Senior Occupancy Planner / Design Manager
About The Position
JLL is hiring a Senior Occupancy Planner / Design Manager to support a key financial services client across its workplace and retail portfolios. The role combines strategy, occupancy planning, portfolio optimization, and design management to deliver environments that support business objectives, employee experience, customer engagement, and operational excellence. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor, translating business requirements into physical-space solutions. They will lead occupancy-planning initiatives and provide standards and brand governance for renovation and new-build projects, from programming through construction. The position uses data, workplace trends, and strategic planning expertise to develop innovative and scalable workplace solutions across a diverse portfolio and contribute to workplace strategy and design solutions. The role partners with Corporate Real Estate, Workplace Experience, Project Management, Facilities Management, business leaders, and architecture, design, and construction partners. It requires communicating planning recommendations to stakeholders at all organizational levels and managing multiple priorities as business needs evolve. The position is remote, with Chicago, Illinois listed as the location. It does not provide visa sponsorship; candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture, Interior Design, or a related field.
- Minimum 7–10+ years of experience in workplace planning, occupancy planning, architecture, interior design, or related disciplines.
- Demonstrated experience leading corporate workplace renovations, workplace transformation initiatives, and/or retail design projects.
- Strong understanding of occupancy-planning methodologies, workplace standards, utilization analytics, and portfolio planning.
- Ability to create and evaluate feasibility studies, scenario models, test fits, and space-allocation plans.
- Experience working directly with architects, designers, and project managers throughout project lifecycles.
- Strong understanding of workplace guidelines, spatial relationships, furniture planning, and building systems.
- Working knowledge of local building codes, ADA requirements, and accessibility standards.
- Strong PowerPoint skills and ability to develop executive-level presentations and planning recommendations.
- Experience with AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam, and Matterport platforms.
- Strong analytical and strategic-thinking skills, including the ability to interpret occupancy and utilization data, identify trends, and develop practical business recommendations.
- Ability to clearly communicate complex planning concepts to stakeholders at all organizational levels.
- Proactive, detail-oriented, organized, adaptable, and able to manage multiple priorities as business needs evolve.
- Excellent relationship-building and collaboration skills with executive leaders, cross-functional partners, and project stakeholders.
- Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.
Nice To Haves
- Experience supporting financial services institutions, retail banking environments (preferably branch banks), or large corporate portfolios.
- Knowledge of WELL Building Standard, LEED certification, and sustainability initiatives.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
Responsibilities
- Partner with Corporate Real Estate, Workplace Experience, Project Management, and business leaders to identify workplace requirements and translate them into planning solutions.
- Develop stack plans, test fits, feasibility studies, capacity analyses, and scenario models to support business and real estate decisions.
- Analyze occupancy, utilization, and portfolio data to identify optimization opportunities and make strategic recommendations.
- Establish and uphold workplace standards, planning guidelines, and brand governance requirements.
- Review and guide architectural and design deliverables from programming through construction.
- Support workplace transformation initiatives, relocations, consolidations, and portfolio optimization projects.
- Develop executive-level presentations and recommendations for client stakeholders and leadership teams.
- Collaborate with project teams to keep occupancy requirements, design standards, budgets, and schedules aligned.
- Work with Corporate Real Estate Strategy and Portfolio Planning teams on real estate objectives and portfolio initiatives.
- Align planning solutions with employee experience goals in collaboration with Workplace Experience teams.
- Support project scope development, delivery, budgeting, and scheduling with Project Management teams.
- Incorporate operational requirements into planning solutions in collaboration with Facilities Management.
- Validate planning concepts and FF&E standards with architecture, design, and construction partners.
- Understand operational needs, growth forecasts, and workplace requirements by engaging business leaders and lines of business.
- Communicate complex planning concepts and recommendations through reports, visualizations, and presentations.
Benefits
- 401(k) plan with matching company contributions
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care
- Paid parental leave at 100% of salary
- Paid time off and company holidays
- Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay
- Career development opportunities
- Well-being programs
- Comprehensive benefits package
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
