Director of Real Estate

DRiV•Southfield, MI

About The Position

The Director of Real Estate provides strategic leadership for the company’s real estate function within an assigned region and is aligned to the Global Purchasing organization. The role develops and executes regional portfolio strategies, converts business requirements into real estate plans, and leads property transactions, lease administration, facilities partnerships, capital planning, and supplier performance to support operational continuity, cost effectiveness, compliance, and long-term business objectives. Consistent with the B12 Director level, this role establishes operational objectives and work plans, has input into the direction of the region, manages the approved real estate budget, leads the functional area and any assigned team, and collaborates across the company to deliver significant short-term business impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Facilities Management, Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
10 or more years of progressively responsible experience in corporate real estate, facilities management, property management, real estate transactions, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated experience leading a multi-site commercial or industrial real estate portfolio and complex lease or property transactions.
Experience managing budgets, business cases, capital projects, contracts, suppliers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Leadership experience directing employees, project teams, or functional resources in a matrixed organization.
Strategic planning, portfolio analysis, financial modeling, negotiation, contract management, and decision-support skills.
Working knowledge of leases, property due diligence, facilities operations, construction or renovation projects, and property compliance requirements.
Ability to establish operational objectives, prioritize competing regional needs, manage within an approved budget, and resolve complex issues.
Clear executive communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate detailed property and financial information into actionable recommendations.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and real estate, lease-administration, facilities, project, or reporting systems.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or MBA.
Professional certification in corporate real estate, facilities, project management, or commercial real estate, such as MCR, CFM, FMP, RPA, CCIM, or PMP.
Experience in automotive, manufacturing, aftermarket, or another multi-site industrial environment.
Experience supporting cross-border or multi-country real estate matters within a region.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a regional real estate strategy aligned with business plans, site requirements, Global Purchasing priorities, and enterprise real estate direction.
Lead regional portfolio planning for owned, leased, licensed, and other occupied properties, including acquisition, renewal, consolidation, relocation, disposition, and exit recommendations.
Assess current and future space requirements with Operations, Manufacturing, Finance, HR, Legal, EHS, IT, and business leaders; translate needs into prioritized portfolio and workplace plans.
Establish regional operating objectives, work plans, standards, governance, and performance measures for the real estate function.
Lead market analysis, site searches, financial evaluations, due diligence, business cases, and recommendations for regional real estate decisions.
Direct lease negotiations, renewals, amendments, terminations, acquisitions, and dispositions in partnership with Legal, Finance, Tax, local leadership, and approved external advisors.
Oversee lease administration, critical-date tracking, rent reviews, operating-expense reviews, landlord obligations, property records, and portfolio data accuracy.
Ensure transactions and commitments follow company policies, delegated authority, confidentiality requirements, and applicable legal and regulatory review processes.
Provide functional leadership for regional facilities planning and service delivery, including maintenance, security, workplace services, utilities, space planning, and business continuity coordination.
Oversee regional capital improvements, construction, renovations, relocations, and consolidations from scope and estimate development through budget control, execution, and closeout.
Set service expectations, monitor supplier performance, address service gaps, and drive corrective actions and continuous improvement.
Partner with EHS and site leadership to support safe, compliant, efficient, and environmentally responsible workplaces.
Build and manage the regional real estate and facilities budget; track commitments, forecasts, variances, and savings opportunities within approved authority.
Apply Global Purchasing processes to sourcing events, supplier selection, commercial negotiations, contract renewals, total-cost analysis, and vendor governance for real estate and facilities services.
Identify and deliver cost reduction, cost avoidance, cash, productivity, energy, and process improvement opportunities without compromising safety, compliance, service, or operational requirements.
Prepare clear portfolio, financial, risk, project, and supplier performance updates for Global Purchasing and regional business leadership.
Lead, coach, and develop assigned employees or functional resources; set priorities, clarify accountability, and evaluate progress against objectives.
Influence decisions in a matrixed organization, balancing regional requirements with enterprise standards and business-group priorities.
Serve as the regional escalation point for material property, landlord, supplier, facility, and transaction issues; resolve complex matters through sound analysis and cross-functional alignment.
Build effective relationships with internal customers, landlords, brokers, consultants, service providers, and other external partners.