Fractional Director of Real Estate
Helm, Austin, TX, United States
Commercial real estate is a strategy, not a transaction.
Real estate decisions have consequences across capital planning, workforce distribution, operational continuity, and long-term risk exposure - consequences that outlast any individual lease or siteselectionbyyears. Helm exists because most organizations face those consequences without a dedicated function to manage them. Helm operates as an in-house Director of Real Estate, accountable to our clients’ business objectives, our clients’ portfolio structure, and our clients’ executive teams across every location, every lease cycle, and every planning horizon they will encounter.
Helm was founded by Conley Covert and Russell Davis on a straightforward conviction: the traditional brokerage model was built to serve landlords and commissions, not the companies occupying the space. We built a different model - one that represents workplace occupants exclusively, operates with no conflicts of interest, and treats real estate as a long-term business function rather than a series of isolated deals. Since then, we have worked with hundreds of business leaders across healthcare, industrial, energy, and office sectors, advising on portfolios that range from regional footprints to multi-state operations.
WE ARE HIRING FRACTIONAL DIRECTORS OF REAL ESTATE
As a fractional Director of Real Estate at Helm, you are expected to serve 2 – 5 premium clients, depending on their portfolio size and real estate needs. You will manage the full scope of your clients’ real estate function - portfolio strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, financial analysis, and long-term planning - across multiple client organizations simultaneously. You are embedded in each client’s leadership structure, accountable to their executive team, and responsible for real estate decisions that affect capital allocation, workforce distribution, and operational continuity. This is a 1099 independent contractor role. You bring the experience and judgment. Helm provides you with the backing of an integrated team, a great brand, and operational support.Read further on our team approach. WHO WE ARE SEEKING
This role is a fit for an experienced commercial real estate professional who has spent years operating inside a transactional model and has consistently found themselves doing something closer to executive advisory work- whether their firm is recognized it or compensated them for it. The fractional Directors of Real Estate who thrive at Helm think in national portfolio terms, are adept at communicating with executives, and bring the kind of operational and financial discipline that long-term client relationships require. They are not looking for leads and a split. They are looking to grow a practice and leverage a model that matches how they already think. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Serve as the embedded Director of Real Estate for assigned client organizations Develop and maintain real estate strategy aligned with each client’s business objectives, capital plan, and operational structure Analyze existing portfolios: lease terms, expirations, cost exposure, and performance gaps Advise on timing decisions tied to market conditions, lease cycle dynamics, and organizational change Participate in periodic business reviews with CFOs, COOs, and executive leadership Provide ongoing recommendations across growth, contraction, restructuring, and multi-site planning Lead leasing, acquisition, and disposition assignments exclusively on behalf of workplace occupants Develop negotiation strategy, structure business terms, and manage transaction timelines from engagement through execution Coordinate with Helm’s in-house legal counsel on lease review, contract structure, and risk exposure Manage all phases of the transaction process, including coordination with landlords, brokers, attorneys, lenders, and consultants Site Selection & Market Analysis
Conduct detailed market research across relevant geographies and submarkets Evaluate labor availability, accessibility, incentives, zoning, and regulatory considerations Present site recommendations grounded in data, operational logic, and strategic alignment Develop financial models comparing real estate scenarios across lease structures, operating expenses, and occupancy costs Quantify the financial impact of renewals, relocations, expansions, and acquisitions Support client budgeting and forecasting for real estate decisions Business Development
Build and maintain pipeline of prospective clients across Helm’s target industries Develop relationships with COOs, CFOs, operations leaders, and other executive decision-makers Secure exclusive representation agreements and advisory engagements Collaborate with Helm leadership on pursuit strategy and client positioning Client Relationship Management
Maintain ongoing advisory presence between active transactions Communicate with clarity and precision at the executive level Coordinate with Helm’s Director of Client Success to extend the client experience through workplace execution and post-deal continuity Ensure continuity across strategy, transaction execution, and long-term portfolio planning WHAT HELM BRINGS TO YOU
The fractional DRE model only works if the infrastructure behind it is built for it. Here is what Helm provides: In-House Legal Counsel.
Led by our General Counsel, we provide integrated legal review inside every negotiation, contract, lease, and transaction. You enter every engagement with counsel already at the table. Director of Client Success.
Led by our Director of Client Success & Workplace Experience, we provide a curated network of trusted service providers — corporate moving, space planning, technology integration, construction management oversight, and more. When a deal closes, the client relationship continues. That continuity is part of what you are offering. Operational Infrastructure.
CRM systems, transaction management processes, reporting frameworks, and internal playbooks. The operational foundation is in place so you can focus on clients and strategy. Marketing and Personal Brand Development.
Helm’s CMO works directly with fractional DREs on thought leadership, personal positioning, and content strategy. Your reputation in the market is part of what we build together. A Differentiated Market Position.
When you sit across from a CFO, you are not competing on commission. You are offering embedded, conflict-free real estate leadership. That is a different conversation, and it attracts a categorically different client. QUALIFICATIONS
2+ years of experience in commercial real estate brokerage, tenant representation, asset management, or portfolio advisory Demonstrated experience advising executive-level clients on real estate strategy, not only transaction execution Working knowledge of lease structures, purchase agreements, financial modeling, and portfolio analysis Familiarity with CRM systems and pipeline management Capacity to operate as an embedded executive advisor across multiple client organizations simultaneously COMPENSATION
Our compensation model is standard brokerage commission and advisory engagements across your client portfolio. As a 1099 contractor, your earning potential is a direct function of the depth and quality of the client relationships you build and maintain.
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As a fractional Director of Real Estate at Helm, you are expected to serve 2 – 5 premium clients, depending on their portfolio size and real estate needs. You will manage the full scope of your clients’ real estate function - portfolio strategy, site selection, lease negotiation, financial analysis, and long-term planning - across multiple client organizations simultaneously. You are embedded in each client’s leadership structure, accountable to their executive team, and responsible for real estate decisions that affect capital allocation, workforce distribution, and operational continuity. This is a 1099 independent contractor role. You bring the experience and judgment. Helm provides you with the backing of an integrated team, a great brand, and operational support.Read further on our team approach. WHO WE ARE SEEKING
This role is a fit for an experienced commercial real estate professional who has spent years operating inside a transactional model and has consistently found themselves doing something closer to executive advisory work- whether their firm is recognized it or compensated them for it. The fractional Directors of Real Estate who thrive at Helm think in national portfolio terms, are adept at communicating with executives, and bring the kind of operational and financial discipline that long-term client relationships require. They are not looking for leads and a split. They are looking to grow a practice and leverage a model that matches how they already think. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Serve as the embedded Director of Real Estate for assigned client organizations Develop and maintain real estate strategy aligned with each client’s business objectives, capital plan, and operational structure Analyze existing portfolios: lease terms, expirations, cost exposure, and performance gaps Advise on timing decisions tied to market conditions, lease cycle dynamics, and organizational change Participate in periodic business reviews with CFOs, COOs, and executive leadership Provide ongoing recommendations across growth, contraction, restructuring, and multi-site planning Lead leasing, acquisition, and disposition assignments exclusively on behalf of workplace occupants Develop negotiation strategy, structure business terms, and manage transaction timelines from engagement through execution Coordinate with Helm’s in-house legal counsel on lease review, contract structure, and risk exposure Manage all phases of the transaction process, including coordination with landlords, brokers, attorneys, lenders, and consultants Site Selection & Market Analysis
Conduct detailed market research across relevant geographies and submarkets Evaluate labor availability, accessibility, incentives, zoning, and regulatory considerations Present site recommendations grounded in data, operational logic, and strategic alignment Develop financial models comparing real estate scenarios across lease structures, operating expenses, and occupancy costs Quantify the financial impact of renewals, relocations, expansions, and acquisitions Support client budgeting and forecasting for real estate decisions Business Development
Build and maintain pipeline of prospective clients across Helm’s target industries Develop relationships with COOs, CFOs, operations leaders, and other executive decision-makers Secure exclusive representation agreements and advisory engagements Collaborate with Helm leadership on pursuit strategy and client positioning Client Relationship Management
Maintain ongoing advisory presence between active transactions Communicate with clarity and precision at the executive level Coordinate with Helm’s Director of Client Success to extend the client experience through workplace execution and post-deal continuity Ensure continuity across strategy, transaction execution, and long-term portfolio planning WHAT HELM BRINGS TO YOU
The fractional DRE model only works if the infrastructure behind it is built for it. Here is what Helm provides: In-House Legal Counsel.
Led by our General Counsel, we provide integrated legal review inside every negotiation, contract, lease, and transaction. You enter every engagement with counsel already at the table. Director of Client Success.
Led by our Director of Client Success & Workplace Experience, we provide a curated network of trusted service providers — corporate moving, space planning, technology integration, construction management oversight, and more. When a deal closes, the client relationship continues. That continuity is part of what you are offering. Operational Infrastructure.
CRM systems, transaction management processes, reporting frameworks, and internal playbooks. The operational foundation is in place so you can focus on clients and strategy. Marketing and Personal Brand Development.
Helm’s CMO works directly with fractional DREs on thought leadership, personal positioning, and content strategy. Your reputation in the market is part of what we build together. A Differentiated Market Position.
When you sit across from a CFO, you are not competing on commission. You are offering embedded, conflict-free real estate leadership. That is a different conversation, and it attracts a categorically different client. QUALIFICATIONS
2+ years of experience in commercial real estate brokerage, tenant representation, asset management, or portfolio advisory Demonstrated experience advising executive-level clients on real estate strategy, not only transaction execution Working knowledge of lease structures, purchase agreements, financial modeling, and portfolio analysis Familiarity with CRM systems and pipeline management Capacity to operate as an embedded executive advisor across multiple client organizations simultaneously COMPENSATION
Our compensation model is standard brokerage commission and advisory engagements across your client portfolio. As a 1099 contractor, your earning potential is a direct function of the depth and quality of the client relationships you build and maintain.
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