"Executive Director, Master of Real Estate Development & Design (0379)"

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design (CED) offers an environment to collaborate and innovate with others committed to creating a welcoming home for design & research excellence toward environmental resilience and equity. CED is comprised of faculty, students, and staff with an impressive set of backgrounds and talents. We believe in the importance of supporting an inclusive environment that values community and builds its strength from a diversity of views and expertise. There are approximately 50 faculty, 90 adjunct, and unit 18 faculty, 1250 undergraduate and graduate majors, and approximately 50 total staff. The college budget is approximately $33M, excluding contracts and grants. The College of Environmental Design (CED) is a multifaceted with three departments (architecture, city & regional planning, and landscape architecture & environmental planning) and an institute that holds degree programs (Institute of Urban and Regional Development); undergraduate, professional graduate and research doctoral degree programs; a suite of highly regarded summer design institutes; widely recognized environmental design archives; computing and fabrication facilities; and a building with an auditorium, classrooms, studios, labs, research centers, library, archives and a cafe.

The Institute of Urban and Regional Development:

The Institute of Urban & Regional Development (IURD) is an interdisciplinary academic and research unit dedicated to prioritizing justice in initiatives to understand, mitigate, and adapt to climate change. IURD's mission is to accelerate the creation of knowledge and capacity that will allow cities and regions to reduce their carbon emissions and adapt to a changing climate using strategies that promote social equity and healthy cities. IURD is home to two master's degree programs: the Abbey Master of Real Estate Development + Design (MRED+D) and the Master of Urban Design, as well as the Sustainable Environmental Design undergraduate major. All three degrees are interdisciplinary and thus are housed within IURD rather than in a CED academic department.

The Abbey Master of Real Estate Development + Design:

Abbey MRED+D is a self-sustaining graduate professional degree program. The program is a different kind of real estate development program, built on a foundation of equity, resilience, and design. We are training the next generation of socially-conscious and community-oriented developers to be a part of the solution to the grand challenges of our time - climate change, health, racial injustice, rising inequality, the affordable housing crisis, and more.

Our students come from business, architecture, urban planning, engineering, and law, among others, and typically bring 5+ years of work experience. Students come from the Bay Area, California, nationally, and internationally. MRED+D is both a full-time (3-term, one-year) or part-time (6-term, part-time two-year intensive) program with an enrollment of 40-45 students. Students learn about real estate development finance, entitlements and project approvals, real estate economics and market analysis, equitable development, design and urbanism, professional practice, public-private partnerships, construction, resilience, plus undertake a development studio and individual capstone project. Students can also choose a concentration to deepen their study of real estate development.

The Executive Director of the Abbey MRED+D program is responsible for and oversees the strategic academic direction of the program, articulating visions and objectives. This position directs the curriculum planning and implementation of the program in consultation with the IURD Director, a MRED+D advisory council (industry leaders), and the MRED+D Education Committee (CED Faculty). The Executive Director also recommends course instructors to the IURD Director and helps to mentor industry professionals who are new to the program. Overall, the position is responsible for academic programming and oversees admissions and recruitment, external and industry relations, operations, and administration of the program.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 2/17/26 - Open until filled

Responsibilities

40% Academic Programming:

• Designs and develops major academic program vision and mission.
• Designs, develops and assesses curricular and co-curricular components using normative knowledge and practices of real estate development as well as identifies critical, progressive curricular offerings that are matched to ladder and Unit 18 faculty expertise.
• Recruits and proposes MRED+D instructional faculty to the IURD Director.
• Assesses academic program's effectiveness including enrollment, student satisfaction and outcomes of program alumni, and recommends changes to program's content, policies and strategic goals.
• Coordinates varied and competing requirements associated with managing an innovative program in a university environment, both with CED departments and with other campus units including Haas and Law.
• Develops ideas and options for faculty review and decision, and develops and implements instruction and research programs that reflect faculty interests.
• Coordinates capstone activities.
• Plans and hosts co-curricular activities.

30% External and Industry Relations:

• Manages and expands relationships to increase engagement with key constituencies including professional and industry partners as well as alumni of the program, the latter in collaboration with CED Development and Alumni Relations.
• Leads professional lecture series and provides public relations support.
• Attends and presents at industry events to maintain a visible presence of the program in associations, conferences and other meetings.
• Identifies and develops gifts from multiple external sources.
• Represents the program to Graduate Division, the College, outside agencies, and the public.
• Establishes and maintains liaisons with an external advisory council.
• Proactively seek, build and steward donor and alumni relationships in collaboration with CED Development and Alumni Relations.

15% Operations and Administration:

• Plans and assesses program budget, HR, technical, and other supporting resources.
• Develops and executes strategic planning for financing program activities and ensuring ongoing sustainability of a self-supporting program.
• Establishes the brand and marketing of the program.
• Establishes directions and assessments of student advising, career services, and job placements.
• Adjudicates exceptional student petitions and requests.
• Reviews the yearly calendar of operations that can be shared among IURD and MRED+D staff.

15% Admissions and Recruitments:

• Participates in outreach activities to attract outstanding applicants.
• Plans and participates in admissions reading, evaluations and funding/fellowship awards.

Required Qualifications

• Recognized expertise in both real estate and design.
• Academic experience in both real estate and design.
• Strategic thinking and visionary leadership.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to grow programs.
• Strong communication, writing, and presentation skills.
• Expert interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with a dynamic and diverse group of faculty, staff, and students.
• Experience building collaborations between academia, industries, and professionals.
• Minimum of ten years of leadership experience in real estate or design with a record of creative contributions to real estate development.
• Master's degree or equivalent international degree.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference will be given to those holding advanced degrees in both real estate (e.g., MRED, MBA) and an environmental design field (e.g., MArch, MCP, MLA, MUD).
• Minimum of ten years of leadership experience in real estate or design with a record of creative contributions to real estate development.