Assistant Facilities Manager - 12 month contract

The Economist Group • New York, NY

1d • $75,000 - $89,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Global Facilities Management team offers a diverse range of services to our colleagues and this role requires a well-rounded skill set and enthusiasm to help create and maintain a healthy and safe working environment. With oversight and direction from the Global Head of FM, you will lead in the implementation and day to day management of facilities services for the Economist Group’s Americas offices, with particular emphasis on the successful planning and delivery of upcoming office relocations, including our NY headquarters. Working with internal stakeholders and external suppliers, you will turn the agreed move project into a practical plan, co-ordinate activity on the ground and will be responsible for ensuring that the relocation is delivered safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to business operations. You will provide an excellent office environment and build and maintain a strong working relationship with all of our colleagues and visitors.

Requirements

• Practical experience in facilities, workplace, property, office operations or a similar service environment.
• Experience coordinating an office move, workplace change, fit-out, refurbishment or another multi-supplier operational projects.
• Ability to build and maintain project controls, including plans, actions, risks, budgets, changes and status reports.
• Experience supervising contractors and coordinating work in an occupied or operational environment.
• Working knowledge of workplace health and safety responsibilities, contractor controls and risk assessment principles.
• Confidence using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and a project/task-management tool; able to maintain accurate spreadsheets and records.
• Highly organised, dependable and comfortable managing several live workstreams.
• Visible and hands-on, with the judgement to solve practical problems at pace.
• Clear communicator who can adapt information for colleagues, senior stakeholders and suppliers.
• Commercially aware, numerate and attentive to detail.
• Calm under pressure, with sound prioritisation and escalation judgement.
• Collaborative and service-minded, while willing to challenge unsafe work, missed commitments or uncontrolled changes.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Global Head of Facilities, internal stakeholders, and external architects and other contractors to deliver successful office moves, beginning with The Economist Group’s US headquarters in NYC.
• If required, visit potential spaces to determine their suitability to satisfy the brief.
• Translate the approved move brief into a detailed delivery plan covering milestones, dependencies, owners, access requirements, risks, decisions and contingency actions.
• Maintain the project schedule, action log, risk and issue register, decision log, budget tracker and change control record; provide concise status updates and early warning of slippage.
• Coordinate surveys, site readiness checks, landlord requirements, building access, licences, insurance evidence, method statements and contractor documentation.
• Work with workplace design, IT and business teams to validate floor plans, desk and room allocations, furniture requirements, storage, signage, equipment, accessibility and operational needs.
• Coordinate procurement and supplier activity for removals, furniture, storage, cabling, IT deployment, cleaning, security, signage, waste and other workstreams within the agreed scope.
• Plan move sequencing, packing and labelling, crate distribution, specialist-item handling, staff guidance and departmental responsibilities.
• Lead on-site coordination during enabling works, move days and initial occupation, including inductions, access, deliveries, escalation, progress checks and end-of-day reconciliation.
• Protect business continuity by coordinating with IT and operational teams, confirming critical services, fallback arrangements, handover criteria and go/no-go information.
• Manage snagging and defects, verify close-out evidence, coordinate post-move support and help transition the new workplace into business-as-usual facilities operations.
• Support closure or handback of the former office, including asset removal, waste and recycling, final cleaning, access returns, meter or service information and dilapidations activity where applicable.
• Act as an approachable, informed point of contact for practical move questions and workplace issues.
• Build productive relationships with department leads and move champions; capture requirements, confirm decisions and manage expectations.
• Support the daily operation of the office workplace, meeting rooms and reception area, ensuring that a professional service and high standard of accommodation is provided at all times.
• Complete regular property inspection audits and assist with premises management issues resulting from these checks.
• Liaise with relevant building management teams and landlord’s agents to ensure that The Economist Group complies with all building rules and regulations.
• Negotiate, co-ordinate and monitor Facilities Management contracts and service agreements, including planned maintenance, reactive repair services and adhoc jobs, with a strong attention to detail.
• Establish and maintain proper site records in accordance with best practice rules.

Benefits

• Highly competitive pension or 401(k) plan
• Private health insurance
• 24/7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Program
• Work From Anywhere program (up to 25 days per year)
• Generous annual leave
• Generous parental leave
• Dedicated days off for volunteering
• Dedicated days off for moving home
• Free access to all The Economist content, including an online subscription, apps, podcasts and more

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed