Workplace Strategist

SUMMARY  

The Workplace Strategist Interior Design (ID) is part of a team that consults with clients and organizations to provide solutions that produce meaningful change, promote innovation and collaboration within the work environment. Working closely with the client organizations, the Workplace Strategist supports the development of solutions that aim to align the work environment and work practices with organizational business goals and objectives at the site, campus and portfolio levels. Solutions can be inclusive of the “business case for change” and the development and roll out of new workplace strategies. The Strategist should be well versed with working experience in the areas of occupancy planning, design, functional program and workplace standards development incorporating both traditional and alternative workplace strategies. They should have a good understanding of change management.  

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES  

 People Leadership

Demonstrates strong, competent leadership for team members to guide them in reaching their full potential and meeting their objectives, which supports achievement of our corporate goals. Specifically, these responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Full involvement with recruiting talent.
• Provides mentoring, coaching and guidance to all team members.
• Takes initiative, works well independently in addition to the team setting.
• Strives for 100% employee engagement and satisfaction through effective leadership, communication, and team member support and mentorship. 
• Coordinates and actively participates in new team member onboarding to ensure a positive and consistent experience for new team members and consistency of training and onboarding to processes, tools and other materials. 

Service Delivery – Functional Space Planning, Space Layout and Interior Design, Furniture Specification           

• Supports the Sr Workplace Strategist on large, complex projects and acts as project lead smaller less complex TFMS delivered projects, 
• provides oversight of work delivered by more junior team members to ensure timely, successful implementation specifically Functional Space Planning, Space Layout & Interior Design and Furniture Specification services.
• Actively delivers workplace strategy and functional programming services including the following activities:
  • Identifies and validates existing client organizational requirements and workspace needs including utilization, growth forecasting, specialized requirements, head and seat counts and employee requirements at the business and employee level. 
  • Measures and analyzes workplace effectiveness through discussion, site observation, space utilization and benchmarking studies. Identifies work styles, employee and space barriers to productivity and overall attitude towards change.  Develops and facilitates client workshops / visioning sessions at the local, regional and portfolio levels including multiple location strategies.
  • Creates comprehensive and compelling business case scenarios for change within the workplace. Develops preliminary design concepts, defines program requirements and recommended work settings in combination with strategic portfolio and space analytics.  Provides recommendations specific to furniture, technologies and other infrastructure as it relates to AWS. 
  • Assists organizations with the implementation of alternative workplace strategies in alignment with corporate and business unit objectives including integrating and managing workplace outcomes with business and financial targets. Establishing integrated workplace requirements, including supporting the sustainable delivery of change for the business.
  • Identifies success measures on a project or departmental basis in the implementation of workplace solutions in order to evaluate effectiveness. 
  • Provides integration services in conjunction with Workplace Strategist – CM program and team. 
  • Actively develops functional programs, Design briefs, interior design documents and furniture specification in accordance with documented methodologies and processes.
• Works with other service leads within TFMS and with other lines of business including Property Management, Project Management and Professional Services in an integrated delivery model for all projects. 
• Keeps up to date with emerging trends and insights with regards to workplace strategy, design and best practices.
• Provides thought leadership in the area of workplace strategy through knowledge sharing, participation and facilitation to help evolve the workplace, people within it and the technologies used.
• Develops and maintains project schedule and budget to ensure it is in line with the approved mandate.
• Leads project meetings to define key goals and objectives.
• Leads milestone meetings with internal / external team members and project concerned parties.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Relationship Management  

• Maintains positive relations to meet client objectives. 
• Effectively and pro-actively communicates with concerned parties, such as Clients, contractors and industry bodies (as required) to ensure Client satisfaction and BGIS’s success. 
• Develops strong internal relationships with other line of business in order to ensure alignment and promote and support integrated delivery of services – One BGIS.

Reporting & Communication

• Supports the completion of project status reporting and monthly financial reporting activities for all projects they are assigned to. 
• Updates the Sr Workplace Strategist regularly on project status, risks and opportunities. 
• Provides updates to the Sr Workplace Strategist and or Program Director on project impacts and opportunities.
• Participates in monthly internal workplace strategist ID forum to gain information on best practices and identify opportunities for improvement. 

Financial Management         

• Supports the financial management of assigned program of projects: effective financial administration, including accounts payable (A/P), accounts receivable (A/R) & collections, labour absorption, financial reporting.
• Ensures timely completion of milestone billing documents.

Resource Planning and Management                

• Tracks changes between planned and actual resource utilization to manage changes that may impact funding or schedules to ensure the successful delivery. 
• Communicates changes to the Sr Workplace Strategist / Program Director in order to manage delivery risks and resourcing levels as required.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS 

• University or College Degree (Bachelors level). 
• Education and certification in Interior Design.  (7+ years experience in the area of workplace services including but not limited to interior design, workplace strategy, change management, relocation).
• Excellent communication skills. English / French bilingual is an asset. (Experience in customer service and client facing activities)
• Effective leadership skills and management skills. (1-3 years in a managerial capacity)
• Skilled in strategic and critical thinking. (Experience working on workplace transformation initiatives in a consulting capacity)
• Has excellent relationship building and relationship management skills. (Experience managing customer relationships)
• Excellent influencing and conflict resolution skills.   (Experienced in leading a team)
• Excellent problem-solving skills. (Experience in facilitating workshops and other engagements for visioning, problem solving and or requirements gathering and discovery) 
• Able to meet requirements for Federal Security Clearance.  
   

This is a regular, full-time position with a salary range of $73,600 - $92,000 per annum. The starting salary will be based on the successful candidate’s competencies, including but not limited to experience, education, professional designations and performance related to this role.