Senior Workplace Strategist - Interior Design

SUMMARY 

The Senior Workplace Strategist leads a team that consults with clients and organizations to provide solutions that produce meaningful change, promote innovation and collaboration within the work environment. Working closely with the client organizations, the Senior Workplace Strategist develops solutions that aim to align the work environment and work practices with organizational business goals and objectives at the site, campus and portfolio levels. Solutions can be inclusive of the “business case for change” and the development and roll out of change management programs. The Strategist should be well versed with working experience in the areas of occupancy planning, design, functional program and workplace standards development incorporating both traditional and alternative workplace strategies.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

People Leadership

Demonstrates strong, competent leadership for team members to guide them in reaching their full potential and meeting their objectives, which supports achievement of our corporate goals. Specifically, these responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Full involvement with recruiting talent.


• Provides mentoring, coaching and guidance to all team members.


• Objectively recommends compensation adjustments.


• Manages all aspects of performance.

Service Delivery – Functional Space Planning, Space Layout and Interior Design, Furniture Specification       

• Acts as the primary contact and project lead for TFMS delivered projects, provides direction and reviews work of other team members to ensure timely, successful implementation specifically Functional Space Planning, Space Layout & Interior Design and Furniture Specification services.


• Actively delivers workplace strategy and functional programming services including the following activities:
  
  
  
  • Identifies and validates existing client organizational requirements and workspace needs including utilization, growth forecasting, specialized requirements, head and seat counts and employee requirements at the business and employee level. 
  
  
  • Measures and analyzes workplace effectiveness through discussion, site observation, space utilization and benchmarking studies. Identifies work styles, employee and space barriers to productivity and overall attitude towards change.  Develops and facilitates client workshops / visioning sessions at the local, regional and portfolio levels including multiple location strategies.
  
  
  • Creates comprehensive and compelling business case scenarios for change within the workplace. Develops preliminary design concepts, defines program requirements and recommended work settings in combination with strategic portfolio and space analytics.  Provides recommendations specific to furniture, technologies and other infrastructure as it relates to AWS. 
  
  
  • Assists organizations with the implementation of alternative workplace strategies in alignment with corporate and business unit objectives including integrating and managing workplace outcomes with business and financial targets. Establishing integrated workplace requirements, including supporting the sustainable delivery of change for the business.
  
  
  • Identifies success measures on a project or departmental basis in the implementation of workplace solutions in order to evaluate effectiveness. 
  
  
  • Provides integration services in conjunction with Workplace Strategist – CM program and team. 
  
  


• Works with other service leads within TFMS and with other lines of business including Property Management, Project Management and Professional Services in an integrated delivery model for all projects. 


• Keeps up to date with emerging trends and insights with regards to workplace strategy, design and best practices.


• Provides thought leadership in the area of workplace strategy through knowledge sharing, participation and facilitation to help evolve the workplace, people within it and the technologies used.


• Develops and maintains project schedule and budget to ensure it is in line with the approved mandate.


• Leads project meetings to define key goals and objectives.


• Leads milestone meetings with internal / external team members and project concerned parties.


• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Relationship Management   

• Consults with and maintains relationships with client representatives at the regional level


• Maintains positive relations to meet client objectives. 


• Effectively and pro-actively communicates with concerned parties, such as Clients, contractors and industry bodies (as required) to ensure Client satisfaction and BGIS’s success. 


• Develops strong internal relationships with other line of business in order to ensure alignment and promote and support integrated delivery of services – One BGIS.


• Provides thought leadership in the area of workplace strategy through knowledge sharing, participation and facilitation to help evolve the workplace, people within it and the technologies used.


• Maintains strong industry relationships while leveraging the Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions corporate relationships and affiliate network to provide clients with access to a wide range of industry benchmark data by geography or central business districts.

Reporting & Communication

• Completes project status reporting and monthly financial reporting activities for all projects assigned to the studio. 


• Participates in regular meetings with other studio leads to drive alignment and consistency in TFMS delivery nationally.


• Communicates changes and updates to direct reports as required. 


• Provides updates to the program director on project impacts and opportunities.


• Participates in regional governance and or program planning meetings as required by the program director. 

Financial Management        

• Financial management of assigned program of projects: effective financial administration, including accounts payable (A/P), accounts receivable (A/R) & collections, labour absorption, financial reporting.


• Responsible for ensuring adherence with all financial and procurement policies and procedures.

Resource Planning and Management               

• Manages the planning and delivery of services for the program of projects assigned to their studio including workplan development, resource management and quality assurance. 


• Tracks changes between planned and actual resource utilization to manage changes that may impact funding or schedules to ensure the successful delivery of the studio’s assigned program of projects. 


• Communicates changes to the Program Director in order to manage delivery risks and resourcing levels as required.

Business Development

• Ensures a positive client and occupant experience on all TFMS projects in order to drive repeat business and differentiate BGIS as the logical choice for service delivery. 


• Supports the program director in business development strategy including identifying new contacts and opportunities to be pursued.


• Assists with business development opportunities such as scope definition, fee and proposal development.

People Management            

• Strives for 100% employee engagement and satisfaction through effective leadership, communication, administration and provision of tools and support including mentoring and team member development activities. 


• Actively participates in recruiting activities for new team members, supported by the Program Director Workplace Solutions.


• Coordinates and actively participates in new team member onboarding to ensure a positive and consistent experience for new team members and consistency of training and onboarding to processes, tools and other materials. 


• Takes initiative, works well independently in addition to the team setting.


• Proactively manages performance of team members reporting directly to them.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• University or College Degree (Bachelors level or greater). 


• Education and certification in Interior Design.  Training and experience in the following are an asset: Change Management, Facilities Management or related fields. 


• Excellent communication skills. English / French bilingual is an asset. (Experience in customer service and client facing activities)


• Effective leadership skills and management skills. (1-2 years in a managerial capacity)


• Skilled in strategic and critical thinking. (Experience working on workplace transformation initiatives in a consulting capacity)


• Has excellent relationship building and relationship management skills. (Experience managing customer relationships)


• Excellent influencing and conflict resolution skills.  (Experienced in leading a team)


• Excellent problem-solving skills. (Experience in facilitating workshops and other engagements for visioning, problem solving and or requirements gathering and discovery) 


• Business development skills including solution development, proposal writing, pricing of services.  


• Able to meet requirements for Federal Security Clearance.  


• English is required because you will be dealing with English-speaking customers as part of your job.