Role Overview CBRE is seeking a Senior Director to serve as the primary point of contact for one of our most strategically important client relationships. This role leads a dedicated team responsible for delivering measurably superior outcomes across the client's real estate portfolio. The Senior Director owns the relationship at the highest level, driving operational excellence, team performance, and long-term client satisfaction.
About the Role As the primary client-facing leader for a single, marquee account, the Senior Director is accountable for the full scope of service delivery. This means building deep client trust, translating strategic priorities into operating plans, and holding the team to clear performance standards. The role requires both executive presence and operational discipline: someone equally comfortable presenting to C-suite stakeholders and diagnosing inefficiencies at the process level.
The client operates in the retail banking sector. Familiarity with the physical footprint demands of branch networks, the pace of consolidation in banking real estate, and the compliance expectations of a regulated institution is required. The successful candidate will have led complex real estate programs for financial services clients and understand what it takes to serve them well.
What You'll Do Client Relationship Leadership
- Serve as the single point of accountability for all CBRE services delivered to the client, maintaining trust and confidence at the executive level.
- Build and sustain senior-level relationships across the client's real estate, finance, and operations functions.
- Lead regular executive business reviews, translating performance data into clear, actionable narratives.
- Anticipate client needs, surface emerging issues before they escalate, and develop recommendations proactively.
- Represent CBRE in contract negotiations, scope expansions, and strategic planning sessions.
Team Leadership and Development
- Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing team of real estate professionals, from transaction managers to analysts.
- Set clear expectations, hold team members accountable to performance standards, and manage performance actively.
- Build team capability through coaching, structured development plans, and targeted hiring.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Manage staffing levels and team structure to align with scope and client expectations.
Operational Excellence
- Drive operational efficiency across all service lines supporting the account, identifying and eliminating process gaps.
- Own KPI reporting and governance, ensuring all contractual commitments are met on time and within budget.
- Develop and maintain operational playbooks, governance frameworks, and escalation protocols.
- Conduct regular account health reviews and implement corrective action plans where needed.
- Manage the account P&L, forecast deviations, and optimize resource allocation.
- Collaborate and coordinate with other key service line counterparts (Project Management, Technology, Facilities Management) to ensure alignment and consistency.
Real Estate Delivery
- Oversee transaction management activities including broker selection, lease negotiations, acquisitions, and dispositions across the client portfolio.
- Implement and refine the client's real estate strategy in coordination with their internal teams and CBRE subject-matter experts.
- Ensure compliance with all client-specific processes, approval workflows, and regulatory requirements relevant to a regulated financial institution.
- Coordinate with other CBRE service lines (project management, facilities, advisory) to deliver an integrated account experience.
What You'll Need - Minimum 12 years of commercial real estate experience, with significant tenure in client-facing or account leadership roles.
- Retail banking real estate experience required. Candidates must demonstrate direct experience managing real estate programs for a retail bank, credit union, or comparable regulated financial institution.
- Proven track record leading and developing large, cross-functional real estate teams.
- Demonstrated ability to drive operational efficiency: process design, gap analysis, KPI governance, and continuous improvement.
- Strong executive presence and communication skills; ability to influence at the C-suite level.
- Experience managing a complex account P&L, including budget development and variance management.
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Real Estate, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Active real estate license.
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.
Preferred Experience
- MBA or advanced degree.
- Experience with large-scale branch network rationalization or retail footprint strategy.
- Change management expertise, including stakeholder alignment across large organizations.
- Familiarity with compliance and audit requirements in regulated industries.
- International or multi-market portfolio experience.
Applicant AI Use DisclosureWe value human interaction to understand each candidate's unique experience, skills and aspirations. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to make hiring decisions, and we ask that candidates disclose any use of AI in the application and interview process.
CBRE carefully considers multiple factors to determine compensation, including a candidate's education, training, and experience. The minimum salary for the Senior Director position is $150,000 annually or ($72.12 per hour) and the maximum salary for the Senior Director position is $200,000 annually [or $96.15 per hour]. The compensation that is offered to a successful candidate will depend on the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. Successful candidates will also be eligible for a discretionary bonus based on CBRE's applicable benefit program.
