Director

Zurich Alternative Asset Management (ZAAM) is currently hiring a Director of US Real Estate, Asset Management and this person will work in our New York City office.

ZAAM's real estate strategy is consistent with Zurich’s global strategy in the core and core-plus focused strategies for real estate investment. Totaling over 200 properties in 30 states, our U.S. real estate portfolio aggregates over 20 million square feet of commercial real estate space. As owners of attractive non-core positions in addition to targeted core positions, we are active sellers and buyers of assets, and our team of real estate professionals is also active in executing workout strategies within our existing portfolio.

The Director of US Real Estate, Asset Management (in a VP level role) will have primary oversight responsibility for Asset Management function of directly held investments in real estate portfolio of 10 to 12 individual investments.  These investments will vary across four main asset classes - Retail, multi-family, office, and industrial. 

Key Accountabilities:

• Support the implementation of a risk-adjusted return and aligning the local strategy with the Strategic Asset Allocation and with the Group Real Estate strategy.
• Manage property optimization to maximize sustainable income and total return (Key Performance Indicator).
• Coordinate the implementation of investment decisions in the context of the respective portfolios and in-line with the Zurich Risk Policy and local regulations.
• Ensure real estate investment governance and controls, compliance with laws and regulations, and internal control framework.
• Adhere to best practice ethical standards and processes.
• Lead the local real estate asset management and support property management, leasing & transaction management.
• Support management (restructuring, leasing, marketing, and potential disposition) of real estate portfolios.
• Lead leasing, capital expenditures, project management, and business plan formulation and execution for the real estate asset or transaction management.
• Lead or support internal asset managers and control external property managers, engineers, on-site staff, leasing agents and tenants at the property level to ensure execution of business plan.
• Lead the ongoing monitoring and refinement of asset business plans and buy/sell/hold analysis and execution.
• Lead the ongoing monitoring of property performance, and establishment of asset business plans and restructure/reposition/sell/hold analysis and execution.
• Lead the monitoring, managing and reporting performance, exposure, valuation, risks, budget, expenses, in line with investment guidelines and group policies.
• Lead the adequate oversight of property and facility management as well as broker companies.

Basic requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in finance, Investments, Economics, Business, Real Estate Management and 10 or more years of experience in the Real Estate area AND
• 10 or more years of experience in any of:
  • Onsite property management of institutional quality real estate assets, including
  • Experience as general asset manager of a real estate enterprise and stewardship of operations staff, engineering staff, security staff, 3rd party vendors, leasing brokers and tenants
  • Stewardship of the asset’s P & L accounting statement from budgeting to execution
  • Management of the revenue and expense drivers with particular focus on tenant relations and tenant retention
  • Project management of large TI and Capital project on-time and on-budget with minimal impact on existing tenants (and building operations)

Preferred requirements:

• Insurance industry experience
• 25 to 50% travel in the role
• CFA Candidate
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong leadership ability
• Strong MSOffice and Argus modeling experience