Chief of Lease Management & Procurement

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) supports State and local government agencies, as well as local non-profit organizations and the citizens of Maryland, by providing facilities management, real estate and surplus property services, as well as security and law enforcement for State buildings. DGS is also responsible for a full spectrum of facilities engineering, design and construction services, almost $1 billion in annual contract administration, and overseeing the State procurement process. This is a Management Service position which serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority (“at-will”). The Department of General Services (DGS) Office of Real Estate is recruiting a motivated and customer-oriented leader to manage the Lease Management and Procurement unit. This is a hands-on managerial position with responsibility for directing the operations of the Lease Management and Procurement unit within the Office of Real Estate. With the assigned staff, the Chief is responsible for procuring new and renewal leases for commercial, intergovernmental, office, storage and warehouse and parking requirements; handling revenue leases; and managing a team of agency relationship managers/procurement officers, commercial lease brokers, and a deputy chief. This includes strategic planning, financial analysis, site location and evaluation, strategic plan implementation, and transaction management. The position reviews and approves all negotiation offers to be made by procurement officers and broker staff, and reviews procurement officer determinations. This includes oversight for the state-wide commercial lease portfolio consisting of 335 leases occupying 6.1 million square feet of space at an annual cost of $134 million.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in finance, real estate, business management or a related field.
Five (5) years of experience as a Director, Manager, Administrator or comparable qualified professional involving the acquisition, negotiation and management of leased space to include experience in team management and leadership.
This experience must include at least two (2) years of previous supervisory experience.

Nice To Haves

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Knowledge of the commercial lease acquisition process.
Contract negotiation experience and an understanding of project financing.
Conflict resolution skills.
Paralegal certification or experience in drafting and interpreting lease documentation.
Demonstrated experience writing documents, reports and graphic representations that communicate important information from observations, evaluations or analysis to explain or advance organizational objectives.
Demonstrated ability to communicate and work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, and the ability to build consensus.
Working knowledge of State Procurement Law related to the acquisition and construction of leased space.

Responsibilities

Oversees real estate procurement: Reviews and analyzes real estate procurement requests to make sure they follow Maryland State laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. Identifies problems, recommends corrections, and approves procurements within delegated authority, including items going to the Board of Public Works (BPW).
Advises and supports agencies: Guides procurement officers and State agencies on proper procurement methods and requirements. Participates in pre-bid meetings, evaluation committees, procurement discussions, and staff training.
Manages and supervises staff: Directly supervises four Agency Relationship Managers/CMPOs and five real estate broker staff. Assigns work, reviews performance, provides training, and ensures work is completed accurately and on time.
Oversees leases and contracts: Ensures existing leases, renewals, modifications, and contract requirements are properly managed and followed. Helps resolve lease or contract compliance issues and defaults.
Develops policies and procedures: Helps create and implement new or revised statewide real estate procurement policies, procedures, guidelines, standards, and best practices.
Supports legal and audit matters: Works with the Attorney General’s Office on protests, disputes, pre-litigation matters, and settlements. Provides documentation and expert support for audits and represents the Office of Real Estate during reviews by the Office of Legislative Audits.
Handles complex procurements: Leads or assists with high-level and complicated real estate projects, including strategic relocations, emergency procurements, intergovernmental transactions, and other major State real estate needs.
Handles public and vendor inquiries: Responds to Public Information Act requests, vendor questions, debriefings, and procurement award issues. Develops procurement agreements that meet State requirements while supporting business needs.
Manages the Broker Services Contract: Oversees the team of five real estate brokers and ensures they provide services according to the State's contract. Assigns lease negotiations, monitors contractor performance, resolves contract issues, and ensures staffing requirements are met.
Monitors MBE and rebate requirements: Ensures the broker contractor meets the 30% MBE goal and collects required rebate fees. These rebates can generate approximately $1–$3+ million annually for the State.
Oversees broker contract renewals and re-solicitation: Works with the Office of State Procurement on the broker services contract every five years and renewal options every three years. Serves as the commercial real estate and broker-services subject matter expert on evaluation committees.