Head of Real Estate
Bentonville, AR
Full Time
Family Office
Experienced
WALTON ENTERPRISES
POSITION SPECIFICATION
HEAD OF REAL ESTATE
POSITION SPECIFICATION
HEAD OF REAL ESTATE
Shine Associates, LLC has been retained to search, identify and recruit a Head of Real Estate on behalf of Walton Enterprises (‘Company’). This position will be based in either Bentonville, AR or Denver, CO and report to the President.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Shine Associates, LLC has been exclusively retained on this assignment. Information contained in this position specification as well as any other information concerning the Company provided or verbally discussed is confidential. All materials and discussions are to be utilized for the sole purpose of a candidate’s personal review of the career opportunity.
CLIENT DESCRIPTION
Walton Enterprises (‘WEI’) supports the personal, philanthropic, and business activity for the Walton family. We are a family-led organization, supporting multiple generations of Sam and Helen Walton’s family.
HEAD OF REAL ESTATE
WEI is seeking a Head of Real Estate (‘HRE’) who will report to the President of WEI. This leader will oversee a team that delivers exceptional end-to-end real estate and property services to the Walton family and their related entities, including asset management, property operations, design and construction management, estate management, guest services, facilities management, hospitality and events support, and security. The HRE will bring a holistic, operationally oriented approach—creating a consistent, personal experience while stewarding resources efficiently and aligning service delivery to family preferences.
The HRE will guide how services are delivered across the portfolio—determining which capabilities should be provided through WEI versus third parties—and will own vendor selection, contracting, performance management, and quality control.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The real estate portfolio includes a diversified mix of residential, recreational, office, hospitality, ranches, airports, manufacturing plants, light commercial, and charitable properties. Assets are located in Bentonville, AR and across the United States.
Services within scope include property management, leasing, project design, construction management, maintenance, specialized/personal services, security (in coordination with WEI security leadership and/or third-party providers), event support, and other logistical services defined by the family and WEI leadership.
Leadership, Governance, and Culture
- Lead, hire, develop, and retain a high-performing team across the service lines; set clear expectations and build accountability.
- Serve as a player/coach—able to engage in detail when needed while elevating the team’s systems, standards, and talent.
- Build a culture of service, discretion, collaboration, continuous improvement and efficient stewardship of resources.
- Support governance meetings across various decision-making bodies for property matters.
- Seek support for decisions across multiple constituents for property-related decisions, such as budget approvals, project support, security recommendations, capital improvements, etc.
- Create and manage budgets, forecasts, investment pro-formas, and capital planning for the portfolio; steward resources in line with family preferences and risk posture.
- Improve operating efficiency through smart staffing models, vendor leverage, process standardization, and technology—without compromising the service experience.
- Partner with WEI finance/accounting and risk management/insurance teams on controls, reporting, and risk transfer as needed.
- Own day-to-day performance of the property operations platform—ensuring reliable execution, service standards that match family preferences, and discreet, family-first support.
- Translate family preferences into clear operating procedures, service levels, and escalation paths; ensure consistency across locations and providers.
- Establish a disciplined cadence of planning, prioritization, and follow-through across workstreams (operations, projects, leasing, special services, and event support).
- Integrate security considerations into property operations, travel/event planning on properties, and project delivery in partnership with security leadership and external partners.
- Develop and maintain a strategic real estate plan for the portfolio, including lifecycle planning (renovations and capital improvements).
- Build a data-driven framework to assess needs, risks, options, and tradeoffs; present clear recommendations that facilitate timely decision-making by the President, WEI leadership, and family stakeholders.
- Work to improve quality and consistency of property reporting that provides real-time visibility into portfolio activity (property operations, leasing, projects, vendors, and events support).
- Oversee the pipeline of development, acquisitions, renovations, and construction; ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the expected quality.
- Lead or oversee project design and construction management across internal teams and third parties, including permitting, procurement, scheduling, and risk management.
- Run disciplined project governance: scope control, change management, owner’s representation, and after-action reviews to improve future delivery.
- Own the end-to-end vendor lifecycle: requirements definition, RFPs, selection, contracting, onboarding, performance management, and renewal/exit decisions.
- Set clear KPIs and quality standards for vendors (property management, construction trades, hospitality/events support, security services where applicable) and address issues quickly and professionally.
- Identify opportunities for outsourcing and cost synergies while protecting service quality and discretion.
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
WEI seeks an experienced, hands-on real estate operations leader with deep familiarity in a family office (or comparable UHNW private setting). The successful candidate will be trusted by multiple constituencies, adept at influencing without relying on authority, and skilled at facilitating clear decisions amid competing priorities. This leader will combine strategic perspective with operational rigor and disciplined stewardship of resources.
Skills needed
- Operational focus: builds repeatable processes, delivers reliably, and holds teams and partners accountable.
- Stewardship mindset: efficient with resources; improves cost and service outcomes through disciplined planning and execution.
- Stakeholder agility: navigates multiple constituencies; earns trust through discretion, responsiveness, and follow-through.
- Influence and decision facilitation: frames options and tradeoffs; brings clarity to complex choices; persuades with judgment and data.
- Project and portfolio management: prioritizes effectively, manages risk, and drives results across many concurrent initiatives.
- Significant experience (typically 15+ years) leading real estate and property operations for a complex, multi-site portfolio with a high service expectation.
- Prior family office or UHNW private setting experience is strongly preferred, with demonstrated ability to operate discreetly and build trust with principals and household teams.
- Track record overseeing mixed-use assets and the full lifecycle of property operations, capital projects, and vendor networks.
- Experience integrating security considerations into property operations and projects, partnering effectively with security professionals and external agencies as needed.
- High integrity and confidentiality; mature judgment and steady temperament.
- Service-oriented, humble, and collaborative; comfortable leading through change.
- Practical, solutions-first approach with a bias toward action and continuous improvement.
All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.
COMPENSATION
The Company is prepared to offer a competitive compensation package.
WEI values trust, mutual respect, and a workplace where every associate belongs and can do their best work. They bring together talented people with different backgrounds and viewpoints, support their growth, and empower them to contribute meaningfully.
WEI is an equal opportunity employer committed to a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. All applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Shine Associates, LLC
45 School St., Suite 301
Boston, MA 02108
www.shineassociatesllc.com
Shine Associates, LLC
45 School St., Suite 301
Boston, MA 02108
www.shineassociatesllc.com
Hillary Shine, Principal Tim Shine, Principal
Cell (203) 613-3562 Cell 203-676-1115
[email protected] [email protected]
Lillian Beck, Director Chandlee Gustafson, Senior Associate
Cell (978) 855-8454 Cell (978) 201-3100
[email protected] [email protected]
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