Real Estate Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Position Description

Department: Investments

FLSA Status: Exempt; Full-time

Position Title: Real Estate Associate

Reports To: Chief Investment Officer

Location: Washington, DC

Date: December 2025

Real Estate Associate Overview: Conduct detailed commercial real estate market and competitive position research, financial and statistical analyses, and assist in reporting on investments to support business operations and achieve expected returns on investments.

Typically with a minimum of three to five years’ commercial real estate experience, act in a role that is working autonomously to primarily support National’s Investment and/or Portfolio & Asset Management departments providing analytical support for acquisition, development and operations, including financing and disposition due diligence and closing requirements to assess the current and projected performance of properties.

Essential Functions:

1. Conduct detailed commercial real estate market and competitive position research, financial and statistical analyses, and independently and successfully summarize findings in written and/or oral presentations.
2. Collect and analyze due diligence documentation and summarize findings to Investment Staff in written or oral presentations.
3. Provide independent analytical support for acquisition, financing, restructuring, hold/sell scenarios, and dispositions. Assist in reporting on investments and perform overall financial analyses to support business operations and achieve expected returns on investments.
4. Proficiently perform a variety of financial modeling techniques to implement investment plans consistent with National’s development, acquisition, financing, leasing, operating, and disposition strategies. Prepare ad-hoc reports as needed.
5. With oversight, underwrite and effectively explain complex mixed-use projects comparing multiple financing strategies.
6. Demonstrate understanding of how the Investment and Portfolio Management Staff identifies, analyzes and monitors investments from origination through the pre-development period using MS Excel-based financial models in support of evaluating and underwriting prospective equity and debt investments.
7. Exercise due care and in accordance with company policy when accessing National’s systems and information assets, ensuring that, as appropriate, the confidentiality and privacy of data is maintained at all times.
8. Assist asset managers in analyzing, monitoring, and managing specific investments from closing through the final investment disposition process, including construction draw processing and reporting requirements.
9. Prepare financial analysis/modeling at the portfolio level, including preparing the necessary documents/reports for the CEO or senior associates in Portfolio & Asset Management, Performance Reporting and Investor Relations groups.
10. Attend and actively contribute to internal staff meetings, interacting with various levels of staff and providing research and analysis feedback regarding various investments.
11. Develop analytical tools as requested, including refining reports from researched material and/or data collected to evaluate and report on the primary characteristics of its portfolios under management.
12. Uphold meticulous recordkeeping practices, ensuring that documentation is preserved in accordance with policy and regulation, and available for inquiries or examinations in real-time. Research and oversee systematic record retention, protection, retrieval, transfer, and disposal of records.
13. Demonstrate commitment to National’s pragmatic stewardship approach in daily business activities, including meeting our overarching fiduciary responsibilities and whenever feasible, incorporating energy and resource conservation practices to produce more profitable results for our clients.
14. Periodic overnight travel is required on an as needed project-specific basis to attend meetings, complete research, and participate in other special events.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Strict adherence to the terms and provisions as detailed in National’s Employee Handbook.
2. Complete compliance with National’s Regulatory Compliance Manual, Code of Ethics and underlying compliance policies and procedures.
3. Participate in assisting the Investment Staff in successfully closing an investment, including finalizing documentation, third-party reimbursement billing and transfer of investment documentation to record retention, including final pro forma, property records, and third-party reports.
4. Support the written and oral presentation processes of new and existing investments and assist in presentation processes as directed.

Qualifications:

1. Successful completion of undergraduate level degree with coursework in real estate, finance, economics, mathematics, and accounting or computer systems is required; graduate level degree is preferred.
2. Minimum of five years’ work experience or minimum of three years of commercial real estate investment experience is required, in addition to demonstrating self-motivation and a proactive initiative to maximize “on-the-job” training opportunities and the aptitude to solidify this particular, specialized knowledge and skill set.
3. Must be highly detailed and possess excellent financial, mathematical and statistical skills and can often work with complex databases and/or quantitative tools with proficiency and accuracy for extended periods of time. Must have a strong work ethic and remain committed to meeting deadlines.
4. Have the ability to exhibit solid analytical and critical thinking skills and effective verbal and written communication; have the ability to attempt to understand and appropriately articulate financial considerations, market demand, project feasibility, financing, and environmental considerations related to sound investments after a normal orientation period.
5. Must be able to interact professionally with colleagues and multi-task, in a fast-paced, complex working environment.
6. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite programs and intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Power BI is required; knowledge of real estate analysis software such as Argus is required in addition to Power Point, Outlook and Word.

Work Environment:

1. This job primarily operates in a clerical, office setting. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones. It is a sedentary role in a professional environment; however incumbent is required to regularly walk, sit, talk and/or hear, reach with hands and arms.

The work environment and physical demand characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions and nothing in this herein restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The employee in this position will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at National will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. National does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.