GRS Strategy & Transaction Management, Assistant Vice President

State Street•Boston, MA

12d•$70,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are looking for a senior real estate professional with strong transaction execution, lease strategy, stakeholder management, and service-delivery experience. The successful candidate will be a self-starter who can lead cross-functional teams, build trusted relationships with business units, and translate business priorities into practical, commercially sound real estate strategies. This role will own and drive occupancy-expense-related transactions from strategy development through contract execution, working with Project Management, Facilities Management, Engineering, Security, Technology, Finance, Procurement, Legal, Risk, and other partners. The role also includes asset management responsibility of select North American offices and global oversight of mail, courier, and print services, including vendor governance and technology ownership.

Requirements

Strategic thinking and the ability to translate business requirements into commercially sound real estate strategies and contract terms.
Demonstrated transaction execution, lease negotiation, and business-case development experience.
Strong client and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trust, challenge constructively, and influence outcomes in a matrix environment.
Experience leading cross-functional teams and coordinating internal and external partners without relying solely on direct authority.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior executives and delivery teams.
Strong analytical capability, including the ability to understand, test, and challenge financial models and occupancy-cost assumptions.
Sound judgment, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to organize and present complex information clearly, accurately, and without material omissions.
A service-oriented mindset and the ability to balance business-unit objectives with corporate governance, standards, risk, and control requirements.
Understanding of service delivery models, operational processes, continuous improvement, technology risk, information security, and compliance frameworks.
Experience developing and maintaining policies, procedures, standards, controls, and process documentation.
Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Bachelor’s degree, preferably in real estate, finance, business, engineering, project management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
5 or more years of relevant corporate real estate, advisory, transaction management, asset management, client relationship management, leasing, workplace, or facilities experience, including meaningful responsibility for real estate transactions and strategy development.
Demonstrated experience leading lease negotiations, transaction execution, financial analysis, and cross-functional delivery for corporate real estate requirements.
Strong understanding of US GAAP accounting for leases and occupancy-cost financial analysis.
Experience managing outsourced service providers and related vendor governance, contract management, performance management, and risk-management requirements.
Experience serving as an application or technology owner, including partnership with Technology, Procurement, Legal, Risk, and business stakeholders to deliver and govern technology-enabled services.

Nice To Haves

Experience with facilities operations, including mail, courier, or print services, is preferred.
Experience supporting a geographically dispersed real estate portfolio and managing internal and external delivery partners is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead transaction management and lease negotiations for real estate requirements, including site selection, financial analysis, business-case development, approvals, contract negotiation, and execution.
Serve as the primary interface for Total Occupancy Cost workstreams related to new, expanding, consolidating, renewing, or exiting locations.
Develop market-based leasing and subleasing assumptions and translate approved strategies into the acquisition, disposition, renewal, expansion, contraction, or subletting of space.
Develop flexible transaction structures, including renewal, expansion, contraction, termination, and rights-based solutions, to address changing business needs.
Prepare clear, accurate, and decision-ready GRS Investment Committee materials and executive-level business cases.
Coordinate multiple business units when real estate objectives compete, balancing business requirements with enterprise standards, governance, risk appetite, and portfolio strategy.
Guide cross-functional execution across Transaction Management, Facilities Management, Project Management, Engineering, Security, Technology, Finance, Procurement, Legal, and Risk.
Apply sound knowledge of US GAAP financial underwriting, lease accounting policy, site selection methodology, test fits and design principles, leasehold improvement practices, security requirements, insurance provisions, third-party risk requirements, and contract negotiation principles.
Maintain accountability for transaction timelines, financial assumptions, risks, dependencies, approvals, and stakeholder communications through completion.
Serve as a primary real estate contact for assigned business units within select North American offices, building strong relationships and maintaining an open, candid dialogue regarding business priorities, service needs, risks, and portfolio opportunities.
Understand business operating objectives and develop holistic real estate strategies that support those objectives while balancing corporate governance, standards, cost discipline, and operational requirements.
Develop portfolio and location strategies well in advance of lease expirations, renewal options, and other critical decision points so that alternatives can be evaluated and executed effectively.
Identify and advance opportunities to reduce lease and operating costs, improve space utilization, and promote efficient use of real estate assets.
Oversee delivery of approved real estate strategies, transactions, and projects, providing direction and coordination across Transaction Management, Facilities Management, and Project Management teams.
Act as an advocate for operational and business-unit requirements while constructively challenging assumptions and guiding stakeholders toward solutions aligned with enterprise objectives.
Provide timely, informative, and actionable portfolio reporting to regional executives, finance leaders, business-unit stakeholders, and GRS leadership.
Monitor portfolio performance, emerging requirements, service quality, and execution risks; escalate issues and recommend corrective actions when needed.
Clearly communicate the objectives, services, governance requirements, and value of GRS to business partners and other stakeholders.
Provide strategic oversight and operational management of global mail, courier, and print services, ensuring efficient service delivery, process optimization, and alignment with business requirements.
Partner with business units to assess evolving service needs, implement improvements, and maintain current process, policy, and procedure documentation.
Serve as Vendor Lead and Engagement Manager for outsourced mail, courier, and print providers, with accountability for contractual oversight, service performance, and vendor governance.
Monitor performance against established KPIs and SLAs and drive corrective actions, service improvements, cost savings, and process efficiencies.
Manage contract renewals and expirations and oversee compliance with applicable Third-Party Risk Management requirements.
Act as Technology Owner and subject-matter expert for mail, courier, and print platforms, with accountability for system governance, access and entitlement reviews, compliance, operational support, and technology-related controls.
Coordinate required governance activities, including architecture reviews, information-security risk assessments, and related policy and compliance requirements, in partnership with internal stakeholders and external vendors.

Benefits

our retirement savings plan (401K) with company match
insurance coverage including basic life, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and other optional additional coverages
paid-time off including vacation, sick leave, short term disability, and family care responsibilities
access to our Employee Assistance Program
incentive compensation including eligibility for annual performance-based awards (excluding certain sales roles subject to sales incentive plans)
eligibility for certain tax advantaged savings plans
inclusive development opportunities
flexible work-life support
paid volunteer days
vibrant employee networks