Director - Real Estate and Facilities

Rehlko•Milwaukee, WI

5d•$156,000 - $201,900•Hybrid

About The Position

As a senior leader within Rehlko, the Director - Real Estate and Facilities is responsible for leading enterprise-wide initiatives aligned to Rehlko’s real estate portfolio and global facilities footprint. This role will define and execute strategies related to expanding, consolidating, and managing new and existing facilities supporting both manufacturing and support functions. This role will partner across the enterprise engaging various functions in order to execute the role -- ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency, and driving continuous improvement which aligns with Rehlko’s organizational goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Facilities Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or related field.
15+ years of experience in corporate real estate, facilities or property management preferably within a large, global manufacturing organization.
Strong knowledge of real estate transactions, lease negotiation, financial analysis and property law.
Expertise in building systems, maintenance principles, and facility compliance standards.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Cross functional partnering in a matrixed organization
Ability to multitask balancing both tactical day-to-day tasks and conceptual strategy development concurrently
Ability to identify and leverage resources outside of function to complete actions
Proven problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Ability to lead through influence and navigate a matrix organization by building strong partnerships, aligning stakeholders, and driving shared outcomes.
Strategic thinker with an operational mindset.
Highly organized and detail oriented.
Strong focus on safety, reliability, and workplace experience.
Results-driven with a continuous improvement approach.
Willingness to travel domestically within the US 25% and internationally 10%.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive global real estate strategy aligned with Rehlko’s objectives. Evaluate and recommend real estate opportunities to optimize the company’s footprint by identifying underutilized space and driving consolidation, while supporting growth, operational efficiency, and a positive employee experience.
Lead lease negotiations, acquisitions, contracts and disposals of properties, ensuring favorable terms and cost-effectiveness.
Establish company‑wide space standards and workplace guidelines. Lead occupancy planning processes by monitoring space demand, forecasting future needs, and ensuring each location remains appropriately sized as the business evolves.
Partner with and lead external services and contract providers to execute real-estate transactions
Identify, implement and utilize technologies and tools to manage data and document repositories
Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners on maintenance, repair, renovation, construction, and upgrade projects -- providing technical guidance, ensuring facility standards are met, and supporting scope development, scheduling, and operational readiness. Provide input on vendor contracts, bids, proposals and service agreements.
Reviews capital plans to ensure investments align with facility needs, infrastructure condition, and organizational priorities.
Establish corporate‑level contracts and consistent site-level protocols for facility-related services (including janitorial, security, building systems and landscaping) that ensure favorable terms, standardized service levels, and cost savings across Rehlko.
Establish physical security, visitor management and incident response protocols to ensure a safe operating environment.
Manage global travel security, including risk assessments, traveler advisories, and emergency response planning. Monitor emerging threats and implement proactive measures that protect employees, facilities, and company assets.
Partner with Risk Management to strengthen loss‑prevention practices, develop remediation plans, improve facility resilience, and minimize exposure across the portfolio.
Create visual management dashboards and tools to illustrate facility locations and key attributes to empower enterprise understanding of global facility demographics
Manage global vehicle fleet including passenger and transportation vehicles
Define and manage global vehicle use strategy policies globally addressing insurance, liability, and use parameters.
Create regional strategies for vehicle use and dealer contract negotiations