Director of Retail Leasing

Position Purpose: The Director of Retail Leasing is responsible for leading the leasing strategy for the retail and commercial components of Pattern District, a premier mixed-use community in Newton, MA. This role will identify, attract, negotiate, and secure a curated mix of retail, restaurant, wellness, service, and lifestyle tenants that enhance the community while maximizing long-term asset value and financial performance.

Serving as the primary leasing lead, the Director will collaborate with internal development, asset management, operations, marketing, legal, and construction teams, as well as outside brokers and counsel, to execute leasing transactions from prospecting through tenant opening. The role requires balancing tenant viability, placemaking, and ownership objectives to create a vibrant, sustainable retail destination.

• Please note that this is a new position that will primarily focus on Northland's ongoing development in Newton, Massachusetts. For more information on the vision of the project, visit www.patterndistrict.com.

Essential Functions: The following list of essential job functions is not exhaustive and may be supplemented or changed as necessary.

Commercial Leasing Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute the retail merchandising and leasing strategy for Pattern District, ensuring alignment with the project's vision, market positioning, and ownership objectives.
• Lead all commercial leasing activities from prospecting and tenant cultivation through lease execution, store opening, and occupancy.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with retailers, restaurateurs, wellness operators, emerging brands, brokers, tenant representatives, and industry contacts to cultivate a robust leasing pipeline.
• Serve as the primary commercial leasing representative for the project, providing strategic recommendations and regular updates to executive leadership regarding leasing activity, market trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Partner with ownership and internal leadership to curate a differentiated retail experience that enhances placemaking, customer engagement, and long-term asset value.

Tenant Sourcing & Lease Negotiation

• Identify, evaluate, and recruit retail, restaurant, wellness, service, and lifestyle tenants that enhance the overall character and success of the mixed-use community.
• Proactively source prospective tenants through industry relationships, broker networks, market outreach, and retail conferences.
• Lead all lease negotiations, while balancing tenant viability, merchandising strategy, occupancy objectives, and ownership's financial goals.
• Evaluate prospective tenants' financial strength, operational performance, brand alignment, customer appeal, and long-term growth potential.
• Coordinate Letters of Intent, lease negotiations, and lease execution in collaboration with outside brokers and legal counsel.
• Maintain accurate leasing forecasts, pipeline reports, market intelligence, and prospect activity.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Development, Commercial, Asset Management, Operations, Marketing, Construction, Finance, and Legal teams to ensure successful lease execution and tenant openings.
• Collaborate with commercial operations to coordinate tenant improvements, turnover schedules, operational readiness, and store openings.
• Work alongside outside legal counsel throughout lease drafting, negotiation, and execution.
• Coordinate with brokerage partners to maximize market exposure while maintaining consistent leasing priorities and project positioning.
• Partner with Marketing and Events teams to support tenant marketing initiatives, community programming, and activation strategies that enhance the customer experience and drive traffic.

Merchandising Strategy & Market Intelligence

• Develop and maintain a merchandising plan that balances local businesses with nationally recognized brands to create a distinctive sense of place.
• Continuously evaluate market conditions, consumer trends, competitive retail environments, and emerging concepts to inform leasing strategy.
• Monitor retailer performance and evolving market dynamics to recommend strategic adjustments to the tenant mix over time.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the merchandising mix while maintaining Pattern District’s position as a premier mixed-use destination in Greater Boston.

Financial Performance & Asset Value

• Structure lease economics that optimize long-term asset value while supporting sustainable tenant performance.
• Evaluate tenant creditworthiness, business viability, and financial performance to minimize leasing risk and maximize occupancy.
• Collaborate with Asset Management and Finance to develop leasing assumptions, revenue projections, reporting, and financial analyses.
• Track leasing performance against budgets, occupancy goals, and project milestones.

Tenant Experience & Project Execution

• Manage the tenant lifecycle from executed lease through store opening, coordinating internal stakeholders to ensure a seamless delivery experience.
• Coordinate with Development and Construction teams regarding tenant improvements, design review, permitting, and project milestones.
• Foster collaborative relationships with tenants throughout the onboarding process to support successful openings and long-term tenancy.
• Ensure timely completion of lease milestones and successful integration into the broader mixed-use community.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain current knowledge of retail leasing trends, consumer behavior, merchandising strategies, and commercial real estate market conditions.
• Represent Pattern District and ownership within the brokerage and retail community through networking events, industry organizations, conferences, and market outreach.
• Support strategic initiatives and special projects, as assigned.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, leasing procedures, and reporting standards.

Qualifications and Requirements: The individual must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• A bachelor's degree in real estate, business, finance, marketing, or a related field and a minimum of 5–7 years of commercial retail leasing experience is required; strong preference to candidates that have experience with Class A mixed-use developments.
• Demonstrated success negotiating and executing retail leases with national, regional, and emerging brands within mixed-use or destination environments.
• Strong understanding of retail merchandising strategy, tenant mix planning, lease economics, commercial real estate fundamentals, and placemaking principles.
• Proven ability to balance tenant viability, customer experience, and ownership's financial objectives when negotiating commercial leases.
• Established relationships within the retail brokerage community and experience working directly with national and regional retailers.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including the ability to interpret tenant financial statements and evaluate retail business performance.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, communication, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple active lease negotiations and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of commercial lease structures, tenant improvement processes, legal documentation, and retail development best practices.
• Entrepreneurial, relationship-driven mindset with a passion for retail merchandising, placemaking, and creating vibrant mixed-use destinations.

Benefits Highlights:

• Base Compensation: The salary range for this role is $140,000 to $170,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.
• Competitive Bonus Programs
• 401(k) + Company Match
• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
• Generous PTO (including birthdays & well-being time)
• Employee Apartment Discounts
• Educational & Vocational Assistance
• Employee Assistance Program

Northland is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug Free Workplace.