Director, North America Asset Management & Permitting

YQN•Fontana, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

YQN is seeking a Director of North America Asset Management & Permitting to own permitting compliance, warehouse asset management, and new-site launch milestones across its U.S. warehouse network, from site opening through ongoing operations. This hands-on leadership role works directly with government agencies and inspectors, manages external consultants, and leads the PMO and asset management team. The position oversees permitting and renewals across regions including California, New Jersey, Atlanta, and Savannah; coordinates end-to-end warehouse launches; builds and maintains asset tracking and cycle-count processes; leads landlord and external-partner coordination; and develops the PMO and asset management team and related SOPs. The role is on-site in Fontana, California, and requires frequent travel to sites and government offices. Relocation assistance is available.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in U.S. commercial real estate, warehousing/logistics, or industrial real estate.
At least 3 years of team management experience.
Hands-on experience independently obtaining U.S. permits, including building, fire, and Certificate of Occupancy permits.
Strong knowledge of government approval processes.
Experience leading multi-site warehouse openings or large facility projects.
Fluent in English and able to work directly with government agencies, landlords, attorneys, and consultants.
Results-driven, with a track record of getting external partners to deliver.

Nice To Haves

Mandarin speaking.
Experience opening overseas or cross-border e-commerce fulfillment warehouses.
Experience in asset or equipment management.
Familiarity with U.S. commercial lease terms.

Responsibilities

Own permitting and renewals across regions, including building permits, Certificates of Occupancy, business licenses, fire permits, and Certificates of Insurance.
Work directly with government agencies and inspectors and personally drive resolution when approvals are delayed.
Select and manage external permitting consultants by defining deliverables, tracking progress, and assessing whether plans and timelines are realistic.
Own end-to-end new-site launch timelines, covering certificates of occupancy, business licenses, insurance, permits, racking installation, construction, inspections, and move-in.
Identify launch risks early and escalate them.
Lead the PMO to drive milestones and hold contractors, landlords, and consultants accountable for progress.
Build and maintain the asset register and cycle-count process for North American sites and equipment, including forklifts, racking, PDAs, scanners, batteries, and computers.
Monitor asset variances, loss, and utilization; identify root causes, assign accountability, and drive improvements.
Lead landlord communications on permitting, construction, and facility matters.
Lead and develop the PMO and asset management team.
Build SOPs for permitting and new-site launches.