Sr. Director Corp Real Estate & Facilities

Airbus•Herndon, VA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Director Corp Real Estate & Facilities contributes to Airbus business objectives through the strategic application of corporate real estate and facilities resources, expertise, and influence. The role develops and delivers comprehensive solutions in support of aerospace operations across the organization and North America, with a focus on measurable, cost-effective, value-added, and reliable outcomes that support annual and long-term business objectives. The position leads regional real estate strategy, including long-term portfolio planning, lease negotiations, site acquisitions and divestitures, workplace strategy, sustainability initiatives, external partnerships, and implementation of real estate technology. It provides executive oversight of strategic capital and construction projects, establishes project governance and delivery standards, and partners with operations and executive functions to improve facility performance and asset value. The role oversees facilities service delivery across a portfolio of more than 40 sites, including service-provider performance, operational continuity, vendor and property-manager oversight, and operational cost management. It governs operating and capital budgets, risk and compliance, environmental and safety standards, corporate responsibility initiatives, and fixed-asset planning and governance. The position also builds and develops a high-performing team, advises executive site leadership, contributes to corporate accreditation programs and crisis management, and supports capital expenditure and procurement processes. The position is designated as flexible remote, with physical requirements indicating 80% onsite and 20% remote. Travel is at least 30% domestic and international. Employment is permanent, and applicants must be eligible to work in the United States; the posting states that Airbus does not sponsor visas for U.S. positions unless specified.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
At least 15 years of corporate real estate/facilities experience in a complex organization.
At least 10 years developing and managing budgets subject to changing internal and external demands.
At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including demonstrated ability to motivate teams and influence senior leadership.
Experience delivering large-scale capital projects and managing contracts and vendors.
Demonstrated experience managing enterprise-level real estate portfolios across multiple geographies and property types.
Experience managing multiple workstreams in a multicultural environment and addressing cultural differences.
Working knowledge and application of OSHA, ISO, NFPA, ANSI, and ADA standards.
General knowledge of FAA, EASA, and ICAO standards.
Knowledge of industry trends, best practices, and technology; ability to read blueprints and construction drawings; and experience with large construction or renovation projects.
Strong interpersonal, organizational, presentation, and project-management skills, including prioritizing and delivering work within timeline, scope, and budget.
Strategic and visionary thinking, adaptability, and resilience in a changing environment.
Outstanding communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Project- and change-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple complex transformation projects and prioritize effectively.
Demonstrated stakeholder-management skills, including negotiation and matrix-management coordination.
Ability to understand business needs and build consensus among business leaders to advance strategic priorities and transformation.
Commitment to ongoing professional development for self and staff.
Fluent written and spoken English, with strong written, presentation, oral, interpersonal, consultative, and results-oriented problem-solving skills.
Proficiency in office productivity tools.
Eligible to work in the United States; the posting states that applicants must have current work authorization and that Airbus generally does not sponsor visas for U.S. positions unless specified.
Able to meet the stated physical requirements, including operating office equipment and some production tools, carrying and lifting items up to 30 lb/14 kg, and walking through office and production areas.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Business Management or an equivalent field.
Facilities or real estate experience in a production environment.
Background in sustainability, energy management, or green-building certification programs such as LEED.
Experience with M&A integration and facilities harmonization across acquired entities.
PMP certification.
CMRP, CFM, or FMA certification.
Professional designations through facilities organizations such as BOMI or IFMA.
Knowledge of the aerospace industry.
French, German, or Spanish language skills.
Proficiency in Google Workspace.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a long-term real estate master plan aligned with business growth, productivity, and hybrid work models.
Lead lease negotiations, site acquisitions, and divestitures; oversee relationships with external brokerage and legal partners.
Define North American workplace strategy to support corporate culture, employee retention, and operational efficiency.
Drive portfolio sustainability and ESG reporting initiatives to meet corporate carbon-reduction and energy-efficiency targets.
Represent the company in external real estate and facilities forums and maintain market intelligence.
Direct implementation and integration of corporate real estate technology, including IWMS/CAFM platforms.
Provide executive oversight of strategic projects, including capital construction, renovations, and industrial infrastructure upgrades.
Establish project management methodologies, governance frameworks, and reporting protocols to support consistent delivery, cost control, and schedule adherence.
Oversee project risk management, quality assurance, safety, and compliance throughout project phases.
Partner with operations teams to improve facility performance and long-term asset value; coordinate with executive partners and the central team to align projects with business objectives and global workplace strategy.
Define, monitor, and enforce KPIs and SLAs for facilities service providers.
Act as the primary executive escalation point for critical facility or infrastructure disruptions and direct cross-functional responses to maintain business continuity.
Use operational data from FM/IWMS platforms to improve services, allocate resources, and reduce operating expenses.
Oversee third-party vendors and property managers across the 40-plus-site portfolio, ensuring contractual, financial, and performance compliance.
Direct operating expenditure management and cost-reduction efforts while maintaining compliance and service standards.
Govern capital planning from project inception through capitalization, prioritizing and tracking high-return investments in infrastructure, technology, and facility expansion.
Establish integrity in facility operations and ensure compliance with corporate policies, anti-corruption frameworks, and ethical procurement practices.
Direct site compliance and risk mitigation, maintain EHS standards, and ensure readiness for internal and external audits.
Champion corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives across facilities and the regional supply chain.
Monitor regulatory developments and update policies and procedures to maintain compliance.
Build and lead a high-performing, diverse team; foster accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development.
Lead learning and development, technical upskilling, mentoring, and succession planning.
Oversee the annual fixed-asset review, registry accuracy, audit certifications, and authorization of obsolete-asset retirement or disposal.
Use facilities-tool data to advance predictive and preventative maintenance and identify equipment-failure patterns.
Oversee capital asset planning, including repair-versus-replacement decisions and HVAC capitalization strategies.
Manage warranty portfolios to capture value from vendors and contractors.
Ensure compliance with capitalization and depreciation policies and evaluate the financial impact and ROI of major asset investments.
Oversee authorization of asset procurement, modification, and disposal, and enforce applicable technical and safety standards.
Liaise with landlords and property managers on lease agreement activities.
Contribute to corporate accreditation programs, including ISO 14001.
Provide technical expertise to RFI/CFT processes, including preparing specifications and scopes of work.
Advise executive site leadership and functions such as finance, procurement, and HR.
Collaborate with executive site leadership to develop, submit for approval, and execute capital expenditure projects.
Participate in the crisis management team and provide technical expertise.
Recommend and manage initiatives to improve service delivery, balancing cost and quality.
Contribute to the Human Resources Leadership Team.