At Arup we are dedicated to sustainable development and to do socially useful work that has meaning. Our purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world. We solve the world's most complex problems and deliver what seems impossible. We explore challenges with curiosity and creativity - using technology, imagination and rigour to deliver remarkable outcomes.
The Opportunity
The Global Head of Real Estate is ultimately accountable for defining the corporate real estate strategic direction for Arup and for delivering the real estate function. They will be recognised as an industry and thought leader, influencing and guiding in the field of corporate real estate. The Leader will work with Arup’s senior global leadership and their own senior leadership team to deliver CRES (Corporate Real Estate & Services) activities that provide excellent workplace environments that welcome, inspire and engage with our members and clients alike.
The role holder will be accountable for designing and leading a global CRES function which delivers:
1. A consistent global and equitable service across our offices
2. An excellent level of service, that is customer focused, efficient and continually improving
3. Expertise that enables the planned strategic growth of the firm.
4. Risk Assurance through identifying and mitigating risks associated with real estate transactions and operations.
The Arup real estate portfolio includes around 90 offices worldwide enabling 19,000 members to deliver their client work. The portfolio budget (leases, rates, facilities management) is circa £100m per annum with a global team of around 200. Office utilisation across the portfolio is variable.
This role incorporates the following tasks and activities:
Leadership:
1. Lead and enable a high performing leadership team of diverse individuals across geographies, ensuring the team are “future fit” to meet the strategic needs of Arup.
2. Act as a role model and proactively create a psychologically safe and inclusive environment to ensure true collaboration and alignment, that encourages open dialogue and diverse perspectives.
3. Coach, mentor and develop direct reports to ensure high levels of engagement, growth and retention.
4. Visible and connected leader globally, ensuring regular communication using a variety of formats to suit message, reach, context, and cultural consideration.
5. Provide clear direction for leadership team, communicating effectively, the aims and direction of Arup and the global CRES function.
6. Chair the global CRES leadership team. Demonstrate the ability to listen, inquire and respectfully challenge in the pursuit of collective progress.
7. Demonstrate high emotional intelligence and empathy, displaying a range of leadership styles that are matched to specific situations.
8. Have strong strategic relationships with all key global stakeholders, understanding their drivers, and confidently influence, challenge and engage with them, to present, when necessary, a compelling and credible case for change.
9. Embody the behaviours to lead a culture of innovative thinking, collaboration and continual improvement.
Strategic direction:
1. Overall accountability of the strategic direction of CRES within Arup and its delivery globally, with regular consideration of changing context and need to adapt where necessary. Consistently communicate progress to key stakeholders balancing listening, challenging and taking action as appropriate.
2. Deep understanding of the broader landscape beyond CRES, getting involved in wider initiatives.
3. Identifying workspace trends and emerging needs to influence further workplace strategy.
4. Creates an environment, which identifies opportunities to drive efficiencies, minimise cost, create value and deliver excellence, and considers external advancements to influence those opportunities across global CRES operations. Benchmark performance and costs.
5. Ensures that the people operations and service delivery are optimised across the geographies. Drive the digitalisation of processes and CRES technology to enhance member experience and efficiencies.
6. Work closely and collaboratively with other functions within Corporate Services (Finance, People, HSEQ, Arup University, Legal etc.) providing input and advice to coordinated corporate initiatives.
External Influence:
1. Be a recognised Thought Leader in the industry, promoting CRES, the Arup brand, championing our values and creating a positive reputation. Their external profile and recognition will attract people to work with them/Arup.
2. Function Design: Develop and establish a global CRES function at Arup that is operationally efficient, sustainability-focused, innovative, and centered on member experience. Ensure compliance and alignment with the overall business strategy.
3. Portfolio Management: Responsible for the management of Arup’s global real estate portfolio, including leasing, financial performance and property management, and driving appropriate levels of utilisation.
4. Ownership: Critically evaluates the effective delivery of CRES across the geographies, challenging the senior leadership to continually improve.
5. High Quality: Hold technical excellence in global real estate management, with a clear understanding of how a world class CRES function should perform.
6. Compliance: Ensure adherence to legal and regulatory requirements, as well as maintaining high ethical standards in all real estate activities.
7. Sustainability: Drive, promote and implement sustainable practices in real estate projects to support the Arup's sustainability goals. Assurance through reporting in alignment with our ESG requirements.
8. Equity: Ensure the geography leadership enable a consistently excellent service to all members, ensuring equity across offices.
9. Efficiency: Drive operational excellence, reducing structural inefficiencies and enabling the use of digitalised systems and a more data driven function.
10. Customer Focus: Challenge the leadership to partner with the business and our members, ensuring they have full understanding of their customer’s drivers, problems or needs, and deliver services to resolve / meet those needs.
11. Risk Assurance: Proactively identify and mitigate risks associated with real estate transactions and operations, including legal, financial, and environmental risks.
12. Commercial: Manage the global CRES budget, engaging closely with finance and procurement teams, to ensure Arup is mitigating costs while receiving best in class services delivering value to the business.
Is this role right for you?
For this opportunity, we are seeking the following qualifications, skills and attributes:
* Industry and Thought Leader in Corporate Real Estate
* Extensive in-depth knowledge and experience in all disciplines of CRES
* Bachelor’s degree in real estate, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. A Master's degree or professional certification (e.g., CCIM, CPM) is preferred.
* Demonstrable experience influencing and driving change at a senior level.
* Experience of leading across culturally diverse geographies.
What we offer you
At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together. Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.
We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.
We also provide Private medical insurance, Life assurance, Accident insurance and Income protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.
Different People, Shared Values
Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.
Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at https://www.arup.com/careers/life-at-arup/
We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact Sarah Graham to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.
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Closing Date: 2nd April 2025
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