Director, Global Real Estate

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The Director, Global Real Estate, is here to define and execute our worldwide property strategy. You'll be the architect behind our real estate portfolio, making sure it perfectly matches where the business is heading over the next few years. This means you're not just reacting to requests; you're proactively identifying opportunities and risks across our global footprint, whether that's an office in London, a distribution centre in Manchester, or a manufacturing plant in Germany. When you do this job well, our property costs are optimised, our teams have inspiring places to work, and we can expand into new markets without a hitch. If it goes wrong, we're stuck with expensive, unsuitable buildings that drag down our bottom line and make it harder for our people to do their best work. The tricky part is balancing short-term cost pressures with long-term strategic needs, all while navigating different regulations and market conditions across multiple countries. The reward? You get to see your strategic decisions directly impact the company's success, literally shaping where we grow next, and that's pretty powerful.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: VP, Corporate Real Estate
• Direct reports: Roughly 25-100+ people, including managers and individual contributors across various regions. It's a proper team, not just a few folks.
• Matrix relationships: Director of Corporate Real Estate, Head of Real Estate, VP Real Estate (UK & EMEA),

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• CFO and Finance leadership (for budget, P&L, strategic investments)
• Business Unit VPs (to understand their growth plans and space needs)
• Legal Counsel (for contracts, compliance, M&A due diligence)
• HR and People Operations (for workplace strategy, employee experience)
• IT Infrastructure (for data centre locations, network connectivity)
• Global Facilities Management (for operational handover, maintenance standards)

External:

• Global Real Estate Brokers (for market intelligence, transactions)
• Landlords and Property Developers (for negotiations, new builds)
• External Legal Counsel (for complex international deals)
• Investment Banks (for M&A real estate due diligence, sale-leasebacks)
• Local Government and Regulatory Bodies (for planning, permits)
• Industry Associations (for best practices, networking)

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role directly impacts our global operating costs, our ability to scale, and our overall employee experience. Your decisions can save (or cost) the company millions of pounds annually and fundamentally change how and where we operate. You're not just supporting the business; you're a critical enabler of its strategic objectives, particularly around growth, efficiency, and sustainability. Frankly, if you get this wrong, it can seriously hamper our ability to compete.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Portfolio Cost Reduction
2. Desc: Annual savings achieved through strategic consolidations, dispositions, and renegotiations across the global portfolio.
3. Target: Deliver £2M-£5M in annual occupancy cost savings, year-over-year.
4. Freq: Quarterly and Annually
5. Example: In Q2, you successfully negotiated a lease termination for an underutilised office, saving £750K, and consolidated two smaller warehouses into one larger, more efficient facility, saving another £1.2M annually in operating costs.
6. Metric: Portfolio Flexibility & Optimisation
7. Desc: The percentage of the global portfolio with viable lease expiration or termination options within a 3-year window, allowing for strategic agility.
8. Target: Increase portfolio flexibility from 20% to 35% within 18 months.
9. Freq: Bi-annually
10. Example: By proactively renegotiating key leases, you shifted 15% of our portfolio to include more favourable break clauses, giving us the option to downsize or exit if business needs change, without incurring significant penalties.
11. Metric: Strategic Alignment & Project Success Rate
12. Desc: The percentage of real estate projects successfully completed that directly support key business initiatives (e.g., new market entry, M&A integration, major headcount growth).
13. Target: Successfully execute 95% of all real estate projects tied to major corporate initiatives.
14. Freq: Quarterly
15. Example: You delivered new office space in Berlin and Paris on time and within budget, directly enabling the expansion of our European sales teams, which was a critical Q4 business objective.
16. Metric: Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Efficiency
17. Desc: The effectiveness of capital spend on real estate projects, measured against budget and expected return on investment.
18. Target: Maintain CapEx projects within 5% of approved budget and achieve projected ROI targets for 90% of major investments.
19. Freq: Project-based and Annually
20. Example: The £5M renovation of our London HQ came in at £4.9M (2% under budget), and the projected 15% increase in employee satisfaction (measured by internal surveys) was met within 6 months of completion.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Executive & Board Influence
2. Desc: Your ability to effectively present complex real estate strategies, risks, and opportunities to the C-suite and Board, influencing key strategic decisions.
3. Evidence: You're regularly invited to present at Board meetings on property matters. Your recommendations are typically adopted by the executive team. You're seen as the 'go-to' expert for all things real estate, and your input is actively sought on major business strategy discussions.
4. Metric: Team Leadership & Development
5. Desc: The effectiveness of your leadership in building, mentoring, and retaining a high-performing global real estate team.
6. Evidence: Your direct reports consistently meet their objectives and show clear career progression. Employee engagement scores for your team are above company average. You're known for developing talent and creating a positive, results-oriented team culture. You've got a solid succession plan in place for key roles.
7. Metric: Risk Anticipation & Mitigation
8. Desc: Your proactive identification and management of potential real estate risks, including market volatility, regulatory changes, and operational disruptions.
9. Evidence: You regularly present detailed risk assessments and mitigation plans to leadership. We rarely encounter 'surprises' in real estate because you've already flagged them. You've implemented robust contingency plans for critical sites, and they've been tested.
10. Metric: Cross-Functional Partnership
11. Desc: How well you collaborate and build strong relationships with other departments (e.g., Finance, Legal, HR, IT) to ensure real estate strategy is fully integrated.
12. Evidence: Other department heads consistently praise your team's responsiveness and collaborative approach. You're involved early in strategic discussions that have real estate implications. Your projects rarely hit roadblocks due to lack of internal alignment or communication.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Strategic Visionary (The Chess Player)
• Manifestation: You don't just see the next move; you see the whole board, three years out. You connect global economic trends to our office footprint, and headcount projections to our warehouse capacity. When someone asks about a new market, you've already thought about the property implications, the talent pool, and the local regulations. You're always asking 'what if?' and 'what next?'
• Benefit: At this level, we can't afford to be reactive. Our real estate decisions have multi-million pound, multi-year consequences. We need someone who can anticipate future needs, identify opportunities, and mitigate risks before they hit us. This trait ensures our property portfolio is an asset, not a liability, in our long-term growth story.
• Trait: Executive Communicator (The Board Whisperer)
• Manifestation: You can distill a complex, multi-country property strategy into a concise, compelling 5-minute update for the CEO. You know when to dive into the detail and when to keep it high-level. You're comfortable challenging senior leaders with data, but you also know how to build consensus and get buy-in for big, expensive initiatives. You're as good at listening as you are at presenting.
• Benefit: You'll be presenting to the Board and C-suite regularly. They don't have time for jargon or rambling. We need someone who can articulate complex real estate strategies clearly, confidently, and persuasively, ensuring our leadership team is informed and aligned on critical property investments and divestments. Your ability to influence at this level is paramount.
• Trait: Resilient Leader (The Unflappable Captain)
• Manifestation: When a major deal threatens to collapse at the last minute, or a global pandemic throws all your plans out the window, you're the one who calmly reassesses, re-strategises, and rallies the team. You absorb the pressure from above and protect your team from unnecessary stress, giving them clear direction. You bounce back from setbacks quickly and learn from them, without dwelling on what went wrong.
• Benefit: The world of global real estate is full of curveballs—market crashes, political instability, unexpected regulatory changes. This role is about steering the ship through those storms. We need a leader who can maintain composure, make tough decisions under pressure, and keep the team focused and motivated, even when things get really messy. Your resilience directly impacts your team's ability to perform and the business's ability to adapt.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Diplomatic Negotiator
• Desc: You're an expert at navigating complex relationships, managing the egos of high-powered brokers, landlords, and internal business unit leaders. You can find common ground and achieve win-win outcomes even in high-stakes negotiations, all while protecting the company's interests.
• Trait: Commercially Astute
• Desc: You don't just understand the property market; you deeply understand our business model, our revenue drivers, and our cost structures. You can translate real estate decisions into their direct commercial impact on the P&L, identifying both risks and opportunities.
• Trait: Decisive
• Desc: You're comfortable making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information, knowing when to push for more data and when to trust your gut. You don't get stuck in analysis paralysis; you weigh the options, pick a path, and move forward.
• Trait: Talent Developer
• Desc: You genuinely enjoy coaching and mentoring your team, helping them grow their skills and advance their careers. You delegate effectively, empowering your managers, and you're always looking for ways to build a stronger, more capable real estate function.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Strategic Impact & Business Growth
2. Daily: You'll spend a good chunk of your time thinking about how our property portfolio can directly enable new market entries, support M&A activities, or drive cost efficiencies that hit the bottom line. You'll be in meetings with business unit VPs, helping them figure out how real estate can solve their biggest challenges.
3. Motivator: Leading & Developing High-Performing Teams
4. Daily: You'll be coaching your regional managers, helping them navigate complex deals, and setting clear strategic objectives for the entire global team. You'll get a kick out of seeing your team members grow, take on more responsibility, and deliver exceptional results.
5. Motivator: Solving Complex, Multi-jurisdictional Challenges
6. Daily: You'll thrive on the intellectual puzzle of optimising a portfolio across different countries, each with its own legal, tax, and market nuances. Dealing with a complex sale-leaseback in Asia while simultaneously planning a new HQ in Europe? That's your sweet spot.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone. If you crave predictability, you'll probably struggle. You'll often find yourself in political battles for budget or resources, having to justify every major investment to a sceptical board. You'll deal with legacy systems that are clunky and slow, and you'll inherit data messes from years ago that your team will have to clean up. The pace can be relentless, with urgent requests coming in from different time zones, often disrupting carefully laid plans. You'll spend a lot of time managing expectations and mediating conflicts between strong personalities—brokers, lawyers, and internal stakeholders all have their own agendas. If you need to see every single project go perfectly to plan, or if you're not comfortable with constant ambiguity and high-stakes pressure, this might not be the right fit.

Common Frustrations

1. The constant battle for capital: getting significant real estate investments approved can feel like pulling teeth, even when the business case is clear.
2. Navigating internal politics: different business units often have conflicting real estate needs, and you're the one in the middle trying to get everyone on the same page.
3. Slow decision-making at the executive level: major strategic property moves can get bogged down in endless reviews, causing missed opportunities.
4. Dealing with underperforming team members (or entire regions) and having to make tough calls on restructuring or performance management.
5. The sheer volume of information and complexity when managing a global portfolio; it's easy to feel overwhelmed if you don't have robust systems and a great team.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A quiet, predictable 9-to-5 working pattern. Expect urgent calls from different time zones.
2. A role where you're solely focused on individual transactions; this is about strategy and leadership.
3. Complete autonomy without accountability; you'll have significant authority, but also significant scrutiny.
4. A role free from political manoeuvring or having to manage difficult personalities.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast-paced, high-stakes nature of global real estate transactions can be incredibly engaging for those with ADHD, providing constant novelty and intellectual stimulation.
2. The need to quickly pivot between different projects, regions, and strategic challenges can play to strengths in rapid context switching and hyperfocus on urgent tasks.
3. The role demands innovative problem-solving and thinking 'outside the box' for complex portfolio challenges, which can be a natural strength.
4. Leading a diverse team means you're often orchestrating multiple moving parts, which can be energising.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. The sheer volume of detail and documentation required for compliance and due diligence can be challenging; robust support from detail-oriented team members and AI tools for abstraction (as mentioned in section 4B) are crucial.
2. Maintaining focus on long-term strategic initiatives amidst constant urgent demands requires strong executive function; using visual planning tools and delegating operational detail can help.
3. Managing a large team requires consistent follow-up and structured communication; implementing clear reporting cadences and using project management software will be key.
4. We can offer flexible working arrangements to help manage energy levels and focus, and support with executive coaching to refine organisational strategies.

Dyslexia Positives

1. Dyslexic individuals often excel in big-picture strategic thinking, pattern recognition, and connecting disparate ideas – all crucial for global portfolio optimisation.
2. Strong verbal communication and negotiation skills, common among dyslexic leaders, are highly valued for executive presentations and complex deal-making.
3. The ability to visualise complex spatial relationships and property layouts can be a significant advantage in site selection and portfolio planning.
4. You'll be leading a team, so delegating detailed document review to others is a natural part of the role.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Reading and reviewing extensive legal documents (leases, contracts) can be demanding; using text-to-speech software, having dedicated support for document review, and leveraging AI for summarisation will be important.
2. Producing detailed written reports for the Board might require extra time or support for proofreading; we encourage using AI writing assistants and having a trusted colleague review key documents.
3. We provide access to assistive technologies and can offer flexible deadlines for written deliverables when possible, focusing on the content and strategic insight over perfect grammar.

Autism Positives

1. The logical, systematic approach required for portfolio analysis, risk assessment, and process standardisation can be a strong fit for autistic individuals.
2. Deep expertise in specific areas of real estate (e.g., financial modelling, regulatory compliance) is highly valued at this level, and the ability to dive deep is a strength.
3. A preference for clear, direct communication can be highly effective in negotiations and setting expectations with internal and external partners.
4. The role involves developing and implementing robust frameworks and systems, which can be very appealing.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. Navigating complex social dynamics, internal politics, and unspoken cues in executive meetings can be challenging; we can provide pre-briefs on meeting attendees and agendas, and support with executive coaching on stakeholder management.
2. Frequent travel and adapting to new environments can be demanding; we aim to provide as much predictability as possible in travel schedules and support with travel planning.
3. Sensory overload in busy office environments or during large conferences might be an issue; we offer quiet zones, noise-cancelling headphones, and flexibility to work remotely when appropriate.
4. We value direct and honest feedback and can adapt communication styles to be clear and explicit.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Director, Global Real Estate (L6)
2. Responsibilities: Define and drive the multi-year global real estate strategy, ensuring it's perfectly aligned with the company's overarching business objectives and growth plans. This means looking 3-5 years ahead, not just the next quarter.
3. Own the global real estate P&L, managing budgets from £2M to £10M+ annually. You'll be accountable for all capital and operating expenditure related to our property portfolio, presenting regularly to the CFO and Board.
4. Lead and develop a high-performing global team of real estate professionals, including regional managers and transaction specialists (25-100+ people). This involves setting clear goals, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
5. Architect and execute complex, high-value transactions, including major acquisitions, dispositions, M&A real estate integration, and large-scale sale-leaseback programmes. You'll be the one making the final calls on these big deals.
6. Present strategic real estate recommendations, portfolio performance, and risk assessments to the C-suite and Board of Directors. You'll need to distil complex information into clear, actionable insights that influence top-level decisions.
7. Drive transformation initiatives across the real estate function, implementing new technologies (like advanced portfolio analytics or digital twins) and optimising processes to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
8. Build and maintain strategic relationships with key external partners—global brokers, major landlords, developers, and industry bodies—to ensure we're always getting the best market intelligence and deal flow.
9. Supervision: You'll operate with full strategic autonomy within your business unit, reporting directly to the VP, Corporate Real Estate. Your performance will be measured against multi-year objectives and significant P&L targets. Board-level alignment and C-suite buy-in are critical for major strategic shifts.
10. Decision: Full strategic authority within the global real estate domain. This includes P&L responsibility for £2M-£10M+, approval for all major real estate transactions (acquisitions, dispositions, significant leases), organisational design for your team, and involvement in M&A real estate due diligence and integration. Any decision impacting the overall corporate balance sheet or requiring significant capital allocation will be presented to the Board for final approval, but your recommendation will carry significant weight.
11. Success: Success at this level means delivering quantifiable cost savings across the portfolio, significantly improving portfolio flexibility, and consistently enabling business growth through strategic property decisions. It also means building a highly effective, engaged global team and being recognised as a trusted strategic advisor by the C-suite and Board. Essentially, your real estate portfolio should be a competitive advantage for the company.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Strategic Portfolio Planning
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Defines and sets the global portfolio strategy, with C-suite and Board alignment. Accountable for multi-year strategic roadmap.
• Type: Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Approval
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Approves CapEx projects up to £500K-£1M for individual sites. Recommends and justifies larger projects (£1M-£10M+) to the CFO and Board.
• Type: Major Transaction Approval (Acquisitions/Dispositions)
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Approves all significant real estate transactions (e.g., leases over £1M TCV, acquisitions/dispositions up to £5M). Recommends larger M&A-related real estate deals to the Board.
• Type: Team Hiring & Organisational Design
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Full authority for hiring all roles within the global real estate function, including managers. Designs the organisational structure of the global real estate team.
• Type: Vendor & Broker Selection
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Selects and manages global real estate brokerage firms, legal counsel, and other key service providers. Approves contracts up to £500K for these services.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

At the Director level, your foundation skills aren't just about doing the work; they're about leading, influencing, and shaping the entire function. We're looking for someone who can think strategically, communicate with executive presence, and build high-performing teams.

• Category: Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Skills: Ability to define and articulate a compelling multi-year global real estate strategy that aligns with corporate objectives.
• Demonstrated experience in organisational design and building high-performing, geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong capability in identifying emerging market trends, technological shifts, and regulatory changes, and integrating them into strategic plans.
• Proven track record of driving large-scale transformation initiatives within a corporate real estate function.
• Category: Executive Communication & Influence
• Skills: Exceptional ability to present complex real estate strategies and financial analyses to C-suite executives and Board members.
• Mastery in negotiation and influencing skills, capable of securing buy-in from diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Adept at translating technical real estate concepts into clear, commercially relevant language for non-specialists.
• Skilled in managing media relations or public communications related to major property announcements (e.g., new HQ, large-scale divestment).
• Category: Complex Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Skills: Proven ability to solve ambiguous, multi-faceted problems with significant financial and operational impact.
• Expertise in risk identification, assessment, and mitigation planning for global real estate portfolios (e.g., geopolitical risk, environmental liabilities).
• Demonstrated capacity for making high-stakes decisions under pressure, often with incomplete information.
• Ability to critically evaluate complex financial models and due diligence reports from multiple sources.
• Category: Financial Acumen & P&L Management
• Skills: Deep understanding of corporate finance principles, including P&L management, balance sheet impact, and capital allocation.
• Proven experience in managing multi-million pound budgets and delivering against stringent financial targets.
• Expertise in developing and presenting robust business cases for major real estate investments and divestments.
• Strong grasp of tax implications, accounting standards (e.g., IFRS 16), and treasury functions related to real estate.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

You'll need a comprehensive grasp of all aspects of global corporate real estate, from the technical details of a lease to the strategic implications of a portfolio-wide divestment programme. This isn't just about knowing the tools; it's about applying them to drive enterprise-level value.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Global Portfolio Optimisation & Strategy
• Desc: Designing and executing strategies to optimise a multi-country real estate portfolio for cost efficiency, flexibility, and alignment with long-term business goals. This includes identifying opportunities for consolidation, sale-leasebacks, and market entry/exit strategies.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Enterprise Financial Modelling & Valuation
• Desc: Developing sophisticated financial models (NPV, IRR, cash flow) for large-scale acquisitions, dispositions, and complex lease vs. buy scenarios, often involving multiple currencies and tax regimes. This includes auditing and stress-testing models from external advisors.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: M&A Real Estate Due Diligence & Integration
• Desc: Leading the real estate component of mergers and acquisitions, including comprehensive due diligence on target company portfolios, identifying risks and synergies, and developing post-acquisition integration plans.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Advanced Negotiation Strategy
• Desc: Developing and executing high-level negotiation strategies for multi-million pound transactions, including complex lease restructures, major acquisitions, and strategic dispositions. This involves understanding global market dynamics and counterparty motivations.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Global Lease Administration & Compliance
• Desc: Establishing and overseeing robust global lease administration processes, ensuring compliance with IFRS 16, local regulations, and critical date management across diverse jurisdictions. This includes setting standards for data integrity and reporting.
• Level: Advanced

Digital Tools

• Tool: CoStar Real Estate Manager / MRI Software / Yardi Voyager
• Level: Architect
• Usage: Leading the strategic selection, implementation, and customisation of enterprise-level lease administration and portfolio management platforms. Designing global reporting dashboards and ensuring data integrity for strategic decision-making.
• Tool: Excel (Power Query, VBA, Advanced Financial Functions)
• Level: Architect
• Usage: Developing standardised, complex financial modelling templates for global use. Auditing and stress-testing high-stakes financial models from external advisors or internal teams. Integrating Excel models with corporate FP&A systems like Anaplan.
• Tool: CoStar Suite (COMPS, Go), LoopNet, REIS
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Using these platforms to drive global market analysis, identify emerging trends, challenge broker assumptions, and inform C-suite on macro real estate dynamics for strategic planning.
• Tool: Dealpath / Asana / Monday.com (or similar enterprise PM tools)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Implementing and standardising transaction and project management platforms across the global team. Developing KPIs and executive-level reporting within these tools to monitor portfolio-wide transaction progress and identify bottlenecks.
• Tool: Power BI / Tableau / Anaplan / Diligent Boards
• Level: Architect
• Usage: Designing and building executive dashboards for portfolio performance. Presenting strategic recommendations and financial outcomes to the C-suite and Board, often integrating data from various sources into these platforms.
• Tool: SharePoint / Box / Datasite / DocuSign (and enterprise VDRs)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Setting global document retention and security policies. Managing enterprise-level platform relationships and integrations for virtual data rooms (VDRs) used in large-scale M&A or disposition programmes.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Global Real Estate Markets & Trends
• Desc: Deep understanding of major commercial real estate markets worldwide, including supply/demand dynamics, vacancy rates, rental trends, and investment yields. Awareness of geopolitical and economic factors impacting global property.
• Area: Corporate Finance & Real Estate Accounting
• Desc: Comprehensive knowledge of IFRS 16 lease accounting standards, capitalisation policies, depreciation, and the impact of real estate decisions on corporate financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow).
• Area: International Property Law & Regulations
• Desc: Familiarity with key aspects of property law, zoning regulations, planning permissions, and environmental regulations across multiple jurisdictions (e.g., UK, EU, US, APAC). Understanding of cross-border transaction complexities.
• Area: Facilities Management & Workplace Strategy
• Desc: Understanding of facilities operations, maintenance, space planning, and the latest trends in workplace design and employee experience, ensuring real estate decisions support a productive and engaging work environment.
• Area: Sustainability & ESG in Real Estate
• Desc: Knowledge of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors impacting real estate, including green building certifications (e.g., BREEAM, LEED), energy efficiency, and corporate social responsibility in property management.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: IFRS 16 (Leases)
• Usage: Ensuring global compliance with IFRS 16 accounting standards for all leases, overseeing proper classification, valuation, and reporting of lease liabilities and right-of-use assets on the balance sheet. This means working closely with Finance.
• Reg: Local Planning & Zoning Regulations
• Usage: Overseeing the global team's adherence to diverse local planning, zoning, and building codes for all new developments, renovations, and changes of use. Ensuring all projects have the necessary permits and approvals.
• Reg: Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Directives
• Usage: Integrating ESG considerations into global real estate strategy, including sustainable building practices, energy efficiency targets, and reporting on the environmental impact of our property portfolio. This is becoming increasingly critical.
• Reg: Health & Safety Regulations (e.g., UK HSE, OSHA equivalents)
• Usage: Establishing global standards and policies to ensure all properties comply with local health and safety legislation, protecting our employees and mitigating corporate liability. This is non-negotiable.

Essential Prerequisites

• Extensive experience (16+ years) in corporate real estate, with a significant portion in a leadership or strategic role managing a multi-country portfolio.
• Proven track record of managing multi-million pound real estate budgets and delivering measurable cost savings and value creation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop large, geographically dispersed teams (25+ people, including managers).
• Experience presenting complex real estate strategies and financial outcomes to C-suite executives and Board members.
• Deep expertise in complex commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, and strategic lease negotiations.
• Strong understanding of corporate finance, real estate accounting (IFRS 16), and international property law.
• A Master's degree in Real Estate, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent executive-level experience.

Career Pathway Context

Typically, individuals entering this role would have progressed from a Manager, Real Estate Transactions (L5) position, or held a similar Director-level role in a large, complex organisation. You'll have built a solid foundation in both transaction execution and portfolio strategy, and now you're ready to shape the entire global function. We're looking for someone who has already 'been there, done that' at a senior level and is ready for an even bigger challenge.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Strategy & Reporting
• Why: Investors, regulators, and employees are increasingly demanding robust ESG performance. Real estate, being a significant consumer of energy and generator of waste, is a massive part of our corporate ESG footprint. You'll be expected to drive our net-zero targets and report on our sustainable property initiatives.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Net-Zero Pathway Development', 'description': 'Understanding how to set and achieve ambitious carbon reduction targets for our property portfolio, including energy efficiency, renewable energy sourcing, and embodied carbon in construction.'}, {'concept_name': 'Green Building Certifications', 'description': 'Knowledge of BREEAM, LEED, WELL Building Standard, and other global certifications, and how to integrate them into our development and operational strategies.'}, {'concept_name': 'ESG Data Collection & Reporting', 'description': 'Establishing robust systems for collecting and reporting on energy consumption, waste generation, water usage, and social impact across our global properties, often for annual corporate reports.'}, {'concept_name': 'Circular Economy Principles in Real Estate', 'description': 'Applying principles of reuse, recycling, and waste reduction to our property lifecycle, from design and construction to operations and decommissioning.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Engage with our Head of Sustainability to understand current corporate ESG goals and reporting requirements.
• Next 6 months: Attend a leadership course on 'ESG in Real Estate' or 'Sustainable Property Investment'.
• Next 12 months: Develop a draft 'Net-Zero Real Estate Roadmap' for our portfolio, identifying key initiatives and investment needs.
• Ongoing: Network with other corporate real estate leaders who are successfully implementing ESG strategies.
• QuickWin: Start by identifying the top 5 energy-consuming buildings in our portfolio and explore immediate efficiency upgrades. Review our current waste management contracts for opportunities to improve recycling rates.
• Skill: Advanced Workplace Experience Design & Measurement
• Why: The 'office' is no longer just a place to work; it's a strategic tool for culture, collaboration, and talent attraction/retention. Post-pandemic, understanding how to design, measure, and optimise the employee experience through our physical spaces is paramount. This isn't just HR's job anymore; it's a real estate imperative.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Hybrid Work Model Integration', 'description': 'Designing and managing a portfolio that effectively supports a hybrid workforce, balancing individual focus work with collaborative team spaces.'}, {'concept_name': 'Workplace Utilisation Analytics', 'description': 'Using sensor data, booking systems, and employee surveys to understand how our spaces are actually being used, and optimising them accordingly.'}, {'concept_name': 'Employee Experience (EX) Metrics in Real Estate', 'description': 'Defining and tracking key metrics related to employee satisfaction, productivity, and wellbeing as they relate to the physical work environment.'}, {'concept_name': 'Activity-Based Working (ABW) Principles', 'description': 'Understanding how to implement ABW concepts to create diverse work settings that cater to different tasks and preferences.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Partner closely with HR and People Ops to understand their latest talent strategy and employee feedback on our current spaces.
• Next 6 months: Research leading companies in workplace innovation and visit some of their sites (if possible) to learn best practices.
• Next 12 months: Pilot a new workplace design concept in one of our smaller offices and measure its impact on employee engagement and collaboration.
• Ongoing: Read industry reports from CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield on future of work trends.
• QuickWin: Launch a simple internal survey to gather feedback on what employees like and dislike about our current office spaces. Review our existing space allocation to identify underutilised areas.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Digital Twin & Smart Building Integration
• Why: Digital twins (virtual replicas of physical buildings) combined with IoT sensors are becoming critical for optimising building performance, predictive maintenance, and space utilisation. This will allow for real-time portfolio insights and more efficient facilities management.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'IoT Sensor Deployment & Data Analytics', 'description': 'Understanding how to deploy and analyse data from sensors for occupancy, environmental conditions, and equipment performance.'}, {'concept_name': 'Building Information Modelling (BIM) Integration', 'description': 'Leveraging BIM data to create and maintain accurate digital twins throughout the building lifecycle.'}, {'concept_name': 'Predictive Maintenance & Energy Optimisation', 'description': 'Using digital twin data to anticipate equipment failures, optimise HVAC systems, and reduce energy consumption across the portfolio.'}, {'concept_name': 'Space Utilisation & Employee Flow Analysis', 'description': 'Analysing digital twin data to understand how people move through and use our spaces, informing future design and layout decisions.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Research leading digital twin platforms and case studies in corporate real estate.
• Next 6 months: Engage with our IT and Facilities teams to explore a pilot digital twin project for one of our key sites.
• Next 12 months: Develop a business case for broader digital twin adoption, outlining ROI and strategic benefits.
• Ongoing: Attend webinars and industry conferences focused on smart buildings and real estate technology.
• QuickWin: Identify one existing building with a modern BMS (Building Management System) and explore integrating its data into a simple visualisation dashboard for real-time insights.
• Skill: Advanced AI/ML for Portfolio Risk & Opportunity Analysis
• Why: Beyond basic predictive analysis, advanced AI/ML models will identify nuanced risks (e.g., micro-market shifts, supply chain vulnerabilities) and opportunities (e.g., optimal disposition timing, hidden value creation) that are too complex for traditional analytics. This will inform truly cutting-edge portfolio strategy.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Machine Learning Model Interpretation (Explainable AI)', 'description': 'Understanding how to interpret and validate the outputs of complex AI models, ensuring trust and transparency in strategic decision-making.'}, {'concept_name': 'Geospatial AI & Location Intelligence', 'description': 'Using AI to analyse vast amounts of geospatial data (satellite imagery, traffic patterns, demographic shifts) for highly granular site selection and risk assessment.'}, {'concept_name': 'Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Contractual Risk', 'description': 'Deploying NLP to quickly identify unusual clauses, potential liabilities, or strategic opportunities hidden within thousands of global lease documents.'}, {'concept_name': 'Scenario Planning & Simulation with AI', 'description': 'Using AI to run complex simulations of different market conditions or business strategies, predicting their impact on our real estate portfolio.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Familiarise yourself with the capabilities of advanced AI platforms like Google Cloud AI, Azure AI, or AWS SageMaker for real estate applications.
• Next 6 months: Partner with our Data Science team (if we have one) or an external consultant to explore a pilot project using AI for a specific portfolio challenge.
• Next 12 months: Develop a roadmap for integrating advanced AI/ML into our core real estate analytics capabilities.
• Ongoing: Read academic papers and industry reports on the latest AI applications in commercial real estate.
• QuickWin: Use an off-the-shelf AI tool to analyse market sentiment from news articles and social media related to key geographic markets where we have significant property holdings.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a closely related field is essential.
• Alts: We're pragmatic. If you've got 20+ years of truly exceptional, progressive experience in corporate real estate leadership, including managing a large global portfolio and P&L responsibility, we'd certainly consider that as equivalent.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MSc in Real Estate Finance, or similar) would be a significant advantage, demonstrating a deeper strategic and financial understanding.
• Alts: Relevant executive education programmes from top-tier business schools focused on real estate, finance, or leadership could also be highly beneficial.

Experience Requirements

You'll need roughly 16-20 years of progressive experience in corporate real estate, with at least 8-10 years spent in a senior leadership or strategic role managing a multi-country portfolio. This isn't your first rodeo; you'll have a proven track record of driving significant value, managing large budgets (ideally £2M-£10M+), and leading substantial teams. We're looking for someone who has successfully navigated complex, high-value transactions and influenced at the C-suite and Board levels. Experience with M&A real estate integration is a big plus.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: MRICS (Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors)
• Prod: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• Usage: Demonstrates a globally recognised standard of professional competence and ethics in real estate, covering valuation, property management, and strategic advisory.
• Cert: CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member)
• Prod: CCIM Institute
• Usage: Focuses on commercial investment real estate, including financial analysis, market analysis, user decision analysis, and investment analysis, which is highly relevant for portfolio optimisation.
• Cert: MCR (Master of Corporate Real Estate)
• Prod: CoreNet Global
• Usage: A professional designation specifically designed for corporate real estate executives, focusing on strategic leadership, portfolio management, and workplace innovation.

Recommended Activities

• Regularly attend industry conferences (e.g., CoreNet Global Summits, MIPIM) to stay abreast of market trends, network with peers, and identify emerging technologies.
• Participate in executive leadership programmes or strategic real estate workshops to continuously refine your leadership and strategic planning skills.
• Engage in continuous learning around global economic trends, geopolitical shifts, and their potential impact on real estate markets.
• Seek out mentorship opportunities with C-suite executives or board members to gain broader business perspective and refine executive presence.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: Manager, Real Estate Transactions (L5) within a large corporate organisation
• Time: 3-5 years at L5
• Path: Director of Real Estate for a smaller, fast-growing company
• Time: 4-6 years in a similar Director role
• Path: Senior Consultant / Partner at a major Real Estate Advisory Firm
• Time: 5-8 years at a senior advisory level

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: VP, Corporate Real Estate
• Time: 3-5 years in the Director role

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Time: 8-12+ years from this role
• Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Time: 10-15+ years from this role
• Title: Chief Real Estate Officer (CREO) / Global Head of Corporate Services
• Time: 5-10 years from this role

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.