[]
_Join the Nation’s premiere brand for bath and kitchen and discover a luxury work experience where diverse ideas are met with enthusiasm, and where you can be challenged to learn and grow to your full potential. _
_ _
The Director, Real Estate and Construction is the central point of planning, control, and management for real estate transactions and construction projects. The responsibilities of the Director are global and touch all functional departments of the organization that occupy Waterworks’ owned and/or leased facilities world-wide inclusive of corporate offices, showrooms, Boutique Partner displays, manufacturing and distribution facilities. This role will report to the Vice President, Client Experience.
With respect to Real Estate, the Director will collaborate cross-functionally to develop cost-effective real estate solutions in alignment with the needs of the business. By leading the strategic and financial evaluation (in strong partnership with Finance) of future opportunities and current network performance, the Director will inform business partners and guide decisions regarding locations, lease vs. own structures, key lease terms, exit strategies, operating expense budgets, and all quarterly compliance reporting & related disclosures. The Director will have responsibility for all elements of the scope, timing, and cost of these strategic business decisions.
With regard to Construction and Facilities, the Director will manage and lead construction projects for showroom openings, showroom remodels, product launches, and wholesale partner display updates as well as maintenance of all facilities. Through the development and implementation of consistent project management processes and workflows, the Director will enable effective work and communication cross-functionally.
True to Waterworks roots, we value and cultivate long-standing relationships with our clients and our associates. We work in a highly collaborative, creative environment that values each associate’s contribution toward delivering beautiful, innovative, luxury products while providing superior customer service. We offer our associates training on all three brands under the Waterworks umbrella, career growth opportunities, competitive salaries, bonus potential, and a comprehensive benefits package including 401k.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Real Estate:
- Develop one, three, and five-year global real estate plans in collaboration with the Vice President, Client Experience and other senior leadership team members within the larger context of corporate strategy, objectives, planning, and budgeting
- Co-manage and share accountability for global corporate real estate budget with business owners
- Lead the transaction process end-to-end including: strategy development, project planning, team assembly, market surveys and tours, site visits, alternatives analysis, negotiation strategy and execution, lease document review, approval package sign-off, deal execution, and close out reporting
- Manage internal teams and external partners including senior management, sales, store design, finance, brokers, attorneys, and government agencies
- Build and manage collaborative cross-functional relationships to determine real estate requirements and provide information relative to market conditions, anticipated costs, transaction viability and expected timelines
- Research trends and strategies for the optimization of real estate costs and operating expenses, e.g. flexible work stations or reduced cost installation mechanisms, in partnership with Finance.
- Ensure compliance with Waterworks real estate policies, applicable laws and regulations
- Resolve major occupancy issues with landlords
- Review annual rent and operating expense adjustments for conformance with lease provisions
- Monitor and manage critical dates on leased properties and kick-off all related efforts with reasonable action timelines
- Identify opportunistic lease extensions, renewals, and terminations for review with Vice President, Client Experience, Senior Management, and Finance.
Construction and Facilities:
- Direct and manage high priority construction projects from conception to completion, interfacing with internal stakeholders and external architects and construction professionals
- Oversee global portfolio of construction projects to ensure timescales, designs/specifications, quality and costs are achieved within approved parameters
- Define and develop process workflow that feeds workflow management system or other cross-functional tool to coordinate group tasks, deliverables, timelines, budgets, and communication
- Partner with Store Design to ensure compliance with corporate standards and procedures related to design approval and during the construction process
- Develop and implement post-project analysis on expected vs. actual performance
- Guide budgeting and planning for major facilities efforts. Examples include HVAC replacements, warehouse renovations, corporate office expansions, etc.
- Evaluate facilities management process and budgets for compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as well as maintaining Waterworks brand standards network-wide
Required Skills
Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in Business Management, Real Estate or related discipline preferred
- Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in a real estate transaction management and/or retail/wholesale construction in a corporate environment
- Real estate management skills involving transaction management and property management in a corporate environment: including valuation, markets, deal structuring, facilities management, lease administration, and principles of real estate law
- Real estate financial skills: proficiency in real estate financial analysis, break-even and ROI, discounted cash flows, and analysis of real estate market data
- Understanding and working knowledge of commercial real estate investment principles
- Excellent negotiation skills; ability to incorporate key business terms in a lease
- Strong people leadership and change management skills required
- Ability to communicate in a professional and positive manner (both written and verbal) across all levels of the organization
- Highly organized self-starter
- Ability to solve complex problems and use good business judgment
- Global mindset
- Proven leader with experience managing teams, large projects, and deals
- Strong influencing skills; ability to lead team and exercise informal influence over partners
- Travel required both domestically and internationally up to 50% of the time
Required Experience