Director of Real Estate

Position Overview

The Director of Real Estate leads strategic planning, acquisition, and management of Toho Water Authority's real estate assets including rights-of-way, easements, and other property interests essential for infrastructure development and community growth. This role acts as the principal real estate expert, providing executive guidance to align property acquisition and land management with organizational goals and capital improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement Toho’s real estate strategies supporting capital projects, infrastructure renewal, operations, and organizational growth.
• Manage acquisition of fee simple properties, easements, rights-of-way, and licenses, coordinating with project schedules and stakeholder interests.
• Lead complex negotiations with property owners, developers, governmental entities, and utilities while maintaining positive public relations and protecting Toho’s interests.
• Advise various departments including Executive Leadership, Engineering, Planning, Construction, and Legal on property and land use matters.
• Collaborate in project planning and design phases to evaluate routes, facility locations, and acquisition risks to enable efficient project delivery.
• Oversee consultants such as appraisers, surveyors, title companies, and environmental experts ensuring compliance, quality, and budgets.
• Prepare and review appraisal scopes, reports, surveys, title documents, environmental assessments, and zoning data to support acquisitions.
• Coordinate eminent domain proceedings with internal and external legal counsel, providing technical expertise and documentation.
• Work with General Counsel to resolve complex real estate issues, safeguard property rights, and ensure legal compliance.
• Engage with local governments and regulatory agencies to secure land use approvals and necessary entitlements.
• Maintain comprehensive real estate and acquisition management systems aligned with Toho’s capital programs.
• Establish and enforce real estate policies, procedures, standards, and best practices to ensure consistency and regulatory adherence.
• Prepare and present real estate reports and recommendations to Executive Leadership and stakeholders.
• Serve as primary contact for strategic real estate matters with property owners, agencies, and community partners.
• Manage departmental budgets, contracts, and performance metrics to optimize resource use and project success.
• Monitor industry trends, legislation, technologies, and best practices to enhance organizational real estate effectiveness.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED from an accredited source.
• At least seven years of progressive experience in real estate acquisition, right-of-way management, land negotiations, or a related discipline.
• Valid Florida Class E Driver’s License is required and must be maintained.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Business or Public Administration, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Surveying, Law, or a related field.
• Extensive knowledge of real estate acquisition, right-of-way procedures, easement acquisition, valuation, title review, and land management.
• Familiarity with federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to real estate transactions, eminent domain, and infrastructure projects.
• Strong negotiation skills balancing organizational goals and stakeholder interests.
• Ability to analyze complex documentation including surveys, plats, legal descriptions, appraisal reports, and environmental assessments.
• Project management experience and integration of real estate tasks within capital improvement initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including report and presentation preparation for board and executive audiences.
• Ability to foster collaborative relationships with elected officials, property owners, consultants, governmental bodies, and legal counsel.
• Sound judgment, discretion with confidential matters, and aptitude for resolving sensitive and complex issues.

Physical and Work Environment

Regularly requires sitting, hand use, talking, and hearing. Frequently involves reaching with hands and arms, occasional standing, walking, bending, kneeling, squatting, or crawling. Must be able to lift/move up to 10 pounds frequently and up to 25 pounds occasionally. Vision requirements include close, distance, color, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment. Work environment is typically indoors with moderate noise, flat surfaces, primarily sitting with some walking and standing.

Employee Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Onsite employee wellness center.
• 401(a) and 457 retirement plans with employer match.
• Group basic life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment coverage.
• Paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, and sick bank.
• Employee assistance program and flexible spending accounts including dependent care.
• Longevity and Christmas bonuses.
• Tuition reimbursement program.