Job Description

Department of Enterprise Assets Management

Real Estate Portfolio Director

Posting Expires: Open Until Filled

Salary Range: $80,594 - $131,117 annually

General Description and Classification Standards:

The Real Estate Portfolio Director is responsible for establishing and directing the City of Atlanta’s strategic real estate vision and overseeing the comprehensive management of the City’s real estate portfolio. This role leads planning, financing, acquisition, disposition, redevelopment, leasing, valuation, asset management, and real estate development functions to support the City’s public policy priorities and operational service goals.

This is the top real estate management position for the city and is considered a single incumbent role with executive level accountability.

Supervision Received:

Works under broad executive direction from the Chief Operating Officer, Deputy COO, or equivalent senior administration official. Expected to operate with a high level of autonomy, establish strategic priorities, and ensure alignment of all real estate activities with Citywide goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive.

• Develops and leads the City’s long‑range real estate strategy, portfolio goals, and performance standards.
• Oversees all real estate acquisition, disposition, redevelopment, and leasing activities across the City’s portfolio.
• Guides citywide asset management, utilization analysis, and portfolio optimization, ensuring efficient use of City properties.
• Directs major transactions including public‑private partnerships, redevelopment agreements, revenue leases, and high‑value acquisitions/dispositions.
• Oversees appraisals, environmental assessments, surveys, title reviews, and other due‑diligence for complex real estate matters.
• Establishes real estate policies, operational procedures, and division‑wide standards aligned with legal, financial, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversees full-cycle portfolio analysis and project management, including property acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing.
• Ensures departmental compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to property management, acquisition, or disposition schedules/sequences.
• Provides executive‑level reporting and strategic recommendations to senior leadership, elected officials, and oversight bodies.
• Leads inter‑departmental coordination to align real estate planning with capital projects, operational needs, and community development initiatives.
• Directs financial planning for the real estate portfolio, including investment planning, revenue forecasting, and budget development.
• Manages external stakeholder relationships including government agencies, community partners, developers, landlords, tenants, and consultants.
• Represents the City in high‑level negotiations and public forums related to development, redevelopment, land use, and portfolio goals.
• Ensures all real estate actions maintain high ethical, financial, and legal standards.
• Communicates and coordinates effectively with internal personnel including managers and top-level director.
• May perform other duties as assigned.
  

The above statements reflect the general duties, responsibilities and competencies considered necessary to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job and should not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements of the position. COA may change the specific job duties with or without prior notice based on the needs of the organization.

Decision Making

Exercises broad and independent judgment in directing the City’s real estate portfolio. Makes high‑impact recommendations and approves actions within established legal and financial frameworks. Decisions often involve significant political, financial, or operational risk requiring coordination with executive leadership.

Leadership Provided

Provides executive leadership to the Real Estate Division, including the Assistant Director, Project Managers, Real Estate Specialists, analysts, consultants, and administrative staff. Responsibilities include organizational planning, assignment of work, performance management, development of division competencies, and reinforcement of standards and expectations.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities: This is a partial listing of necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job successfully, it is not an exhaustive list.

• Knowledge of real estate development, portfolio management, public‑sector real estate, and asset optimization.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local real estate regulations, appraisal standards, land‑use requirements, and development processes.
• Knowledge of public‑sector financial planning, contract management, procurement, and development finance.
• Knowledge of principles of design, environmental review, construction management, and redevelopment strategy.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, principles, and practices pertaining to real estate development, property management, property acquisition, and disposal.
• Knowledge of appraisal techniques.
• Skills in using Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, PowerPoint.
• Skills in project management, organization, and analytics.
• Skills in managing complex and large‑scale real estate projects and negotiations.
• Skills in conducting and interpreting financial, technical, and operational analyses.
• Skills in leading diverse teams and guiding organization‑wide real estate activities.
• Skills in communicating effectively with senior leadership, elected officials, external partners, and community groups.
• Ability to interpret engineering plans, surveys, maps, appraisals, legal documents, and development agreements.
• Ability to establish and manage long‑term strategic real estate priorities.
• Ability to navigate political, financial, and operational complexities in decision‑making.
• Ability to maintain high ethical standards and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Ability to perform a broad range of management responsibilities over professional and clerical personnel.
• Ability to establish programmatic goals and objectives.
• Ability to compose complex written materials in a logical, comprehensive and concise manner.
• Ability to identify and analyze problems using data/information to evaluate alternatives and recommend a solution.
• Ability to display high standards of ethical conduct while understanding the impact of violating these standards.
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with all levels of management, the general public, and governmental officials.
• Ability to establish and prioritize tasks while meeting deadlines of multiple projects simultaneously.
  

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience –

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Planning, Architecture, Business Administration, or related field.
• Ten (10) years or more years of progressively responsible experience in real estate portfolio management, acquisitions/dispositions, redevelopment, or commercial development.
• At least five (5) years of supervisory or managerial experience directing real estate teams or equivalent senior‑level functions.
• Government or public‑sector experience preferred.

Licensures and Certifications -

Georgia Real Estate Broker’s License required (or ability to obtain within six months of employment).

Preferred Requirements –

Master’s degree in Real Estate, Finance, Planning, Architecture, Business Administration, or related field. Experience managing a large and diverse public‑sector real estate portfolio.

Work Environment:

Required physical, lifting, and sensory capabilities are requirements to perform the job successfully. Typical environmental conditions associated with job.

Lifting Requirements:

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

It is the policy of the City of Atlanta (“COA”) that qualified individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against because of their disabilities regarding job application procedures, hiring, and other terms and conditions of employment. It is further the policy of the COA to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. The COA is prepared to modify or adjust the job application process or the job or work environment to make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of the applicant or employee to enable the applicant or employee to be considered for the position he or she desires, to perform the essential functions of the position in question, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities, unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Human Resources Director for your department.

The City of Atlanta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, ender identity, marital status, veteran’s status or national origin, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce.