Director, Reichard Real Estate Academy

Department of Finance
Gies College of Business
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Department of Finance at the Gies College of Business seeks an accomplished and highly connected commercial real estate professional to build a scalable, nationally visible program as Director of the Reichard Real Estate Academy
. The Reichard Real Estate Academy is a selective, student-focused program designed to prepare high-achieving undergraduate students for successful careers in the real estate industry, with a particular emphasis on commercial real estate.

The Director provides vision, strategic leadership, hands-on engagement that connects students to promising career pathways while also serving as the public face and chief ambassador of the Academy within the national commercial real estate industry, among University of Illinois alumni, and across campus. The Academy emphasizes high academic standards, soft skill and professional development, mentoring, and engagement with industry projects and leaders to help students secure strong entry-level positions and thrive in their early careers.

The Director will elevate the Academy’s profile through participation in conferences, professional associations, and industry forums. While the position includes some teaching responsibilities on the Urbana campus, the Director may be based in the Chicago-land area, where much of the Academy’s engagement with alumni and industry will occur.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Strategy

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the Reichard Real Estate Academy to ensure long-term growth in alignment with the mission of the Department of Finance and Gies College of Business.
• Work collaboratively with faculty and department leaders to ensure the Academy’s programming is academically rigorous and adaptable to the evolving needs in the commercial real estate industry.

Student Development and Mentorship

• Oversee selective, multi-semester Academy experience focused on preparing students for internship, full-time roles, and long-term success in real estate.
• Recruit, select, develop, mentor and support students through career advising and professional development. Facilitate alumni and industry interaction with students.
• Coordinate seminars, workshops, and experiential learning opportunities that emphasize a mix of soft skills, analytical capabilities, and professional best practices. May involve off-campus travel to national real estate competitions, site visits, commercial real estate professional conferences, and other events.

Industry, Alumni, and External Engagement

• Build enduring relationships with real estate investment firms, developers, lenders, and operators, especially although not exclusively in the Chicago real estate community, with a focus on creating strategic partnerships and establishing the Reichard Academy as a key part of the real estate industry’s talent pipeline.
• Leverage and expand a robust professional network to create internships, full-time job placements, mentorship opportunities, and guest speaker participation.
• Build and deepen relationships with University of Illinois alumni in real estate to strengthen student outcomes and long-term support for the Academy.
• Serve as conduit between industry leaders and faculty to ensure the Academy remains both academically rigorous and closely aligned with employer needs.

Teaching and Instruction

• Teach undergraduate courses on the Urbana campus, with specific assignments determined by departmental needs and the Director’s expertise.
• Integrate real-world applications, case studies, and industry perspectives.

Program Operations and Administration

• Oversee administrative aspects of the Academy, including coordination with staff, alumni, and corporate partners.
• Support marketing and outreach efforts to promote the Academy to prospective students, alumni, and industry partners.
• Define and track key performance metrics (e.g., placement results, employer engagement, alumni involvement, and program reputation) and lead continuous improvement efforts to ensure high-quality outcomes.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree or above in finance, real estate,…