Account Director

Cushman & Wakefield•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Account Director is responsible for leading multiple strategic global occupier accounts, delivering integrated real estate services across transaction management, portfolio strategy, and account governance. This individual serves as the primary client relationship leader, aligning real estate strategy with broader business objectives, while driving portfolio optimization, revenue growth, and client satisfaction. The role involves serving as the senior point of contact for global portfolio clients, building and maintaining executive relationships, leading strategy and governance meetings, and translating client business goals into actionable real estate strategies. It also encompasses driving portfolio optimization, cost savings, and location strategy initiatives, generating insights from reporting, managing project activation, overseeing active transactions, and leading complex assignments such as Corporate HQ, rooftop consolidation, sale-leaseback, and build-to-suit transactions. The Account Director integrates various internal resources for account and project success and is responsible for establishing and managing account governance frameworks, ensuring best-in-class service delivery, overseeing contract compliance, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior point of contact for global portfolio clients
Build and maintain long-term executive relationships across client stakeholders
Lead regular strategy, performance, and governance meetings
Translate client business goals into actionable real estate strategies
Drive portfolio optimization, cost savings, and location strategy initiatives
Generate insights from reporting and client feedback to establish strategy and make proactive recommendations (i.e. early lease restructure, consolidation opportunity, capital markets activity)
Manage project activation including timing for kick off, project specific strategy development
Oversee dozens of ongoing active transactions to ensure smooth execution from Transaction Manager(s)
Lead complex assignments including Corporate HQ, rooftop consolidation, sale-leaseback and build-to-suit transactions
Integrate appropriate resources for account and project success including Strategic Consulting, Project & Development Services, Business Incentives, Labor/Location Strategy and Corporate Capital Markets
Coordinate field broker selection process and commission split negotiations
Assist with determining client needs and communicating project parameters
Coordinate negotiations and management of transactions
Coordinate legal review of all clients leased/owned documents
Work with brokerage team financial analyst to develop PowerBI dashboards and reporting tools
Develop and ensure accuracy of financial analysis for lease transactions, sale-leasebacks, subleases, lease vs. buy analysis
Coordinate client site visits/market tours
Ensure all State real estate standards are met
Assist in the management of client rebate accounts and additional C&W services cost balances above Transaction Management
Develop and host quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with clients
Identify execute and measure cost savings and value creation initiatives
Establish and manage account governance framework and KPIs, develop and host client Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs)
Ensure delivery of best-in-class service across all service lines
Oversee contract compliance, reporting, and performance tracking
Implement continuous improvement initiatives and data-driven decision making
Coordinate with internal groups: brokerage, capital markets, workplace strategy, finance, legal, incentives, etc.
Drive collaboration across regions for consistent global execution