Vice President Real Estate & Property Management

Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago • Milwaukee, WI

22h

About The Position

The Vice President, Real Estate & Property Management is a senior enterprise leader responsible for setting and executing the long-term strategy for the organization’s real estate and property portfolio, including facilities and security functions. The role provides strategic oversight of a complex portfolio to optimize assets for business growth, operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and changing market and business conditions. The Vice President leads through experienced Directors who manage day-to-day operations and works with an external real estate services firm on portfolio planning, transactions, property management, and performance insights.

This role collaborates across the enterprise to align real estate and facilities decisions with organizational priorities and stakeholder needs, serving as a trusted advisor who translates organizational strategy into scalable solutions. It sets a long-term strategic vision of 10 or more years, oversees planning for real estate, property management, facilities, and asset protection, and contributes to organizational strategy and vision. The role monitors market trends, focuses on initiatives that may span five to ten years, aligns financial and operational performance to create economic value, and reports to the Executive Team on division matters.

The Vice President develops and owns enterprise real estate strategy; oversees portfolio optimization and asset management; holds the external real estate partner accountable; and provides executive-level governance for facilities, asset protection, real estate, and construction projects. The role establishes policies and standards, works with executive and business leaders and functional partners, develops talent and succession plans, sponsors major change initiatives, engages with the community, and updates the Board of Directors on financials, operations, and progress toward goals. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 10 years of experience.
• Experience with business continuity planning, risk management, and contract and vendor negotiation.
• Experience navigating complex real estate markets, including site selection, zoning, permitting, municipal approvals, construction, and community stakeholder engagement.
• Strong understanding of regulatory and compliance requirements affecting real estate, property management, facilities, and enterprise risk management.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic oversight, establishing governance, and ensuring compliance through effective partnerships and accountability structures.
• Proven ability to translate business strategy into actionable real estate, property management, and facilities solutions.

Nice To Haves

• Experience within Chicago or comparable metropolitan markets is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own enterprise real estate and property management strategy aligned with long-term business objectives, growth plans, and financial targets.
• Position the real estate portfolio to support flexibility, scalability, and adaptability to changing market conditions and business needs.
• Establish strategic priorities, governance, and success measures for real estate, facilities, and asset protection functions.
• Oversee the real estate portfolio to maximize asset value and utilization and minimize financial, operational, and compliance risk.
• Lead ongoing assessments of asset performance, including cost, utilization, condition, risk exposure, and strategic fit.
• Lead portfolio optimization decisions, including acquisitions, dispositions, consolidations, relocations, and lease strategies.
• Manage and hold accountable the external real estate partner for pipeline development, lease negotiations, portfolio planning, property management, and performance reporting.
• Oversee property management through the external partner, ensuring service quality, cost effectiveness, risk management, and compliance with enterprise standards.
• Use portfolio insights and reporting to inform executive decisions and continuous improvement.
• Provide executive accountability for real estate, construction, and facility projects, including approved scope, budget, timeline, quality, decision authority, and escalation requirements.
• Integrate facilities and asset protection strategies with real estate planning and enterprise risk management objectives.
• Establish policies, standards, and governance frameworks to support safe, secure, and well-maintained facilities.
• Partner with executive and business unit leaders and finance, legal, HR, and operations to align decisions with enterprise priorities and stakeholder needs.
• Advise senior leadership on real estate, property management, and facilities implications of business strategy, growth initiatives, and organizational change.
• Balance enterprise consistency with local business needs through stakeholder engagement and influence.
• Direct organizational design across multiple departments and oversee staff development and training.
• Ensure succession planning and development within and outside the unit; network and source candidates for positions throughout the organization.
• Set project priorities and timing, articulate the vision for organizational changes, and authorize organizational time, talent, and financial resources for projects and improvement initiatives.
• Manage change through communication and coaching, build and participate in leadership coalitions, and frequently serve as project sponsor for major initiatives.
• Demonstrate community leadership through service on volunteer boards, steering committees, or other community committees aligned with the organization’s intended impact.
• Provide Board of Directors updates on financials, operations, and progress toward goals for areas of responsibility.
• Complete other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive benefit program that may include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short- and long-term disability; life insurance; a retirement plan; and paid time off (PTO).
• Certain roles are eligible to participate in an incentive plan; participation does not guarantee payment and is subject to plan terms and conditions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive