President of Industrial Development and Operations

Ruddell Group; Alabama; On-site; USD 300,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Ruddell Group seeks a President to lead development, leasing and operation of industrial parks in the Carolinas. Based in the Carolinas with travel to properties and tenants.

You will evaluate opportunities, secure leases, manage budgets, and build a lean team while coordinating brokers, designers and contractors. The role includes full P&L accountability and strategic growth responsibilities.

Qualifications

• A documented record of personally leading multiple industrial projects with individual buildings below 100,000 square feet, including ground-up development and leasing through stabilization.
• Experience with both single-tenant facilities and multi-tenant industrial or flex buildings, with clear examples of selecting the product and tenant mix.
• Direct responsibility for industrial lease negotiations, project economics, development budgets and operating results. Ability to distinguish personal decisions from the work of the broader team.
• Relevant Carolinas experience and established relationships with industrial brokers, tenants, municipalities, utilities, designers and contractors. Experience in both states is preferred.
• Sound judgment on tenant credit, land and infrastructure risks, construction contracts, phasing and re-leasing costs. Experience resolving a difficult project or tenant situation.
• Ability to lead a small organization while personally advancing projects and closing leases. Candidates may currently be regional directors, development partners, market leaders or vice presidents.

Responsibilities

• Establish demand and select the tenant mix. Meet prospective tenants and local brokers before committing to a development plan. Document requirements by tenant type, building and suite size, location, timing and affordable rent. Evaluate manufacturers, distributors, industrial service businesses and other permitted users according to local demand.
• Match tenants to the park. Assess tenant credit, operating history, growth needs and suitability for neighboring businesses. Balance rent concentration, industry exposure and lease expirations. Resolve conflicts involving truck traffic, parking, outdoor storage, noise, power, fire protection and permitted uses before signing leases.
• Define and deliver the development. Lead site selection or the evaluation of existing landholdings, feasibility, due diligence, entitlements, infrastructure and building design. Set building sizes, divisibility, clear heights, loading, truck courts, utility capacity and office content around verified demand and future reletting needs.
• Control construction execution. Select and manage engineers, architects and contractors. Establish budgets, contingencies and schedules. Track utility delivery, procurement, changes, quality and costs to complete. Coordinate tenant improvements, occupancy approvals and handover so rent can begin as agreed.
• Own leasing results. Build a prospect pipeline through direct business outreach, brokers and local relationships. Lead tours, proposals and negotiations. Underwrite net lease economics, including free rent, tenant improvements, commissions and operating costs. Manage broker performance and maintain direct relationships with tenants.
• Financial and operating accountability. Protect returns and liquidity. Maintain project underwriting and cash forecasts through stabilization. Evaluate construction inflation, leasing delays, tenant defaults and refinancing exposure. Recommend development phases based on demand, available capital and approved return requirements. Work with ownership and Finance on funding and lender obligations.
• Operate the parks well. Direct rent collection, lease administration, expense recovery, maintenance, insurance, vendor performance and capital planning. Maintain reliable tenant service, pursue renewals early and support tenant expansion where it improves returns. Monitor physical occupancy separately from paying occupancy.
• Build a business that can scale. Assign clear responsibilities and decision rights. Establish repeatable development, leasing and property management processes. Report progress, forecast changes and decisions required from ownership. Manage spending and lease commitments within agreed authority.

Job description

Ruddell owns and develops the flex and light industrial space that manufacturers, assemblers, and regional distributors rely on. We're expanding in new areas and markets, which means the person in this seat has real room to shape how we grow.

The opportunity

We are seeking a President to lead the development, leasing and ongoing operation of industrial parks in North Carolina and South Carolina. This person will take responsibility for the business from evaluating opportunities and identifying tenants through construction, occupancy and operating performance. The President will determine which businesses each park should serve, translate their requirements into practical buildings, secure commercially sound leases and protect the owner’s capital. The role includes full profit and loss accountability, leadership of a lean team, and management of outside brokers, designers, contractors and property managers.

Location:

Based in the Carolinas with regular travel to properties and prospective tenants.

Reports to: Ownership or Chairman.

Property focus: Individual industrial buildings under 100,000 square feet, within one or more parks.

Responsibilities

Establish demand and select the tenant mix.

Meet prospective tenants and local brokers before committing to a development plan. Document requirements by tenant type, building and suite size, location, timing and affordable rent. Evaluate manufacturers, distributors, industrial service businesses and other permitted users according to local demand.

Match tenants to the park.

Assess tenant credit, operating history, growth needs and suitability for neighboring businesses. Balance rent concentration, industry exposure and lease expirations. Resolve conflicts involving truck traffic, parking, outdoor storage, noise, power, fire protection and permitted uses before signing leases.

Define and deliver the development.

Lead site selection or the evaluation of existing landholdings, feasibility, due diligence, entitlements, infrastructure and building design. Set building sizes, divisibility, clear heights, loading, truck courts, utility capacity and office content around verified demand and future reletting needs.

Control construction execution.

Select and manage engineers, architects and contractors. Establish budgets, contingencies and schedules. Track utility delivery, procurement, changes, quality and costs to complete. Coordinate tenant improvements, occupancy approvals and handover so rent can begin as agreed.

Own leasing results.

Build a prospect pipeline through direct business outreach, brokers and local relationships. Lead tours, proposals and negotiations. Underwrite net lease economics, including free rent, tenant improvements, commissions and operating costs. Manage broker performance and maintain direct relationships with tenants.

Financial and operating accountability

Protect returns and liquidity.

Maintain project underwriting and cash forecasts through stabilization. Evaluate construction inflation, leasing delays, tenant defaults and refinancing exposure. Recommend development phases based on demand, available capital and approved return requirements. Work with ownership and Finance on funding and lender obligations.

Operate the parks well.

Direct rent collection, lease administration, expense recovery, maintenance, insurance, vendor performance and capital planning. Maintain reliable tenant service, pursue renewals early and support tenant expansion where it improves returns. Monitor physical occupancy separately from paying occupancy.

Build a business that can scale.

Assign clear responsibilities and decision rights. Establish repeatable development, leasing and property management processes. Report progress, forecast changes and decisions required from ownership. Manage spending and lease commitments within agreed authority.

Required experience

• A documented record of personally leading multiple industrial projects with individual buildings below 100,000 square feet, including ground-up development and leasing through stabilization.
• Experience with both single-tenant facilities and multi-tenant industrial or flex buildings, with clear examples of selecting the product and tenant mix.
• Direct responsibility for industrial lease negotiations, project economics, development budgets and operating results. Ability to distinguish personal decisions from the work of the broader team.
• Relevant Carolinas experience and established relationships with industrial brokers, tenants, municipalities, utilities, designers and contractors. Experience in both states is preferred.
• Sound judgment on tenant credit, land and infrastructure risks, construction contracts, phasing and re-leasing costs. Experience resolving a difficult project or tenant situation.
• Ability to lead a small organization while personally advancing projects and closing leases. Candidates may currently be regional directors, development partners, market leaders or vice presidents.

Job Duties Disclaimer

The duties and responsibilities outlined here are representative but not exhaustive of the tasks that the employee may be required to perform. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other tasks as necessary to meet business needs.

Autocar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable Accommodations (ADA Compliance)

Autocar complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Employees who require assistance or accommodation should contact Human Resources.