Forward Air is hiring: Director, Real Estate in Highland Park

The Director, Real Estate leads the strategic and operational management of the company’s real estate portfolio, encompassing owned and leased facilities across the network. They are responsible for overseeing real estate negotiations, market evaluations, facility planning, and compliance with applicable commercial property regulations. They partner closely with terminal, regional, and executive leadership to ensure real estate decisions align with operational, financial, and long‑term strategic objectives. They play a key role in ensuring that our facilities support operational excellence, cost efficiency, and organizational growth. Responsibilities Lead the evaluation, management, and optimization of the company’s owned and leased real estate portfolio. Manage and interpret market analyses to identify opportunities, challenges, and emerging trends relevant to facility planning. Source, evaluate, and secure facilities that align with operational needs, growth plans, and financial goals. Negotiate, structure, and finalize lease agreements, renewals, subleases, acquisitions, dispositions, and terminations. Advise leadership on regional and local real estate availability, trends, risks, and considerations affecting operations. Oversee ongoing lease, sublease, and occupancy obligations to ensure compliance and cost‑effectiveness. Provide guidance to terminal and regional teams on facility maintenance responsibilities, landlord relations, and contractual obligations. Analyze operating center P&L expectations related to renewals, relocations, and facility maintenance; monitor real estate transactions against approved budgets. Develop, model, and evaluate full project cost structures, including capital investments, returns, escalations, and ground leases. Coordinate with external brokers, consultants, and service providers to ensure timely and accurate real estate execution. Maintain current knowledge of relevant building codes, commercial property laws, and applicable state and federal regulations. Communicate the status of active real estate transactions to local, regional, and executive leadership. Collaborate with internal stakeholders across the organization to ensure timely, coordinated site delivery, relocation, and/or termination. All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs. Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, real estate, or a related field from an accredited college or university. Certification/Licensure: Real estate licensure preferred, not required. Experience: 8 years of professional commercial or industrial real estate experience, including negotiation, acquisitions, financial analysis, and facility transactions. Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders. Proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast‑paced environment while delivering high‑quality outcomes. Strong analytical and financial skills; expertise in building financial modeling and data visualizations. Prior experience in the transportation or logistics industry preferred. Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information. Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.). Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on‑site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events. Forward Air is an Equal Opportunity Employer LI-Onsite LI-LA1 Forward Air is a leading asset-light provider of transportation services across the United States, Canada, and Latin America. We provide expedited less-than-truckload services, including local pick-up and delivery, shipment consolidation/deconsolidation, warehousing, and customs brokerage by utilizing a comprehensive national network of terminals. In addition, we offer truckload brokerage services, including dedicated fleet services, and intermodal, first and last-mile, high-value drayage services, both to and from seaports and railheads, dedicated contract and Container Freight Station warehouse and handling services. Forward also operates a full portfolio of multimodal solutions, both domestically and internationally, via Omni Logistics. Omni Logistics is a global provider of air, ocean, and ground services for mission-critical freight. We are more than a transportation company. Forward is a single resource for your shipping needs We move freight, but we’re powered by people. Whether you’re in the warehouse, on the road, or behind the screen, every teammate keeps our global business in motion and brings logistics to life.