Associate Director of Real Estate

Associate Director of Real Estate

Studs is a category-defining ear piercing and earring brand named one of "the 10 most innovative companies in retail for 2023" by Fast Company. Studs connects ear piercing with aftercare and earring shopping to create an end-to-end Earscaping experience. We offer a better retail and digital experience that prioritizes safety and expertise in a cool, fun and welcoming environment, along with a wide earring assortmentall at an accessible price point.

The Associate Director of Real Estate plays a central role in Studs' retail growth engine translating expansion strategy into executed, high-performing studios. This role owns market diligence, site selection, and deal execution across multiple U.S. markets, ensuring each new studio strengthens Studs' brand presence and financial performance.

Acting as both dealmaker and operator, the Associate Director partners across Finance, Store Development, Legal, and Retail Operations to bring analytical discipline and pace to every project. They evaluate markets, negotiate leases, manage brokers and landlords, and maintain an active, insight-driven portfolio view.

This is a high-impact, execution-focused role for a real estate leader who can connect data and deal sense identifying where Studs should grow, building the business case for each site, and ensuring every opening lands on time, on budget, and on brand.

Key Responsibilities :

• Execute Studs' multi-year expansion plan through disciplined market analysis and site pipeline management.
• Conduct market and trade-area diligence using data, demographic, and traffic analytics to identify high-performing locations.
• Maintain relationships with brokers, landlords, and developers to source and qualify new site opportunities.
• Present market insights, deal analyses, and site recommendations to senior leadership for decision-making.
• Conduct site tours and due diligence visits; prepare detailed evaluation reports and business cases.
• Negotiate new leases, renewals, and amendments in partnership with Legal and Finance.
• Prepare and maintain deal term sheets, pro formas, and internal approval documents.
• Support lease administration and critical date tracking to ensure compliance and timely renewals.
• Coordinate internal approvals and execution steps, ensuring complete and accurate documentation.
• Help refine Studs' real estate playbook and deal process to improve speed, visibility, and consistency.
• Partner with Store Development to ensure new sites transition smoothly into construction and opening phases.
• Collaborate with Retail Operations to align opening timelines and performance expectations.
• Work closely with Finance to model deal economics, validate assumptions, and manage budget-to-actuals tracking.
• Communicate progress across internal teams, maintaining clear visibility into timelines, risks, and dependencies.
• Serve as Studs' key contact for brokers and landlords during active deal cycles.
• Manage broker performance and deal pipelines across multiple markets.
• Build effective relationships with external partners to accelerate access to high-quality opportunities.
• Represent Studs' brand and business standards with professionalism and commercial savvy.

Requirements :

Benefits & Perks :

Studs is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity without regard to race, color, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, citizenship, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status. Studs considers qualified applicants with criminal histories. We comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which we operate. If you require an accommodation for the application process, please fill out this form.

Massachusetts Applicants : It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.