Acquisitions Associate – Real Estate​/Entry-Level

Reports to: Principal / Chief Investment Officer

Compensation: $53,000

Ailanthus inspires, builds value, and creates impact through transformative housing development projects. Specializing in public-private partnerships, the firm is dedicated to alleviating the housing shortage by developing market-rate, workforce, and affordable housing at all income levels in every neighborhood. With a pipeline of more than 3,000 housing units, Ailanthus delivers attractive returns while generating measurable community impact through housing that meets local needs.

Our team has been involved in some of Brooklyn’s most impactful projects in over a century and has been at the forefront of using smart public policy, targeted investment, and sustained local advocacy to help solve the housing crisis.

As an entry-level Acquisitions Associate
, you will help build and execute Ailanthus’s acquisition pipeline across priority markets. You will support sourcing, screening, and advancing new opportunities through a disciplined approach to research, outreach, and relationship-building. Reporting directly to the principals, this is a high-ownership role for an energetic, highly organized self-starter who is excited by housing, deal making, and mission-driven development.

• Build an active acquisition pipeline through research, cold outreach, networking, and canvassing.
• Proactively build and maintain relationships with brokers, owners, consultants, nonprofits, and other local stakeholders in priority submarkets.
• Manage initial outreach and follow-up cadences; maintain organized contact lists and activity tracking.
• Maintain a weekly pipeline report and updates for internal pipeline review.

• Conduct early-stage screens by gathering site details, ownership information, zoning context, comparable activity, and potential paths to site control.
• Support market scans and early pipeline development for select expansion areas.
• Conduct zoning/land use research and mapping across targeted corridors and neighborhoods, including rezoning-driven opportunities and underutilized parcels.
• Identify opportunities tied to major infrastructure and transit investments.
• Draft and support investment memos / IC materials summarizing the business plan, key risks, and value drivers.
• Coordinate diligence requests (survey, environmental, zoning, title, engineering) and maintain a deal checklist and data room.
• Support LOI/term sheet processes and assist with PSA workflows and closing readiness in coordination with counsel and partners.
• Document key assumptions, open items, and decisions; keep stakeholders aligned through clear written updates.

• Support mission-aligned partnership outreach and relationship mapping with public-sector contacts and strategic partners.
• Monitor relevant opportunity listings in portals in select markets and maintain an organized log of opportunities, deadlines, and requirements.
• Assist research initiatives tied to institutional partnerships.

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in real estate, finance, economics, public policy, urban planning, or a related field.
• ~1 year of relevant experience (internships welcome) in real estate, sales, development, finance, or a related field.
• Strong research skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear takeaways and action steps.
• Comfort with Excel and real estate finance fundamentals (or strong willingness to learn quickly).
• Strong writing and communication skills; ability to produce clean, decision-ready materials (memos, summaries, and slides).
• Highly organized and process-oriented; comfortable managing multiple work streams, tracking details, and meeting deadlines.
• Experience with PowerPoint and CRM tools; familiarity with mapping tools (GIS) is a plus.
• Strong work ethic, ownership mindset, and comfort operating in an entrepreneurial environment.

Submit a resume and a short note on why Ailanthus, why housing, and why acquisitions
.