Site Acquisition Manager - Southern California

Zipline is the world’s 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 world’s 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 world’s 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 we’ve 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 people’s 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.

As a Site Acquisition Manager, you are the tip of the spear for network expansion. This is a pure deal role—built 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.

You’ll 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 job—not the exception.

This position will focus on site acquisition in metros across the Southern California region. This role comes with expected domestic travel up to 20%.

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 time—building 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.

• 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 (you’re always closing while filling the funnel).
• Durable site-host relationships that support long-term operations. 

• 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.
• Ability to travel up to 20% across the Southern California region.
• Authorized to work in the U.S

• 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).

The starting cash range for this role is $120,000-160,000. 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 candidate's 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.