Site Acquisition Manager, Midwest
Chicago, IL - USA
Job Summary
About Zipline
Zipline is the worlds largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food medicine and essential goods anytime anywhere. We design build and operate the worlds largest autonomous logistics system delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today Zipline operates on four continents makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds and has completed millions of deliveries to date including blood vaccines medical supplies food and retail products.
Our customers include the worlds largest and most prominent healthcare systems governments retailers restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives reduce emissions increase economic opportunity and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what weve built to enable seamless reliable global operations.
Our system strengthens supply chains reduces congestion and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown Zipline is redefining access to healthcare consumer products and food across the globe.
We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct meaningful impact on peoples lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles enjoy facing adversity and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.
About You and The Role
As a Site Acquisition Manager you are the tip of the spear for network expansion. This is a pure deal rolebuilt for an elite closer who loves the hunt runs high-volume outreach and turns no into signed agreements. You will own site acquisition end-to-end: sourcing qualification negotiation contracting signature handoff while keeping the top of the funnel full at all times.
Youll partner closely with cross-functional teams (Real Estate Development Legal Design/Engineering Finance and Operations) but you are the deal owner accountable for pace quality and results. This role is for someone who thrives with autonomy moves fast with disciplined process and treats aggressive targets as the jobnot the exception.
This position can be based in multiple locations across our Midwest territory. This role comes with expected domestic travel up to 20%.
What Youll Do
Own the top of funnel (pipeline creation)
- Build and maintain a robust pipeline across assigned markets using broker networks and direct-to-owner sourcing.
- Run a high-activity outreach engine (cold outreach tours meetings relationship development) to maintain healthy pipeline coverage.
- Develop territory plans: target lists corridor prioritization competitive mapping and weekly pipeline forecasts.
Close deals (LOI signature)
- Lead negotiations end-to-end: LOIs/term sheets through definitive agreements (ground leases/licenses amendments exhibits) in partnership with Legal.
- Secure infrastructure-critical rights and protections including access easements construction rights utility coordination options/renewals exclusivity/non-interference assignment insurance/indemnity cure periods/remedies and termination rights.
- Maintain contracting velocity when Legal bandwidth is constrained by triaging redlines batching issues using templates/playbooks and escalating decisions with clear options.
Qualify buildable sites early (diligence)
- Drive early diligence to avoid dead ends: zoning/land-use feasibility access/egress utilities title/easements environmental red flags and basic constructability considerations.
- Create clear internal site packages that surface risks early and align stakeholders before pushing to signature.
Operate like an owner (process scale)
- Maintain clean CRM and deal documentation (using Salesforce or a comparable CRM plus internal tools) with disciplined stages and accurate forecasting.
- Report weekly on pipeline health conversion close probability blockers and help-needed asks.
- Improve playbooks templates sourcing strategies and broker programs to increase close rate and reduce cycle timebuilding a repeatable acquisition engine.
- Anticipate and respond to shifting priorities by continuously monitoring key signals and bringing leadership clear options (tradeoffs impact timeline) to drive quick decisions and keep deals moving.
Own relationships post-signature
- Build durable site-host relationships post-launch to protect performance reduce fallout and unlock future expansion.
What Success Looks Like
- Consistent delivery of signed buildable sites in priority markets.
- High outreach volume strong conversion rates and fast cycle times from first contact to signature.
- High-quality deals that move smoothly into delivery with low fallout risk.
- Healthy forward pipeline coverage (youre always closing while filling the funnel).
- Durable site-host relationships that support long-term operations.
What Youll Bring
- 3 years of site acquisition / real estate dealmaking experience (distributed infrastructure retail rollouts QSR convenience telecom logistics industrial or similar).
- Proven ability to source and close deals end-to-end (not just support).
- Strong negotiation and contracting instincts with sophisticated counterparties.
- Experience driving contracting workflows (LOI definitive agreement) and managing multiple concurrent redlines with Legal.
- Working knowledge of early feasibility considerations (zoning/land-use access utilities permitting constraints) to qualify sites pre-signature.
- Strong organizational rigor and CRM discipline; proficiency with a CRM system (e.g. Salesforce or equivalent) for pipeline management and forecasting.
- Authorized to work in the U.S
Nice to Have
- Experience executing multi-site rollouts and/or building standardized acquisition programs (templates broker programs playbooks).
- Track record winning competitive sites under tight timelines.
- Existing broker/owner network in key North American metros.
- Experience in regulated or infrastructure-heavy environments (aviation EV charging telecom logistics industrial).
What Else You Need to Know
Please note that this is a target starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors including a specific candidates experience qualifications skills working location and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.
Required Experience:
Manager
About Company
Zipline is the world's largest autonomous delivery system, specializing in on-demand drone delivery and instant logistics.