Director-Real Estate Services

Job Description

About GREWE

Global Real Estate and Workplace Experience (GREWE) is the global team at American Express (Amex) responsible for the full lifecycle of planning, execution, and operations of Amex real estate. GREWE supports over 65,000 Amex colleagues and contractors in over eight million square feet of property located in 41 countries. Our real estate portfolio consists of large full-service campuses, office buildings, sales offices and airport lounges. The sites may be owned, leased or be occupied through a serviced space arrangement.

Amex treats real estate as a centrally managed company asset that is decisioned and budgeted at the highest segment of P&L. GREWE has global financial responsibility for real estate and is part of the broader Global Servicing Group organization which delivers shared business services to colleagues and departments across the enterprise.

GREWE works in close collaboration with many service partners including, Colleague Experience Group (CEG), American Express Technology (AET), Global Security (GS), Medical, Global Supply Management (GSM), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Enterprise Resilience. We also rely extensively on our global network of vendor partners to deliver an ever-evolving workplace experience that is secure, comfortable, flexible, and delightful.

Job Description

Reporting to the GREWE VP, Planning & Administration, the Director, Workplace Operations & ESG will be accountable for the successful delivery of all expectations set forth for the GREWE Workplace Operations & ESG functional area.

Workplace Operations Responsibilities

• Oversee the goals, performance, talent and career development of direct reports.
• Lead and contribute to the development of a strategic plan for GREWE’s local & regional teams delivering building hard services.
• Develop and oversee a global performance management program for GREWE’s major third-party service provider relationship(s).
• Partner daily with the GREWE Planning & Administration functional leads to direct and contribute to strategic cross-functional programs and major initiatives.
• Create and update GREWE’s standard operating procedures related to third-party supplier management and building operations.
• Maintain and update operational risk ratings, controls and testing requirements as required by AXP Operational Excellence, Compliance and Enterprise Resilience Teams.
• Direct on change management plans and send/draft communications when changes are made to global policies.
• Lead delivery and organized recording/filing of policy & process documentation, team activities, supplier performance and critical tracking project/program management tracking tools.
• Advise on technology strategy and prioritization of tech enhancements / investments that benefit Workplace Operations.

Workplace Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Responsibilities

• Oversee contractor team dedicated to the delivery of the environmental sustainability function within GREWE.
• Lead and contribute to a strategic plan for GREWE’s ESG goals and performance targets.
• Partner daily with the GREWE Planning & Administration functional leads to direct and contribute to strategic cross-functional programs and major initiatives.
• Create and update GREWE’s standard operating procedures related to the ESG functions.
• Collect, document, and disclose the Greenhouse Gas Inventory performance for AXP’s operations.
• Direct team and contribute to completion of all non-voluntary and voluntary ESG performance disclosures in which GREWE’s business activities are in scope.
• Direct on change management plans and send/draft communications when changes are made to global policies.
• Lead delivery and organized recording/filing of policy & process documentation, team activities, supplier performance and critical tracking project/program management tracking tools.
• Advise on technology strategy and prioritization of tech enhancements / investments that benefit Workplace ESG initiatives.

GREWE Goals

GREWE seeks to be a progressive enterprise function supporting Amex’s growth and colleague experience. The entire team is focused on delivering against the following common goals that are linked to specific initiatives and metrics across different regions and functions within the team:

• Proactively enable long term enterprise growth and profitability
• Be the workplace of choice in all markets and across all functions
• Continuously improve delivery efficiency, flexibility and speed
• Build and manage the best team as one GREWE (including our vendor partners)
• Consistently manage compliance, fiscal performance, risk and safety globally

Culture

At Amex, employees view each other as colleagues – part of the same team, striving to deliver the brand promise to customers and each other every day. Individual performance is essential and valued, but never at the expense of the team. Amex is a diverse and inclusive company and serves diverse customers. Amex believes it is a better company when employees feel included, valued and able to trust colleagues who respect each other for who they are and what they contribute to the collective success. The GREWE team believes that the workplace reflects and shapes Amex culture. Through our products and services, we continuously foster the Amex brand, culture and values across all our diverse regions.

GREWE Planning and Administration

GREWE Planning and Administration is a cross-disciplinary global function responsible for driving global strategy and policy development as well as ensuring compliance with corporate and functional administrative requirements across the workplace lifecycle.

The team reports into the GREWE VP, Planning & Administration which reports into SVP of GREWE, responsible for the entire real estate function.

Planning & Administration functional areas include:

• Planning & Admin Leadership
  • Organizational structure, resourcing & succession planning
  • Workload management
  • Service delivery partner relationship management
  • Strategic planning prioritization across P&A / GREWE global support teams
  • Technology roadmap owner
  • Escalation point for P&A team
• Workplace Strategy & Workforce Planning
  • Long-term real estate strategy
  • Workforce planning for internal business partners
  • CBA development & scenario planning
  • M&A support during pre-acquisition due diligence and post-acquisition integration
• Workplace Programming & Design
  • Space programming guidelines
  • Space design guidelines
  • Workspace programming
  • Project Management Advisement
  • Furniture guidelines
  • Coordination with technology provision standards
• Workplace Services & Experience
  • Strategic planning & governance for building soft services & amenities – dining, catering, vending, conferencing, AV, reception, mother’s room, fitness centers, transportation.
  • Workplace hospitality & experience programming & training
  • Workplace technology roadmap for soft services & amenities
  • Cross-functional program management major GREWE initiatives
• Workplace Operations & ESG
  • Strategic planning & standard policy/procedure development for building hard services– facilities management, engineering, vertical transport, janitorial, space management, Moves/Adds/Changes janitorial, Moves/ Adds / Changes, repairs, and maintenance
  • Global third-party supplier performance management
  • Workplace technology roadmap for hard services
  • Cross-functional program management of major GREWE initiatives
  • Strategic planning & standard policy/procedure development for GREWE Environmental, Social Governance (ESG) function.
  • GREWE liaison with Corporate Social Responsibility and on all GREWE ESG matters.
  • Direct completion of all voluntary and non-voluntary ESG disclosure reporting.
• Workplace Safety
  • Workplace safety standards development, support, and reporting
  • Workplace accessibility guidelines
  • Ergonomics program management and training

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Demonstrates knowledge of real estate and environmental sustainability.
• Demonstrates ability to develop and maintain multiple strategic relationships
• Demonstrates maturity in self-awareness, people leadership and team engagement.
• Demonstrates excellent verbal/written communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrates ability to work in a global capacity and manage projects / programs with teams across multiple time zones.
• Academic background or work experience in global business services and environmental sustainability is required.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.

Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the U.S. is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.