities, including approximately $50–75 million of equity currently expected to be raised before year‑end, while helping build the infrastructure, relationships, and strategy necessary to establish one of the premier private capital platforms in the industrial real estate sector.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Head of Capital Formation will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team and will be responsible for developing and executing the firm's institutional capital strategy while building its newly established Financial Services & Capital Formation Division.

Reporting directly to executive leadership, this individual will lead all fundraising initiatives, expand the firm's institutional investor relationships, establish long‑term capital partnerships, and create a scalable fundraising platform capable of supporting the firm's continued development and investment growth.

This role extends well beyond traditional capital raising. The successful candidate will help build a sophisticated financial services business designed to serve institutional investors, family offices, registered investment advisors (RIAs), insurance companies, endowments, foundations, pension funds, private banks, OCIOs, and other sophisticated capital providers. This individual will be expected to create repeat institutional relationships capable of supporting multiple investment vehicles rather than simply raising capital on a transaction‑by‑transaction basis.

The ideal candidate is an entrepreneurial capital formation executive who has successfully raised institutional capital for real estate investments and is excited by the opportunity to build an industry‑leading fundraising platform from the ground up.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build and lead the firm's newly established Financial Services & Capital Formation Division, creating a scalable institutional fundraising platform.
• Develop the long‑term vision, infrastructure, systems, and strategy necessary to support a best‑in‑class financial services business.
• Partner directly with executive leadership on new investment vehicles, discretionary funds, separate accounts, and long‑term platform growth initiatives.
• Create scalable investor relations, fundraising, and reporting processes capable of supporting institutional investors and future capital raises.

Capital Formation

• Lead all equity capital raising efforts across acquisitions, developments, discretionary investment vehicles, joint ventures, and future investment strategies.
• Develop and execute the firm's long‑term institutional fundraising strategy.
• Build a diversified investor base capable of supporting current transactions and future platform growth.
• Source discretionary equity, preferred equity, joint venture capital, and strategic institutional partnerships.
• Maintain an active pipeline of prospective institutional investors and long‑term capital partners.

Institutional Business Development

Develop and maintain relationships with:

• Insurance Companies
• Sovereign Wealth Funds

Investor Relations

• Lead investor presentations, annual meetings, due diligence sessions, investment committee presentations, and fundraising efforts.
• Oversee preparation of offering memorandums, investment presentations, DDQs, financial models, quarterly reporting, and investor communications.
• Deliver best‑in‑class service to existing investors while cultivating new institutional relationships.
• Partner with the Founder, acquisitions, development, finance, and legal teams to optimize capital structures and execute investment opportunities.
• Structure and negotiate joint venture agreements, preferred equity investments, and institutional partnership structures.
• Advise executive leadership on fundraising strategy, capital markets trends, investor feedback, and long‑term capital planning.
• Support the growth of the firm's investment platform through strategic capital solutions and long‑term institutional relationships.

Leadership

• Recruit, mentor, and build a high‑performing Capital Formation and Investor Relations team.
• Implement CRM systems, fundraising analytics, reporting standards, and institutional best practices.
• Represent the company at investor conferences, industry events, and national networking functions.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership regarding long‑term capital formation initiatives and overall business growth.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of institutional capital formation, investment management, real estate private equity, or capital markets experience.
• Demonstrated success raising institutional and private capital for real estate investments, private equity funds, or alternative investment platforms.
• Established relationships with institutional investors, family offices, registered investment advisors (RIAs), private banks, insurance companies, endowments, foundations, pension funds, OCIOs, and other sophisticated capital providers.
• Proven experience raising discretionary fund capital, joint venture equity, separate accounts, and deal‑specific equity.
• Strong understanding of institutional real estate investments, fund structures, joint ventures, preferred equity, waterfalls, promotes, and partnership agreements.
• Experience developing long‑term investor relationships and executing fundraising initiatives from initial outreach through closing.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build and scale a best‑in‑class Financial Services & Capital Formation Division.
• Ability to work collaboratively with executive leadership, acquisitions, development, finance, and legal teams to execute the firm's long‑term capital strategy.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred