Senior Manager, Real Estate & Workplace Services

The Senior Manager, Real Estate & Workplace Services (SM, REWS) is a dual role that will be responsible for managing the Workplace Services team and facilities at the Corporate and R&D headquarter locations in Watsonville. This role will lead a team focused on providing dependable and timely services to internal customers, with a focus on reducing costs, increasing customer satisfaction, and building new capabilities, including creating global standards for office facilities.  This role serves in a leadership capacity and will mentor and develop direct reports, while interacting with employees at all levels throughout the company. 

 

The position requires extensive experience and competencies in multiple real estate and workplace services fields, and must have the ability to handle multiple projects concurrently and manage competing priorities. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who can analyze the needs of the business and define the key roles (for employees and vendor partners) and solutions needed to meet these needs. The role requires the ability to navigate between strategic vision and rolling up your sleeves to execute as needed.

 

Responsibilities

• Play a key role in establishing and managing the software platform used for lease administration, global portfolio management, and space management functionality.
• Proactively identify and recommend initiatives that focus on workplace service improvements, cost reductions, quality improvements, risk mitigation, industry trends and other relevant factors that impact workplace effectiveness.
• Develop & implement standardized/best practice procedures to create long term efficiencies, with an eye on continuous process improvement.
• Establish and maintain global workplace services standards for headquarter location/s.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with other Global Centers of Expertise (e.g., Treasury, BP&A, Tax, Enterprise Risk Management, Controllership, IT), to deliver optimized real estate and workplace services to business units.
• Develop and manage annual operating, capital and headcount budgets to support Watsonville based facilities and operations.
• Oversee small to mid-size tenant improvement construction projects.
• Lead workplace services space planning to ensure the proactive planning for space including the design of workspaces to best reflect the brand and the culture, and to optimize productivity.
• Partner with IS to support audio-visual technology and global collaboration tools located in shared workspaces.
• Maintain the safety of the staff and security of the facility. Ensure security systems, alarms, door locks, and security procedures are functioning and up to date. Includes advising on best practices for remote Driscoll’s locations.
• Manage real estate transactions including the purchase, sale, and leasing of various real estate assets throughout the U.S in support of business unit initiatives. This includes strategy development, financial analysis, business term negotiation and support full legal and risk management engagement.
• Manage day-to-day lease administration for global portfolio, including developing and maintaining KPIs for tracking portfolio performance.
• Develop and maintain strategic alliances with external business partners, including architects, project managers, consultants, landlords, property managers, brokers, and corporate real estate executives.
• to ensure robust learning and career development consistent with the Company’s values.
• Domestic and international travel required up to 5%.
• Represents Driscoll’s in an ethical and business-like professional manner in all interactions with growers, co-workers, suppliers, customers and the business community at large.

In addition to the functional responsibilities of the role, as a Driscoll's people manager, you will accomplish work individually and through others while delivering on functional accountabilities connected to the employee lifecycle, including:

• Workforce Planning: Aligning the people plan to the business plan
• Hiring: Find, evaluate, and hire new team members
• Onboarding: Integrating new employees into the organization
• Managing: Organize and coordinate activities of a team in order to achieve defined strategic objectives
• Development: Partnering with your employees to create a plan to grow in their existing or potential future roles
• Employee Safety: Ensure both physical and psychological safety in the workplace
• Off-boarding: Ending an employment relationship 

Candidate Profile

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10+ years of experience with real estate and workplace services, including 7+ years of facilities management and direct staff management experience

Preferred Qualifications & Leadership

• Facilities certifications (CFM, FMA, RPA, LEED, PMP, IFMA/BOMI certifications) a plus
• Demonstrated leadership experience including managing teams and leading change management. This includes having a record of maintaining positive employee relations and high levels of employee engagement and productivity
• Ability to connect business unit strategy to the Real Estate and Workplace Services function
• Solid knowledge of project management and construction terms and practices
• Ability to effectively develop policies, procedures, and standards
• Demonstrated initiative to stay current on technology advancements to support teams, and a basic knowledge of IT infrastructure
• Strong attention to detail and familiarity with analyzing and understanding customer service concepts
• Experience with end-to-end business processes, process measurement, and process improvement
• Strong working knowledge of financial models and ROI concepts
• Commercial real estate transaction experience, including acquisition, disposition of various real estate asset types. Candidate must have extensive experience with evaluating and successfully negotiating transactions, working with various purchase, sale, and lease agreements, and overseeing due diligence
• Strong experience in preparing all documentation relating to RFPs, Offer Letters, Letters of Intent, Lease Agreements, Amendments, Agency Agreements, Estoppel Certificates, Subordination Non-Disturbance Agreements and Inspections
• Strong oral and written communication skills, and interpersonal skills
• Friendly, positive, and excellent communicator who can work effectively across the organization. Flexible demeanor and ability to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and demanding environment
• California driver’s license and the ability to be covered under company-sponsored vehicle insurance program
• A valid passport and the ability to travel internationally without restrictions