Manager, Corporate Real Estate

Essential Functions:

• Strategic Portfolio Management: Develop, implement and oversee a comprehensive real estate strategy for all owned and leased properties.
• Lease Administration: Partner with SBU leadership, real estate brokers and legal counsel on lease negotiations. This includes leveraging the Company’s lease management software to monitor critical lease dates, liaise with appropriate stakeholders, review lease terms, and assist with lease negotiations.
• Geographic Footprint Optimization: Proactively identify, explore and pursue facility co-locations, taking into account customer, employee and supplier impact; relocation expenses; facility requirements; anticipated cost savings; timing; and strategic considerations.
• Vendor Management: Responsible for facilities cost management and pursuing savings opportunities across the Company’s real estate portfolio of more than 240 locations. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Utilities and energy usage (including negotiating utility agreements in non-regulated states)
• Facilities services such as landscaping, HVAC maintenance and repair, alarm systems, and waste removal
• Warehouse equipment and supplies such as packaging, MRO supplies, and material handling equipment
• Facility employee supplies such as office supplies, uniforms and personal safety products
• Other maintenance and facility agreements
• Facility Best Practices: Responsible for partnering with the Facilities Best Practices Team (“FBPT”), which consists of Operations leaders from each of the Company’s Strategic Business Units. The FBPT shares best practices with respect to cost savings, energy reduction, and various operational best practices that support the Company’s cost and energy efficiency goals.
• Facility Maintenance: Work with the General Counsel and operations team to address facility maintenance and repair issues in accordance with the Company’s lease agreements. Additionally, responsible for the facility maintenance needs of the Company’s headquarters in Addison, IL.

Experience, Education and Skills

• This position requires the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously with minimal supervision. The candidate must have strong negotiation skills to assist with lease negotiations and indirect procurement of products and services. The candidate must also be a self-starter, demonstrate initiative and ownership of areas of responsibility, be an effective communicator, exhibit pride in his/her work product, maintain a positive work attitude, and have strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• General Education and Experience:
• Education – Bachelor’s degree in relevant field of study preferred
• Experience – 10+ years’ experience with lease negotiations, strategic real estate portfolio management, and indirect procurement of products and services used within office and warehouse facilities and by employees of those facilities.
• Physical Demands – Position will involve sitting and telephone / computer use for a minimum of 8 hours a day.
• Computer Skills – Proficient skills in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with LeaseCalcs or similar lease administration software is preferred (but can be trained).
• Job Location – Office-based position at the Company’s headquarters in Addison, Illinois. Some travel may be required (less than 10%).
• Key Competencies:
• Attention To Detail: Thoroughness in accomplishing a task through concern for all the areas involved, no matter how small. Monitors and checks work or information and plans and organizes time and resources efficiently.
• Negotiation: Effectively advocates on behalf of the Company, including utilizing creative solutions to reach outcomes that support business objectives.
• Organizational Understanding: Understands the agendas and perspectives of others, recognizing and effectively balancing the interests and needs of one’s own group with those of the broader organization.
• Initiative: Does more than is required or expected in the job; does things that no one has requested that will improve or enhance facilities and services, avoid problems, and reduce cost and waste. Plans ahead for upcoming problems or opportunities and takes appropriate action.
• Problem-Solving/Analytical Thinking: Builds a logical approach to address problems or opportunities; manages the situation at hand by drawing on own knowledge and experience and/or calling on other references and resources, as necessary.
• Planning & Organizing: Establishes a systematic course of action for self or others to ensure accomplishment of a specific objective. Sets priorities, goals and timetables to achieve maximum productivity.
• Collaboration: Develops cooperation and teamwork while participating in a group of people, working toward solutions that generally benefit all involved parties.
• Communication: Creates an atmosphere in which timely and high-quality information flows smoothly both up the organization and down, inside the organization; encourages open expression of ideas and opinion