Position: Vice President, Commercial Development - Full Time/Exempt
Department: Rawhide Development
Reports to: President & CEO, Rawhide Development
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Format: In-person
Note: Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a student or employment Visas (including, but not limited to F-1, M-1, J-1, H-1B, OPT and/or CPT programs, etc.).
Job Summary:The Vice President of Commercial Development is the President & CEO's principal partner in leading the Paradise Ridge (working name) district from master plan to vertical delivery. The role owns the commercial engine of the project - transactions, feasibility, pre-development, and accountability for planning, infrastructure, and project delivery that makes those transactions possible.
This is a working executive role. On a given day, the VP may be negotiating a ground lease term sheet, rebuilding a phasing model in Excel, sitting across from a City of Phoenix staff planner, and briefing Ownership. The right candidate is equally credible in the boardroom and in an excel model and sees no contradiction between the two.
Primary Job Duties:The Vice President, Commercial Development, will have the daily responsibilities including, without limitation, to the following:
- Transactions and Business Development
- Manage transaction execution across land sales, ground leases, build-to-suits, joint ventures, and anchor leases.
- Support and coordinate opportunities with end users, developers, operators, and capital partners consistent with the district master plan and Rawhide's return objectives.
- Prepare investment memoranda with feasibility, underwriting, and clear recommendations for decision by the CEO and Ownership.
- Oversee the drafting, review, and negotiation of LOIs, PSAs, ground leases, development agreements, CC&Rs, REAs, and cost-sharing agreements with the Rawhide and Cardinals legal team.
- Protect the whole while closing the part: ensure each deal is evaluated for its long-term impact on district value, use mix, access, parking, and future phases - not only its own economics.
- Master Planning, Entitlements & Infrastructure
- Serve as a day-to-day lead with master planners, architects, civil engineers, and land-use counsel to advance and refine the district master plan, design guidelines, and phasing strategy.
- Help drive approvals processes with the City of Phoenix and other jurisdictions; build productive, durable working relationships with agency staff.
- Oversee master infrastructure planning including sequencing, cost allocation among parcels and users, and alignment with pad delivery commitments.
- Ensure obligations of the Development Agreement and other agreements are met and tracked.
- Manage the evaluation and implementation of public finance tools (e.g., community facilities districts, SAID, and related mechanisms) with the CFO and outside advisors.
- Lead efforts in identifying and applying for additional public funding sources for public infrastructure and improvements.
- Pre-Development & Project Management
- Lead feasibility and pre-development for commercial parcels and vertical projects: market validation, program definition, site planning, underwriting, and schedule.
- Coordinate closely with the Rawhide construction team on the procurement, scope, and management of consultants and contractors; hold them accountable to budget, schedule, and quality.
- Ensure seamless coordination with, and hold accountable, the Rawhide project delivery team on the delivery of the headquarters, performance center, and shared site work, along with partners such as Dignity Health and their obligations.
- Assist in building and maintaining the development management backbone of the company including master development schedule, reporting, decision logs, risk registers, and document control with a focus on simplicity and usability.
- Financial Stewardship & Reporting
- Collaborating with FP&A, prepare pre-development, feasibility, and lease-up/disposition budgets; report quarterly and manage to them.
- Manage the financial analyst team in the analysis and underwriting of development activities and opportunities.
- Own monthly development health reporting (budget, schedule, revenue, risk) in coordination with finance, accounting, and construction, with an emphasis on no surprises.
- Partner with internal and external finance and capital markets advisors on project financing strategies, capital partner structures, and lender and investor requirements.
- Ensure activities comply with contractual obligations, partner commitments, and applicable local, state, and federal requirements.
- Market Strategy, Brand & Relationships
- Collaborate with the CEO on market research and use-mix strategy for retail, office, medical, hospitality, entertainment, and residential components; translate findings into merchandising and leasing strategies.
- Maintain active, trusted relationships with the Phoenix brokerage, developer, tenant, and capital communities.
- Work with marketing and communications teams and outside consultants to position the district and Rawhide's brand with purpose and discipline.
- Represent Rawhide at industry events (e.g. ICSC, ULI, NAIOP) with a return-driven approach.
- Building the Company
- Help design and implement Rawhide's processes, policies, and approval frameworks alongside the CEO and Cardinals shared services.
- Contribute to resource planning and, as the company grows, recruit, lead, and develop direct reports.
- Model the culture Rawhide Development is creating: high standards, clear accountability, candor, and an emphasis on action.
- Other duties as assigned.
What Success Looks Like - First 9 Months:- A clear, Owner-approved self-develop and JV strategy and phasing plan for the district, with priority parcels identified and in the market, supported by a clear and thoroughly vetted land development pro forma.
- The next wave of transactions - beyond the Cardinals facilities and Dignity Health - under LOI or executed agreement.
- Master infrastructure plan, budget, and cost-allocation framework established and tied to transaction commitments.
- Additional consultant bench in place and under contract, as necessary; a monthly reporting cadence that Ownership relies on.
- Recognized standing with the Phoenix brokerage, developer, and municipal communities.
Qualifications- Required
- Education: Bachelor's degree in real estate, business, finance, planning, architecture, engineering, or a related field.
- Experience: At least twelve (12) years of progressive commercial real estate development experience, with significant responsibility on large-scale, multi-phase mixed-use projects or master-planned communities.
- Demonstrated record of transaction execution - land sales, ground leases, build-to-suits, anchor or major-user leases, and/or joint ventures - as the lead negotiator.
- Sound knowledge of horizontal development: infrastructure planning, phasing, cost allocation, and entitlements.
- Command of commercial real estate documents, including PSAs, ground leases, REAs, CC&Rs, and development agreements.
- Strong financial acumen, including the ability to build, audit, and defend development pro formas and cash-flow models in Excel.
- Excellent written and verbal communication; able to lead with the answer and present concisely to Ownership, partners, and public officials.
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays; hours may vary depending on business needs.
- Must successfully complete pre-employment screening, including a background check.
- Preferred
- Education: Graduate degree (MBA, MRED, or similar).
- Experience in the Phoenix/Scottsdale market and with Arizona entitlement and public finance processes.
- Experience with medical office, corporate campus, hospitality, or sports-affiliated real estate.
- Experience at a start-up or early-stage development platform, or in standing up a new business unit.
- Proficiency with project management software.
The Profile We're Looking For:- Builder, not inheritor. Energized by creating structure where none exists yet, and comfortable operating without a large support staff.
- Moves easily between strategy and detail - willing to draft the memo, check the math, and walk the site.
- Knows which decisions belong to the CEO and Ownership, surfaces issues early, and brings a recommendation along with the problem.
- Relationship intelligence. Builds trust across personalities and constituencies - owners, tenants, brokers, city staff, contractors, and colleagues.
- Integrity and discretion. Represents a high-profile organization with professionalism, a strong ethical code, and sound confidentiality.
- Ownership mentality. Treats the project's outcomes as personal, and the company's resources as if they were their own.
Rawhide Development Benefits/Perks Summary:Rawhide Development has developed a comprehensive benefits package that provides economic and inclusive benefits to full-time employees. The Rawhide Development benefits offer care, protection, and support for employees and their loved ones. The Rawhide Development organization encourages an environment that is conducive to living a healthy, productive, and flexible lifestyle.
Benefits and Perks include, but are not limited to:
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance options; effective the first day of hire
- 401 (k) retirement option with employer match contribution
- Paid Time Off Accruals (including sick time accruals)
- Paid Time Off for most Federal holidays
- Time off for Maternity, Paternity, Military, and Bereavement
- MDLIVE: 24/7 medical support
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) & Health Care Saving Account options
- Discounts on Cardinals gear & paraphernalia
- Tuition reimbursement & Professional Growth opportunities
- Daily free lunch
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