Senior Associate

U3 Advisors is seeking a Senior Associate to join our team full-time in our New York City, Chicago, Boston or Philadelphia offices. Senior Associates work on projects across our consulting firm, providing critical project management for our clients in cities across the country.

 

About U3

U3 Advisors partners with anchor institutions to develop real estate assets and build enterprising new partnerships. We are a unique advisory practice built to harness the power of people and place to drive meaningful impact on campuses, in neighborhoods, and across entire cities.

We work with colleges and universities, healthcare institutions, cities and public entities, nonprofits and civic organizations, and other mission-driven organizations of all sizes to catalyze equitable growth and uplift communities. By combining data, experience, and curiosity, we’ve successfully helped clients grow their footprint and capacity, transact complex real estate projects, and implement strategies that bring millions of dollars of investment into local economies.

For more information about our firm and clients, visit www.u3advisors.com.

 

Position Details

The Senior Associate will work across a diverse range of projects with staff across all levels to manage workstreams and produce high-quality analysis and deliverables. This position will have significant client contact and will take lead project management responsibilities for specific projects or clients. This is a strong fit for someone with a foundation in real estate, economic development, or institutional planning.

Project types may include, for example:

• Real estate portfolio analysis for mission-driven institutions, assessing opportunities and costs of owned and leased properties relative to future mission-related needs
• Site-specific development options and land valuation analysis, to guide strategic decision-making with institutional leadership
• Provide strategic advice on institutional growth and organizational dynamics
• Conduct economic impact assessments and neighborhood improvement strategies, including “live, buy, hire local” approaches to leverage institutional demand
• Campus facilities and master planning support, including project management and management of consultants, budgets, and contracts

Sample tasks and responsibilities may include:

• Project and client management support, such as preparing work plans and schedules, coordinating internal and client team meetings, coordinating across other project consultants as needed, facilitating agendas, and creating meeting minutes
• Keep multiple projects moving simultaneously, proactively flagging deadline or capacity crunches
• Design clean, effective slide decks, reports, memos, and other client deliverables
• Deliver presentations confidently, engaging audiences and adapting based on the room
• Design basic stakeholder engagement activities (guided prompts, visual materials, scenario exercises) to solicit feedback
• Assist in drafting business development proposals and marketing materials
• Guide colleagues and junior staff in longer-term skill-building, including technical tools, with clear and actionable feedback
• Develop research plans in collaboration with the project team; independently identify sources and assess data for accuracy, reliability, and applicability
• Preparation of financial analyses including pro formas, development budgets, operating cash flows, valuations, occupancy cost analyses, and other real estate financial modeling
• Synthesis of financial analysis to provide optimal solutions for clients that balance their mission goals and financial feasibility
• Facilitation of real estate partnership solicitation process, including developing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) on behalf of clients, analysis and reporting of responses, and managing communications with respondents

 

Position Requirements

U3 seeks candidates with a strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, a deep curiosity about equitable growth, cities, and anchor institutions, and creativity and initiative to tackle complex, unique challenges. We are looking for candidates with:

• 7+ years of work experience in real estate, finance, planning, community and economic development, or consulting
• A graduate degree in real estate, urban planning, business administration, finance, or a related field is preferred but not required. Previous work experience and/or coursework should demonstrate strong analytical skill.
• Self-motivation; capable of managing time and tasks across multiple projects independently with minimal instruction.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and professional demeanor, especially when communicating with clients; an ability to actively listen to clients and teammates.
• Comfort giving and receiving feedback, with an interest in mentoring junior staff
• Sound critical thinking and independent judgment, with the ability to identify process improvements and formulate well-reasoned recommendations
• Software:
  • High proficiency experience in Microsoft Excel, including the understanding and mastery of advanced functions critical for professional real estate financial modeling
  • High proficiency with Adobe InDesign
  • Proficiency in GIS (ArcPro and ArcGIS Online) for basemap creation and spatial data analysis (joining data, calculating fields/geometry, spatial and proximity analysis)
  • Familiarity with demographic data or data visualization platforms such as CoStar, Placer.ai, Social Explorer, and Tableau
• A passion for cities, neighborhoods, active streets, and strong communities.
• Ability to contribute to and mesh with collegial company culture, to work with grace under pressure, and to thrive in a fast-paced dynamic environment.

 

Salary & Benefits

U3 offers a competitive compensation package, including salary, the opportunity to earn a bonus, and a generous employee benefits package. Salary and bonus reviews are conducted annually. The starting salary will be within $117,00-155,000, commensurate with experience.

U3 provides the following benefits:

Medical and Insurance: 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision care insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability; up to ten paid days of sick/medical leave per calendar year.

Vacation: Four weeks of paid time off (PTO) per calendar year; 10 paid federal holidays.

Retirement: optional self-funded 401(k) plan with employer match up to 4% of salary, eligible after one year of employment.

Technology: iPhone, phone plan, and laptop provided.

Travel: annual in-person company-wide staff retreat, fall and spring staff meetings, and opportunity to travel to clients.

Professional development: annual professional development stipends

Work Environment: flexible and hybrid work environment.

 

Diversity

U3’s human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and company’s achievement as well. We celebrate the diversity that makes U3 unique. While we continue to improve in established metrics for success in diversity, we are proud of where we are today. Our team is comprised of individuals across a range of characteristics including gender, religion, race, age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and education. This diversity fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and unique perspectives which translates into our client work.

 

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter, work sample, and resume here.