Senior Director, Real Estate Legal

General Summary :

Uses real estate law expertise to provide strategic and functional leadership for Dollar General’s real estate development and leasing programs in the United States and Mexico. Leads legal and business teams responsible for all retail and distribution leases and related documents, completing due diligence requirements, and supporting complex negotiations. Provides real estate legal support for all existing assets, including analyzing condemnation impacts, interpreting agreements, issuing demand letters, managing defaults and resolving compliance issues. These negotiation and controls skills are critical to leading various corporate development or portfolio initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities :

• Due Diligence Program (30%) : Oversee internal teams and vendors to ensure all legal documentation provided by or to the Real Estate, Lease Administration, Construction, Leasing, and Distribution teams is in compliance with established Company policies.
• Supervise large-scale due diligence program for all development projects to verify legal sufficiency of title work, land surveys, easements, restrictions and compliance with environmental, geotechnical, zoning and permitting requirements. Manage pipeline so that new stores are approved in accordance with development timelines and TYOP goals.
• Lease Negotiation & Agreement Management (15%) : Oversee the preparation, negotiation and execution of all real estate legal documents in accordance with Company standards. Review and approve purchase and sale agreements, deeds, leases for freestanding buildings, shopping center spaces, distribution centers and other corporate facilities, amendments, guaranty agreements, memoranda of lease, assignments, subleases, easements and waivers. Manage high-volume program for issuance of SNDA and estoppel certificates within timeframes required by 20,000+ store leases.
• Dispute Resolution (20%) : Provide legal and business support to Real Estate Development, Lease Administration and Maintenance leaders to ensure best practices and to mitigate potential litigation or contractual issues.
• This requires legal interpretation of complex agreements, drafting demand letters, responding to default notices, and using negotiation skills to resolve escalating matters. Also requires cross-functional partnerships with Company litigators, outside counsel and adverse parties.
• Legal Project Management for Initiatives (20%) : Develop and execute strategies, budgets and staffing models for the success of Company initiatives. Examples include leadership roles within store purchase and fee development programs, international expansion plans, acquisitions and dispositions of excess land, and backfilling vacant retail spaces via bankruptcy proceedings or third-party partnerships. Specific duties include deal structuring, management of outside consultants and counsel, due diligence verification, financial analysis and stewardship, and transaction closings.
• Business and Relationship Management (15%) : Each of the foregoing requires knowledge of, and adherence to, laws, Company policies and budgets. Must facilitate and maintain relationships with a wide variety of internal employees, external vendors and outside counsel to accomplish these tasks.
• This requires clear communication, consistent supervision of workload priorities and adherence to deadlines.

Knowledge and Skills :

Work Experience :

This is an office-based position in Goodlettsville, TN. All candidates must be an attorney with an active law license. A minimum of 10 years’ experience in a commercial real estate law practice or as in house counsel is required. Must also have at least 5 years’ experience directly leading multiple employees.