Real Estate Program Director, Purdue University

American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association (AREUEA); West Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The Dean V. White Real Estate Finance Program at Purdue University’s Mitch Daniels School of Business seeks a strategic and relational Program Director to lead externally focused operations, industry engagement, and student success.

You will drive partnerships, internships, and career pathways while guiding program strategy and outcomes with a collaborative team. The role requires eight years of strategic leadership in academia or industry, strong communication skills, and a track record of

Qualifications

• Eight years of strategic planning, partnership development, project management, and leadership experience in industry or academia.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and to travel domestically as required.
• Strong track record building partnerships with external stakeholders in real estate or related sectors.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Excellent written and oral communication, capable of engaging senior industry partners and donors.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with disciplined judgment and independence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and expand relationships with commercial real estate professionals, employers, alumni, and donors.
• Connect students with internships, mentorships, and career pathways through employer partnerships.
• Lead program experiences such as case competitions, speaker series, and networking events.
• Collaborate with faculty and leadership to advance program priorities and industry engagement.
• Monitor outcomes like student engagement and internship placements.
• Provide leadership and supervision for program staff.

Skills

Partnership development

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Supervisory experience

Written and verbal communication

Project management

Strategic planning

People management

Independent work with judgement

Analytical skills

Education

Advanced degree in business/real estate/public administration/planning/economics

Job description

The Dean V. White Real Estate Finance Program at Purdue University's Mitch Daniels School of Business prepares future leaders to create value, drive innovation, and shape the future of commercial real estate. Supported by a named endowment and guided by the Purdue Real Estate Advisory Council (PREAC), the program combines world-class academics, industry partnerships, and experiential learning to connect students with meaningful career opportunities and real-world impact.

Reporting to the Academic Director / Senior Director, the Program Director serves as the senior operational and external-facing leader of the program. This highly visible role will drive industry engagement, advance student success, and strengthen Purdue's reputation as a destination for real estate education and talent development.

This role is ideal for a strategic relationship-builder who is passionate about connecting students with opportunities, engaging industry partners, and helping develop the next generation of leaders in commercial real estate.

What You'll Be Doing

• Building and growing relationships with commercial real estate professionals, employers, alumni, donor partners, and industry leaders to expand opportunities for Purdue students.
• Connecting students with internships, mentorships, networking opportunities, industry projects, and full-time career pathways through strategic employer partnerships.
• Leading signature program experiences, including case competitions, industry speaker series, networking events, career treks, receptions, and professional development programs.
• Collaborating with faculty, school leadership, advancement, marketing and communications, and the Purdue Real Estate Advisory Council to advance program priorities and strengthen industry engagement.
• Identifying emerging industry trends and market opportunities to help shape program strategy, partnerships, and future growth initiatives.
• Supporting fundraising, sponsorship, and donor engagement efforts that enhance student experiences and program impact.
• Monitoring and reporting key program outcomes, including student engagement, internship placement, employer participation, and career success metrics.
• Providing leadership and supervision for program staff while fostering a collaborative, student-centered culture focused on excellence and innovation.

About Mitch Daniels School of Business: The Mitch Daniels School of Business aspires to take a top 25 program and transform it into a top 10 program that competes for the best students in the country. The key components of this transformation are:

• Academic Prowess. Daniels School faculty are able to see and steer to things next, imparting thought leadership to peers in an ever-growing student body.
• Integration of STEM and Business. Every company today is a technology organization, and business leaders must understand how specific technologies can create competitive advantage.
• Transformational Student Experience. Some of life's most important lessons aren't found in a book or a lecture hall. Active transformational experience will produce critical thinkers who see and tackle the world's largest problems.
• Freedom and Capitalism. Daniels students will learn though transformative texts that free markets have raised living standards tremendously for all people.
• Powered by Business Partnerships. The Daniels School provides opportunities for industry partners and alumni to connect with students and faculty in order to provide solutions to business challenges of today and the future.

What We’re Looking For:

Education and Experience

Qualified candidates will need:

• Eight years of experience in strategic planning, partnership development, project management, and leadership in an industry or academic context.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and to travel domestically as required.

Skills needed:

• Demonstrated record of building partnerships, particularly in real estate, development, or a related industry sector.
• Demonstrated record of building and sustaining partnerships with senior external stakeholders.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and complex multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Supervisory experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication, including the ability to represent the program credibly in front of senior industry, donor, and university audiences.
• Ability to coordinate numerous projects simultaneously and to maintain momentum across a broad external portfolio.
• Effective people manager who can develop staff and address performance concerns directly.
• Ability to work with a high degree of independence while exercising disciplined judgment about escalation.
• Strong project management, budget management, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work effectively with faculty on shared initiatives while respecting the academic mission of the program.
• Ability to effectively work with faculty, advisory council members, donors, alumni, corporate partners, and students.

What is helpful:

• An advanced degree in a relevant field such as business, real estate, public administration, planning, architecture, engineering, or economics.
• Familiarity with Indiana real estate markets and Indiana institutional relationships.
• Prior experience in a higher education, foundation, or nonprofit setting.
• Experience with advisory councils, donor stewardship, or alumni engagement.
• Professional credentials in real estate, planning, or finance.
• Purdue will not sponsor employment authorization for this position
• A background check will be required for employment in this position
• Retirement Eligibility: Defined Contributions immediately

Internal Application Information:

• For internal candidates that will be transferring between pay schedules biweekly monthly; monthly biweekly, please coordinate your transfer date with your new manager to ensure a smooth transition of pay, benefits, and retirement.