OVERVIEW

A popular year-round destination, Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor located between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. For almost two centuries, the Island was closed to the public, operating as a military base for the U.S. Army and, later, the Coast Guard. Today, an award-winning new park is complemented by dozens of unique historic buildings, educational and cultural facilities, a rich arts and culture program and a 22-acre National Monument managed by the National Park Service. Looking ahead, the long-term vision for Governors Island focuses on continuing to expand year-round public access by enlivening it with transformative public art and culture, extraordinary recreational and open space, and research and education dedicated to addressing the global climate crisis.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director, Real Estate & Planning supports all aspects of the planning, leasing, and development of the Island. The Director will lead public-private development projects and leasing of assets consistent with the Island’s mission, including ground leases for both historic adaptive reuse and ground-up development, space leases to smaller commercial and non-profit tenants, and concession agreements for public amenities. In a dynamic and evolving environment, the Director will also support strategic planning for the Island’s mid- and long-term development through new project development and alternatives analysis, financial modeling, and serving as a thought partner interdepartmentally to scale the policies and processes necessary to support the Island’s quickly growing tenant base.

The Director will work on all phases of the real estate department’s projects: from conception, through RFP or other tenant solicitation, lease negotiation, and coordinating tenants’ work and any landlord improvements. Throughout, the Director will be responsible for managing project timelines, budgets, and key issues; tracking and evaluating key project financial metrics; preparing clear and concise information for use with prospective development partners, community stakeholders, elected officials, and/or the Trust’s leadership; and working closely with colleagues in other departments including but not limited to Legal, Design and Construction, Property Management, and Public Affairs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree in real estate, business, finance, public policy, urban planning, or similar field strongly preferred

Experience:

Minimum of five years of experience in a relevant field

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong quantitative, financial analysis and real estate modelling (MS/Excel)
• Proven ability to negotiate successfully with counterparties
• Civic-minded, with a strong commitment to advancing the Trust’s mission
• Experience with public space and public processes in New York City a plus
• Proactive and self-directed leader with an ability to create and maintain project momentum and juggle multiple high-priority projects simultaneously
• Decision making and communication skills commensurate with a position that is frequently required to represent the organization with external parties
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and an ability to synthesize complex issues and present them clearly
• Entrepreneurial spirit

Salary Range: $110,000 to $120,000 per year

Location & Schedule: All positions are located on Governors Island. The position is in-person four days per week and remote one day per week.

TO APPLY

We realize that not all applicants match 100% of the qualifications for a role.  If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply.

Please send a cover letter and resume as a single PDF document to jobs@govisland.org with “Director, Real Estate & Planning” in the subject line. No phone calls please.

The Trust for Governors Island values the importance of inclusion, accessibility and a diverse pool of applicants. The Trust for Governors Island does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, genetic information, marital status, membership in an employee organization, military service, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including gender identity), sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, or other non-merit factor

ABOUT THE TRUST FOR GOVERNORS ISLAND

The Trust for Governors Island (The Trust) is a nonprofit corporation created by the City of New York. It is responsible for the redevelopment and operation of 150 acres of Governors Island. The Trust's mission is to realize the full potential of Governors Island for the inspiration and enjoyment of all New Yorkers, demonstrating a bold vision for public space. For more information, visit www.govisland.org