Skip to main content
a group of people walking in a hallway

Director, Portfolio and Retail M&A

Company Overview

Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO) is part of Bridgestone Americas and employs over 22,000 teammates in North America. BSRO operates more than 2,200 company-owned stores, including Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus and Wheel Works locations. With locations across North America and more than $4.5 billion in tire and auto service sales, Bridgestone Retail Operations is the right place to build a career. Whatever role you fill, when you represent the Bridgestone name, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to Serve Society with Superior Quality. We start by offering each teammate more than just competitive pay. We provide formal training, performance incentives, paid vacation and holidays, competitive healthcare packages for full-time and part-time employees, and a 401k plan to help build towards your future. We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they are allowed to bring their whole self to work and know they are supported. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. So, show us what you are made of. Show us the smart stuff, the tough stuff, the bold, beautiful and brave stuff. Because who you are is what we need.

Job Category

Real Estate & Property Management

Position Summary

A preferred candidate has been identified for this role. While all applications will be reviewed, the hiring manager may choose not to hold interviews and select the preferred candidate. In this case, all internal applicants will be notified of the decision.

The Director, Portfolio and Retail M&A is responsible for developing and executing investment and portfolio strategies aligned with BSRO’s long-term network growth and enterprise objectives. This role leads small-to-mid-sized corporate retail acquisitions and portfolio real estate transactions, including multi-site acquisitions and complex real estate opportunities, with accountability from initial evaluation and underwriting through closing and store conversion/integration. The Director also leads strategic portfolio planning and investment initiatives designed to accelerate growth, optimize BSRO’s retail network and maximize long-term real estate value.

Bridgestone is committed to fair and lawful compensation practices. All employees receive pay that meets or exceeds the applicable minimum wage requirements.

___

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute investment and portfolio strategies aligned with BSRO’s long-term network growth, financial and enterprise objectives.
  • Lead small-to-mid-sized corporate retail acquisitions and portfolio real estate transactions, including multi-site acquisitions and complex real estate opportunities, with accountability from initial evaluation through closing and store conversion/integration.
  • Lead the financial evaluation and underwriting of acquisition and portfolio opportunities, including valuation, financial modeling, capital requirements, return analysis and investment recommendations.
  • Direct real estate and business diligence and regulatory approvals for acquisition opportunities, evaluating portfolio quality, market positioning, site viability, lease obligations, capital needs, risks and conversion requirements.
  • Structure and negotiate complex transactions involving multiple locations, sellers, landlords and other counterparties, including asset purchase agreements, purchase agreements, leases, lease assignments and other transaction documents.
  • Develop comprehensive investment cases and recommendations for senior leadership, evaluating strategic fit, financial returns, capital requirements, transaction structure, risk and long-term value creation.
  • Lead cross-functional execution of retail acquisitions and portfolio transactions, coordinating with Operations, Finance, Legal, Construction, Accounting, IT, Marketing and other internal stakeholders.
  • Lead post-acquisition real estate conversion and integration planning, establishing priorities, timelines and accountability to efficiently integrate acquired locations into the BSRO network.
  • Develop strategic portfolio recommendations based on market strategy, store performance, financial returns, operational needs, portfolio risk and long-term growth objectives.
  • Identify and evaluate opportunities for strategic relocations, consolidations, dispositions, portfolio restructures and other action that improve network quality, market position and long-term value.
  • Evaluate portfolio and multi-site opportunities that can accelerate network growth, increase density, secure high-quality real estate and supplement traditional new-store development.
  • Partner closely with Asset Management on portfolio initiatives requiring lease renewals, restructures, dispositions or other asset-level execution while maintaining accountability for the broader portfolio investment strategy.
  • Partner with Real Estate Development and Market Research and Strategy to ensure portfolio investment and acquisition activity aligns with priority markets and BSRO’s broader network strategy.
  • Provide strategic recommendations regarding capital allocation across acquisitions, portfolio investments and other complex real estate opportunities.
  • Establish appropriate governance, reporting and risk-management processes for portfolio and M&A activity, ensuring timely identification and escalation of material issues.
  • Develop and maintain strategic relationships with REITs, major retail property owners, developers, brokers, business owners, investors and other industry partners to identify acquisition, portfolio and other strategic opportunities.
  • Evaluate alternative transaction structures, including selective joint ventures and other strategic real estate arrangements, where appropriate to support growth or portfolio objectives.
  • Serve as a real estate subject matter expert for complex, strategic and confidential investment and acquisition opportunities.
  • Foster a collaborative, customer-centric environment focused on financial discipline, problem-solving and execution.

Reporting Relationships

  • Lead assigned resources and cross-functional project teams in support of portfolio strategy, acquisitions and transaction execution.


Minimum Qualifications

  • Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in retail real estate, corporate development, M&A, finance or related fields, preferably within a large, multi-site retail organization.
  • Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, real estate, law or a related field.
  • Extensive experience evaluating and executing complex real estate, portfolio or M&A transactions.
  • Strong financial and investment acumen, including valuation, financial modeling, capital analysis and investment return metrics.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead complex transactions and cross-functional initiatives from evaluation through execution.
  • Strong negotiation, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
  • Detailed knowledge of leases, purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements, due diligence materials and other real estate and transaction documents.
  • Exceptional verbal, written and executive presentation skills.
  • High level of proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and real estate technology platforms.

At Bridgestone, you are Free to Be


We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they feel safe bringing their chosen version of themselves to work. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. So, show us what you are made of, because who you are is what we need.


What we offer


At Bridgestone, what really matters is to foster co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality”, for that, we offer you more than just a competitive compensation; we will provide you:


  • A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.
  • The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
  • A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment.
  • Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being.
  • An effective and inclusive team.

Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is our policy to consider all individuals for employment based on their unique merit and without regard to age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.


Employment Eligibility

If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.

Our Benefits

Bridgestone Americas believes that taking care of you means more than just a prescription or dental plan. Our benefit plans are designed to meet our teammates' emotional, financial and physical needs, helping them thrive at work.

a group of men on treadmills

Physical Health

At Bridgestone, we care about your physical health. That’s why we offer competitive benefits to ensure our teammates have access to quality and equitable healthcare.

Learn More
a woman in a red jacket

Emotional Well-being

We recognize that emotional well-being is just as important as physical health. That's why we offer a supportive work environment and resources to help our teammates manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Learn More
a man and woman sitting at a table with laptops

Financial Well-being

Bridgestone helps you invest in your future by investing in you. We provide resources and benefits to support your financial health, including retirement plans and financial planning resources, among others.

Learn More

Bridgestone Application & Interview FAQs

Answers to frequently asked questions about our application and interview process to help you prepare.

Before you apply for one of the available opportunities at Bridgestone, review each of the skills needed for the role that interests you and be prepared to show how you meet the qualifications.

Whether on a job application or your resume, it is essential to customize your information to highlight the most relevant connections to the job you want.

Once you have provided your information to Bridgestone, you will receive a request for an interview if you are being considered.

In the Bridgestone hiring process, depending on the role you are being considered for, you may have a one-on-one interview or a panel interview, and both can happen in person or via video call. If you are applying for a manufacturing or retail role, you will probably interview in person or at the location where you plan to work. All these factors can change how you might prepare for and conduct an interview, so we have created a guide that covers virtual or video interview tips and in-person interview tips. We have also included other common information you should consider.

Prepare Your “Elevator Speech”
In most interviews, you will get the prompt to “tell us about yourself” or something of that nature. It’s best to prepare a short but compelling description of yourself. Consider including:
Brief summary of your career, potentially highlighting your most relevant job.
Why are you looking to start a career at Bridgestone, or are you looking to change careers/jobs?
What was interesting about this particular role or working at Bridgestone?

Be Ready to Answer Questions
During an interview, you will be asked questions about previous experience to learn more about you. Whether you are asked about strengths or weaknesses or about a particular work situation that you might have considered a challenge or a win, it helps if you structure your answers with the STAR Method.
Situation: Describe the challenge you faced, win you had, or relevant situation
Task: Explain the role you played
Action: What were the detailed steps you took or how you accomplished the task
Result: Explain the outcome
Make sure that it is relevant to the role you are seeking. This method also helps you demonstrate how you accomplished something or overcame a challenge independently or while working well with a team.

Be Ready to Ask Questions
It is also important to ask questions to help you make an informed decision about the role if an offer is extended to you. Remember that you are interviewing Bridgestone as much as we are interviewing you, so asking interview questions is critical.
Some questions you can ask:
What would my day-to-day role look like?
Describe the team I would be working with.
What is your favorite thing about working at Bridgestone?
You mentioned (insert topic here). Tell me more about that.

By asking open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” you can learn more about the role and the people you would be working with. And by circling back on information shared during the interview, you show that you are actively listening and interested.

Plan Your Route
If you are interviewing in person, map out the route you will take before the day of your interview to make sure you allow enough time for travel. Be mindful of traffic patterns and look for any construction in the area. Aim to be about 15 minutes early for your interview so you can find a place to park and take some time to prepare mentally.
If you have an unexpected schedule conflict, notify your recruiter via phone/email/text so they can work to reschedule your time.

Dress to Impress
Dress appropriately for the role you want. Different work environments may be more casual, but you always want to look your best for an interview. Consider this for a video interview as well. Most of us have better posture and body language when we look and feel our best. While no one may know you are wearing pajamas, your casual demeanor may not make a great first impression. Make sure you are free of as many distractions as possible. With many of us having to work from home while taking care of our families, we understand that quiet space can be challenging to find for you as well as for the interviewers. While we encourage you to find an area where you can focus and not be interrupted, we understand that life happens and might just happen during your interview, so don’t stress too much about it.

What to Bring
Even if you have provided a resume, always bring one additional copy for each person interviewing you. And for any interview, it’s always good to bring a pen and paper if you want to take notes. Stay engaged in the conversation; no one wants to see the top of your head while you write notes for the entire interview.

There may be a chance one or more of your interviews will be conducted virtually. Here are our tips to prepare;

Check Your Tech
Confirm what platform you will use and make sure that you have it properly installed and launched on your system.
If you use a device like a tablet or a laptop, ensure it is fully charged. Try not to use a phone if possible.
Confirm that your webcam and microphone are allowed and work correctly in your chosen browser.
Test your internet connection to ensure it is strong and working.
If using headphones, make sure they are connected and selected prior.
At the beginning of the interview, verify that the interviewer can hear and see you.
Close other programs on your computer. Getting notifications during your interview is distracting and unprofessional. Before your interview, ensure all other computer windows are closed, and notifications are silenced or turned off.
Switch your other devices onto silent mode; however, have your phone handy if your interviewer is having technical difficulties or trying to reach out via phone or email.
If you need any accessibility accommodations or are concerned about the required virtual platform not being fully accessible for you, please let the recruiter at Bridgestone know. We will reach out to discuss how to best support you.

Prepare Your Space
Conduct your interview in a quiet, well-lit environment, without a backlight or window that may put you in a shadow.
Find a place with a simple backdrop or blank wall to eliminate distractions and put the focus on you.
Avoid taking an interview from your vehicle. If it is the only quiet place you can find, DO NOT attempt to interview while driving or in a moving vehicle; our recruiters will end the call. After all, at Bridgestone, we make safety a business value.

Smile for the Camera
Look at the camera. Looking directly at the video camera (not the screen) is the only way to maintain direct eye contact with your interviewer.
Try to focus on sitting up straight and making eye contact. At the beginning of the interview, verify that the interviewer can hear and see you.
Be mindful of your body language. Not all physical cues translate from in-person interviews to video interviews. Be sure to have good posture and stay engaged.
Silence any other technology, i.e. smart watches; you don’t want to be distracted or appear disinterested during your interview."

When the interview ends, whether virtual or in person, you can ask what to expect as the next step in the process. The person conducting the interview can let you know if there are additional interviews to expect or if you will hear from HR with a decision as to whether you have been chosen for the role.

We ask that you be patient as we may have several candidates to interview, but we value your time and will offer the professional courtesy of a response either way. Also, if you are no longer interested in the role or have accepted another role, please notify your recruiter so they can remove you from the interview process.

Join Our Talent Community

As a member of our Talent Community, you will receive access to news, events and career opportunities at Bridgestone. Sign up now and take the first step towards a fulfilling career with us.

Sign Up
a woman sitting on a couch with a laptop