Director of Real Estate in East Hartford, Connecticut at NEFCO Construction Supply LLC

Job Summary: NEFCO is in a period of rapid and exciting growth, which brings both opportunity and complexity. The Director of Real Estate is a senior leadership role responsible for driving NEFCO’s national real estate strategy across a growing portfolio of distribution, fulfillment, and branch locations. Reporting directly to the COO, this individual will lead all aspects of the real estate lifecycle from new site identification and deal negotiation to lease renewals, consolidations, and long-range footprint planning.

This is a high-visibility, high-impact role for someone who combines sharp deal instincts with strategic thinking and the ability to operate cross-functionally in a fast-moving, growth-oriented environment.

Key Responsibilities:

New Location Transactions (Orangefields)

• Lead site selection, market analysis, and due diligence for all new NEFCO locations nationally.
• Build and manage broker relationships in target markets; issue and evaluate RFPs for new facilities.
• Negotiate letters of intent (LOI), lease terms, tenant improvement allowances, and landlord concessions.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, Finance, and Legal to align site selection with go-live timelines and build-out requirements.
• Own deal execution from initial tour through lease execution and handoff to Facilities and Orangefield Project Management team.

Renewals & Portfolio Management

• Manage a national lease renewal calendar, initiating engagement with landlords well in advance of expiration.
• Evaluate each renewal against market comps, operational performance, and strategic footprint priorities.
• Negotiate favorable renewal terms including rent adjustments, extension options, and capital contributions.
• Identify underperforming or misaligned locations for consolidation, relocation, or exit.
• Maintain and update a real-time portfolio tracker with status, key dates, and decision owners.

Footprint Strategy & Growth Planning

• Partner with executive leadership to develop a multi-year real estate roadmap aligned with NEFCO’s growth strategy.
• Analyze geographic coverage gaps, customer density data, and competitor positioning to prioritize new markets.
• Model financial scenarios for new locations, including rent, capex, and payback analysis.
• Present strategic recommendations and deal summaries to the Executive Team.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert on real estate market trends, cap rates, and lease structures.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Execution

• Coordinate with Legal on lease review, abstract management, and landlord dispute resolution.
• Collaborate with Finance on budgeting, lease accounting (ASC 842), and capital planning.
• Manage external brokers, attorneys, architects, and project managers engaged in real estate transactions; NEFCO has a national MSA with a 3rd party real estate team.
• Ensure compliance with lease obligations including notice requirements, audit rights, and co-tenancy provisions.
• Build scalable processes and tools to support portfolio growth across a distributed national footprint.

Qualifications:

Required:

• 8+ years of commercial real estate experience, with a focus on industrial, warehouse, or distribution/logistics properties.
• Demonstrated track record of negotiating and closing complex lease transactions in multiple markets.
• Deep understanding of lease structures, landlord economics, and real estate market dynamics.
• Experience managing a multi-site portfolio of 20+ locations across diverse geographies.
• Strong financial acumen; proficiency in lease modeling, NPV analysis, and occupancy cost benchmarking.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and executive presentation skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in real estate, business, finance, or a related field.

Preferred:

• Experience in distribution, construction supply, MRO, or industrial wholesale industries.
• Familiarity with ASC 842 lease accounting standards and IWMS/lease management platforms.
• Licensed real estate professional (broker or salesperson) in one or more states.
• MBA or advanced degree in related discipline.

Success Metrics:

• Full command of current portfolio including open transactions, expiration pipeline, and strategic priorities within the first 60 days.
• New locations closed on time and within budget.
• Lease renewals addressed proactively with favorable terms secured.
• Executive team has a clear, data-backed 3-year footprint roadmap.
• Repeatable, scalable process established for market evaluation and deal execution.