Sr. Director of Property Development (Department Head)

Ocean State Job Lot; North Kingstown (RI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocean State Job Lot seeks a Senior Director of Property Development to lead store construction, tenant improvements, and property management. The role blends retail operations and commercial real estate to decentralize decision‑making, modernize processes, and drive NOI growth across owned and leased assets.

The candidate will manage capital budgets, implement iWMS/ERP tools, and ensure regulatory compliance while partnering with Real Estate, Leasing, Legal, and Finance teams.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership in property development management.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent practical experience.
• MBA or professional designations (e.g., CCIM, CPM) preferred.
• Direct experience managing corporate property capital budgets exceeding $10 million annually.
• Experience with iWMS, ERP platforms, or advanced property management tech stacks.
• Strong knowledge of building systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, life safety).

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic change management and portfolio scale for property operations and construction.
• Bridge property management, construction, finance, and field operations to reduce friction.
• Oversee high‑impact capital initiatives including store construction, remodels, and tenant improvements.
• Govern governance with Real Estate and ensure compliance with laws and lease obligations.
• Direct multi‑site, multi‑state portfolio management and ensure NOI improvement.

Skills

Property development

Leadership

Budget management

ERP platforms

iWMS

Construction management

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Regulatory compliance

Vendor/contract management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

MBA or professional designations (CCIM/ CPM)

Tools

iWMS

ERP platforms

Work order/Construction management software

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Company Overview

Ocean State Job Lot ("OSJL" or the "Company") is a dynamic $850+ million general merchandise retailer with a strong foothold across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. With over 170 stores currently and ambitious plans to reach 180 locations, OSJL offers exciting opportunities for growth and contribution. We are an opportunity-driven retailer owning over 50% of our operating locations, totaling 8 million square feet, demonstrating our stability and long-term vision. At OSJL, you will be part of a team committed to delivering exceptional value to our customers while driving positive change and a more responsible future for retail within our communities.

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Property Development at Ocean State Job Lot ("OSJL" and "Company") is a high-impact executive responsible for driving the Company’s store construction, tenant build-out, and property management activities, while driving net operating income ("NOI") growth and modernizing operations through the adoption of innovative technology solutions. Blending expertise in both Retail Operations and Commercial Real Estate to shift the operational center of gravity to the field by streamlining administrative processes, empowering localized decision-making, and serving as a key strategic partner to OSJL’s Real Estate Acquisitions, Leasing, Legal, and Portfolio Accounting teams. This role is also responsible for leading the strategy, development, and execution of the Company’s best-in–class construction and property management teams.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Change Management & Portfolio Scale

• Assess the proposed three-pillar operating structure (Property Operations and Facilities, Construction and Special Projects, and Energy and Sustainability) and field organization. Refine or redesign the framework to ensure it aligns with and supports a technology-enabled, decentralized operating model.
• Leverage dual fluency in Retail Operations and Commercial Real Estate to bridge Property Management, Construction, Finance, and Field Operations teams and eliminate administrative friction.
• Serve as a key operational partner to the Real Estate team during its new asset due diligence review by assessing building condition, entitlements, zoning, and environmental compliance.
• Represent the Company at town meetings, public hearings, and before zoning boards on permitting and regulatory matters.
• Transition property operations from a reactive to a proactive, preventative model; oversee store and third‑party tenant construction to support strong asset condition, in partnership with Real Estate on the resulting NOI impact.

Team Leadership & Organizational Design

• Assess and design a scalable, regionalized, tech‑enabled structure that best fits the trajectory of the business.
• Lead internal teams, field crews, and vendor networks through a hands‑on, player‑coach leadership model. Combine executive oversight with field‑level accountability to drive operational excellence. Mentor regional talent through continuous coaching and a focus on big‑picture execution over micromanagement.

Multi‑Tiered Maintenance Governance & Operations

• Govern a configurable multi‑tier triage architecture, with routing logic and dollar thresholds tuned to portfolio needs, volume, and risk:
• Empower Store Team Leaders to act as on‑site liaisons, managing routine repairs directly via mobile tools and a pre‑vetted vendor network.
• Equip regional resources with remote video‑triage protocols to diagnose and execute technical repairs, minimizing unnecessary travel and dispatch costs.
• Direct Construction Managers on high‑impact capital initiatives — including store construction, remodels, and tenant improvements — utilizing capital planning software and advanced 3D site‑scanning for remote scoping and budget control.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead the on‑time, on‑budget execution of all new construction, major shopping center developments, store remodels, and capital improvement projects across owned and leased assets.
• Ensure that all maintenance, capital projects, and construction activities strictly adhere to OSJL brand standards, landlord lease commitments, and local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Enforce strict documentation protocols for Company equipment and products to protect warranty coverage and eliminate unearned recall charges; partner with Tax and Finance to ensure sales tax compliance and appropriate asset depreciation.
• Maintain disaster‑management and severe‑weather protocols (e.g., snow removal, freeze protection) across the portfolio, and lead emergency physical‑asset recovery when incidents occur.

Tech Stack Optimization & Financial Asset Management

• Serve as executive owner of the core PropTech platforms, specifically work order/maintenance and capital/construction management software, while managing their data integration with the Company’s lease‑administration and enterprise resource planning systems.
• Partner with Legal, Lease Administration, and Finance to support the digitization of lease clauses relevant to work‑order routing and CAM allocation, ensuring accurate landlord vs. tenant responsibility coding and real‑time expense visibility.
• Review and leverage accurate, real‑time operating and capital budget reporting and partner with Real Estate and Finance in evaluating and optimizing occupancy costs, portfolio NOI, and asset value.

Energy & Sustainability Management

• Direct utility optimization, HVAC efficiency programs, and lighting retrofits across the portfolio, in coordination with the sustainability team. Evaluate and integrate emerging energy‑management platform solutions to drive portfolio‑wide efficiency.
• Establish and oversee waste‑management programs that reduce cost and support the Company’s sustainability goals.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership in property development management, with experience in both store operations (Tenant) and shopping center developer (Landlord) environments is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent practical experience required; MBA or professional designations (e.g., CCIM, CPM) preferred.
• Direct experience managing corporate property capital budgets exceeding $10 million annually, with a strong background in NOI reporting and variance analysis required.
• Proven track record implementing or heavily optimizing integrated workplace management systems (iWMS), ERP platforms, or advanced property management tech stacks required.
• Working knowledge of critical building systems and infrastructure — mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and life safety systems — required.
• Working knowledge of health, safety, and environmental regulatory frameworks, including OSHA and EPA requirements, required.
• Experience managing multi‑site, multi‑state real estate portfolios, with strong baseline knowledge of applicable regional real estate and property law required.
• Experience with work order and construction management software, along with proficiency in Microsoft Office, project scheduling tools, and Google Workspace required.
• Deep, hands‑on knowledge of commercial trades—demonstrated by the ability to read architectural prints, evaluate contractor specifications, perform physical property assessments, and recognize when vendor scopes or pricing are inaccurate.
• Demonstrated ability to build and operate a governance partnership with a peer department (e.g., Real Estate) without direct authority over it — aligning priorities, data hand‑offs, and reporting cadence across functions.
• Ability to mentor regional teams and lead an organization through significant structural and process transitions.
• Valid driver’s license and safe driving record required.

Work Environment

• Works primarily in a climate controlled environment with minimal safety and health hazard potential.
• Works in an office environment remaining stationary at a desk, table, or computer workstation for extended periods of time. Frequently uses near vision for reading and computer tasks.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• This role requires a strong presence at our North Kingstown, RI Corporate Headquarters to foster cross‑functional governance, balanced with ~20% multi‑state travel and the flexibility expected of a senior executive managing a distributed field team.

This job description does not list all the duties of the job. You may be asked by supervisors or managers to perform other job duties and tasks, some of which may be essential to the position. Leadership has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not a contract, either express or implied. You are an at‑will employee, meaning either you or the Company may terminate your employment at any time, with or without notice.