Director, Retail Leasing Strategy

Nuveen Real Estate is seeking a strategic and execution-oriented Leasing Strategy professional to join its platform, reporting to the Head of Retail Leasing Strategy. This is a senior leadership role and a key external face of the platform within the retail leasing and retailer community, driving merchandising strategy, leasing performance, and retailer relationships across a national portfolio of open-air suburban retail assets.

The Head Director will work cross-functionally with teams across transactions, asset management, and capital raising to ensure leasing strategies support overall investment objectives and drive long-term value creation.

• Lead merchandising and leasing strategies across open-air and high street retail properties, aligning with asset business plans and platform goals.
• Drive retailer curation and leasing execution in collaboration with asset management and external leasing teams/brokers.
• Direct third-party leasing broker relationships across the portfolio, setting clear leasing objectives and holding brokers accountable to performance and pipeline expectations.
• Oversee leasing materials, pipeline reporting, and presentations for internal teams and investors, reviewing prospect activity and marketing efforts across the portfolio to ensure leasing execution remains consistent and on strategy.
• Evaluate deal terms and economics to ensure alignment with underwriting, market comps, and long-term asset value.
• Partner closely with transactions and fundraising teams to support underwriting, market positioning, and investor-facing materials.
• Advise on retailer demand and lease-up strategy for acquisitions, redevelopment, and development initiatives.
• Build and maintain relationships with national, regional, and emerging retailers across categories (grocery, F&B, wellness, fashion, etc.), translating relationships into market insight and off-market leasing opportunities.
• Track retail trends, market shifts, and leasing performance metrics to guide portfolio-wide strategy.
• Represent Nuveen and organize industry events, dinners, and other engagements to source retailer leads, maintain visibility, and deepen market intelligence.

• Bachelor's Degree Required

• 5+ Years Required; 7+ Years Preferred

• Physical Requirements:
  
  Sedentary Work

7IC

• 5+ years of experience in retail real estate, ideally within institutional ownership, retail development, or advisory platforms. Experience on the retailer side in real estate, strategy, or operations is a plus.
• Comfortable with frequent travel

• 7+ years of experience in retail real estate, ideally within institutional ownership, retail development, or advisory platforms. Experience on the retailer side in real estate, strategy, or operations is a plus.
• Strong understanding of suburban open-air retail formats, lifestyle centers, and high street merchandising.
• Demonstrated success in driving leasing strategy and execution across diverse asset types and geographies.
• Deep industry relationships with retailers and brokers, particularly in F&B, wellness, fashion, and emerging retail categories.
• High proficiency in lease economics, merchandising logic, and financial modeling fundamentals.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate across functions.
• Willingness to travel nationally as the role requires.
• Familiarity with both gateway and high-growth secondary markets.
• Natural curiosity for retail, consumer behavior, and evolving trends in shopping, dining, and lifestyle experiences.
• Experience with redevelopment or ground-up retail development projects.
• An active Broker in Charge or Supervising Broker…