Real Estate Investment and Operations Manager

At Ruddell Group, LLC we are a nimble and entrepreneurial real estate investment and development firm focused on small-to-mid-sized industrial developments across the Southeastern U.S. We move fast, think long-term, and build a best-in-class portfolio through disciplined execution, strong tenant relationships, and relentless problem-solving.

Job Overview

Ruddell is looking to scale. We want to be at 5 parks in the next two years. 50 parks in the next four years and in 7 years we would like to have 200 parks that we are building out. We are looking for someone to help reach these aggressive growth targets.

We are seeking a Real Estate Investment & Operations Manager to serve as a strategic right-hand partner to the Founder. This role blends investment analysis, development execution, operational leadership, and capital strategy. The ideal candidate thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and wants to help build and scale a high-performing industrial real estate platform.

Position Overview

This role will lead underwriting, development coordination, leasing oversight, and cross-functional execution across the portfolio — while also contributing to broader portfolio strategy, capital planning, and long-term platform growth.

The Investment & Operations Manager will operate across the full deal lifecycle: site selection, underwriting, entitlement, construction, lease-up, stabilization, and portfolio optimization.

Key Responsibilities

Investment & Financial Strategy

• Underwrite and model potential acquisitions and development projects
• Structure capital stacks in coordination with lenders and equity partners
• Prepare detailed investment memoranda for internal decision-making and capital partners
• Support debt sourcing and lender relationship management
• Assist in debt support, bank reporting, and performance updates
• Monitor project budgets, timelines, and financial performance against pro forma targets
• Contribute to portfolio-level growth planning and capital deployment strategy

Development & Project Leadership

• Manage permitting, entitlement, and construction timelines across multiple projects
• Interface with architects, engineers, general contractors, and municipalities
• Track budgets, change orders, and construction draws
• Oversee punch lists, delivery schedules, and project milestones
• Identify risks early and proactively solve execution challenges
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget
• Use Data to determine which markets to enter and which to stay out of

Leasing & Portfolio Optimization

• Support leasing strategy development to minimize vacancy and optimize tenant mix
• Coordinate with brokerage teams and respond to tenant inquiries
• Assist in lease structuring and negotiation support
• Track leasing pipelines and CRM updates
• Analyze portfolio performance and recommend optimization strategies
• Strengthen tenant relationships to support long-term retention
• Develop relationships with a variety of tenants to be anchors in various parks

Operational & Platform Execution

• Lead task tracking, follow-ups, and reporting across all active projects
• Drive accountability across deal teams to ensure seamless execution
• Improve internal systems and processes as the portfolio scales
• Anticipate operational bottlenecks and proactively implement solutions
• Serve as a strategic extension of ownership across projects and stakeholders

Strategic Growth & Capital Planning

• Contribute to long-term portfolio strategy and Southeastern market expansion
• Evaluate new markets, submarkets, and industrial product types
• Assist in refining the firm’s investment thesis and underwriting assumptions
• Support investor communications and portfolio performance reporting
• Help architect scalable processes as the platform grows

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in real estate investment, development, or leasing (industrial preferred)
• Strong financial modeling and Excel proficiency
• Deep understanding of the real estate lifecycle from site selection through stabilization
• Experience in entrepreneurial or high-growth environments preferred
• Experience interfacing with lenders, investors, or capital partners strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree required (Finance, Real Estate, or related field)

Key Attributes

• High ownership mentality with strong attention to detail
• Strategic thinker who can zoom out to portfolio-level decisions
• Comfortable both in Excel and on a job site
• Embraces AI
• Strong communicator capable of representing ownership with investors, tenants, municipalities, and partners
• Growth-oriented, loyal, and aligned with long-term platform building
• Hungry to learn and scale alongside a tight-knit team

Location

This role is based in Birmingham, AL, and regional travel throughout the Southeast.

Why This Role Is Different

This is not a narrow execution role. This position offers the opportunity to help shape investment strategy, capital planning, and portfolio growth while remaining deeply involved in deal execution. The right candidate will have the opportunity to grow into a senior leadership position as the platform scales.

Ruddell Group, LLC is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.