Office Space Planner

Company description

Publicis Re:Sources is at the core of Publicis Groupe, the world's largest communications company. We are the only full-service, end-to-end shared service organisation in the industry, enabling Groupe agencies to do what they do best: innovate and transform for their clients.

Formed in 1998 as a small team to service a few Publicis Groupe firms, Publicis Re:Sources has grown to 6,000+ employees in over 55 countries. We provide technology solutions and business services, including finance, accounting, legal, benefits, procurement, tax, real estate, treasury and risk management, information security, and global mobility — supporting 110,000+ employees across the Publicis Groupe network. Our people are at the centre of everything we do, bringing curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence to their work every day. #LI-KM2

Learn more about Publicis Re:Sources and the Publicis Groupe agencies we support at publicisresources.com#LI-KM2 

Overview

The Facilities Space Planner will maintain accurate space, occupancy and workplace-planning information across the UK & Ireland property portfolio and provide a responsive space-planning service to internal stakeholders.

The role will translate business requirements into practical, compliant and efficient workplace layouts; maintain accurate CAD drawings, occupancy records and stacking plans; coordinate office moves and day-to-day workplace changes; and support minor refurbishment and furniture projects.
Working closely with the Real Estate, Facilities, IT and agency stakeholder teams, the postholder will provide reliable information on workplace capacity, occupancy and future space requirements, helping the business make informed property and workplace decisions.

This role would suit an experienced, hands-on space planner who combines strong CAD and analytical capability with a practical understanding of how workplaces operate. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between technical drawing work, data management, site surveys and stakeholder conversations.
They will be a self-starter who can independently manage routine space-planning requirements while recognising when a proposed change requires broader project, commercial, compliance or specialist input.

Responsibilities

1. Space planning and CAD management
• Maintain accurate and current AutoCAD floor plans for all relevant properties within the UK & Ireland portfolio.
• Produce existing, proposed and final layouts for workplace changes, relocations and minor projects.
• Develop test-fit layouts to assess the feasibility of new or changing business requirements.
• Prepare clear, numbered workplace plans showing desks, offices, meeting rooms, collaboration spaces, phone booths, support areas and shared facilities.
• Ensure layouts accurately reflect changes to workstation numbers, furniture, room use and team locations.
• Update plans promptly following moves, refurbishments and other workplace changes.
• Maintain an orderly and controlled drawing register, including version control, issue dates and drawing status.
• Work with project teams, designers and contractors to obtain and retain accurate final and as-built drawings.

2. Occupancy and capacity planning
• Maintain accurate workstation-capacity and occupancy information by property, floor and business unit.
• Produce and maintain portfolio stacking plans.
• Reconcile assigned headcount, team allocation and physical workstation capacity.
• Identify available capacity, space constraints, inefficient layouts and potential consolidation opportunities.
• Prepare occupancy scenarios to support changes in headcount, team structure or working arrangements.
• Provide early-stage feasibility assessments for new acquisitions, agency transfers, consolidations and relocations.
• Support the development and maintenance of workplace-planning principles and space standards.
• Highlight material discrepancies between drawings, occupancy data and observed use of space.

3. Moves, adds and changes
• Plan and coordinate minor office moves, relocations and workplace churn with the Property Manager.
• Prepare seating plans, numbered move drawings and supporting move schedules.
• Gather and validate requirements with agency and departmental stakeholders.
• Liaise with IT, Facilities, furniture suppliers and relocation contractors to ensure that requirements are clearly communicated.
• Identify dependencies relating to furniture, power, data, technology, access and workplace readiness.
• Undertake pre-move and post-move checks.
• Ensure drawings, stacking plans and occupancy records are updated after each completed move.
• Support larger relocation and property projects led by the Real Estate or project-management team.

4. Workplace projects and improvements
• Support minor workplace refurbishments, space reconfigurations and furniture projects.
• Produce initial layouts and test fits before the appointment of external architects or designers, where appropriate.
• Assist with the planning and placement of desks, meeting-room furniture, collaboration settings, phone booths, storage and support facilities.
• Help maintain consistent workplace and furniture standards across the portfolio.
• Maintain information on existing furniture and identify opportunities for reuse or redistribution.
• Coordinate minor changes with relevant contractors and internal teams.
• Monitor completion against the agreed layout and report material variations or defects.
• Support accessibility, wellbeing and inclusive-design considerations within workplace layouts.
• Escalate projects that require significant capital expenditure, specialist design input or formal project management.
5. Space data and reporting
• Maintain a reliable portfolio space dataset, including:
o Property and floor information
o Net internal areas, where available
o Business-unit and agency allocations
o Assigned headcount
o Workstation capacity
o Available capacity
o Occupancy ratios
o Meeting-room and ancillary-space information
• Produce regular space, capacity and occupancy reports for the Real Estate and Facilities teams.
• Prepare before-and-after plans and summary information for proposed changes.
• Support portfolio reviews, budget submissions, business cases and leadership presentations with accurate space information.
• Conduct periodic floor-plan and occupancy audits.
• Investigate and correct inconsistencies between CAD plans, occupancy records and physical workplace arrangements.
• Assist with maintaining relevant property and workplace information within approved business systems.
6. Stakeholder and supplier coordination
• Build effective working relationships with agency leaders, business-unit representatives and workplace users.
• Discuss requirements with stakeholders and convert them into clear, workable planning briefs.
• Work closely with Real Estate, Facilities, IT, Health and Safety, Security and Finance teams as required.
• Coordinate with relocation contractors, furniture suppliers, architects, designers and other professional advisers.
• Communicate proposed layouts and move arrangements clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Manage competing requests professionally, identifying priorities, dependencies and delivery constraints.
• Provide a responsive and service-focused space-planning function across the portfolio.

7. Compliance and governance
• Ensure proposed layouts reflect relevant health and safety, accessibility, fire-safety, building and workplace requirements.
• Follow the organisation’s procurement, information-management, data-protection and approval processes.
• Maintain a clear audit trail of plans, revisions, approvals and completed changes.
• Ensure confidential headcount, location and occupancy data is handled appropriately.
• Identify compliance or operational concerns and escalate them to the appropriate Real Estate or Facilities lead.
• Comply with all relevant legislation and organisational policies applicable to the role.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in workplace, office or facilities space planning.
• Strong working knowledge of AutoCAD or an equivalent professional CAD platform.
• Experience producing accurate office layouts, test fits and numbered move plans.
• Experience maintaining occupancy, capacity or stacking information.
• Practical experience supporting office moves, workplace changes or minor refurbishments.
• Understanding of workplace planning principles and office furniture requirements.
• Ability to interpret architectural, furniture and services drawings.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills, with close attention to detail.
• Good understanding of the coordination requirements between workplace planning, IT, furniture and relocation services.
• Competence in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook.
• Ability to manage several requests and priorities with limited supervision.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:
• Strong spatial awareness and technical drawing ability.
• Excellent accuracy and attention to detail.
• An organised, methodical and structured approach.
• Strong stakeholder-engagement and communication skills.
• The ability to turn an operational requirement into a practical layout.
• Confidence working independently and taking ownership of tasks.
• Sound judgement when balancing capacity, functionality, user requirements and cost.
• The ability to explain technical plans clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• A collaborative and service-oriented approach.
• The ability to remain effective when priorities or requirements change.
• Professional discretion when handling sensitive headcount and location information.

Additional information

We are a Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing a fair assessment process and are happy to discuss and explore reasonable adjustments during the hiring process. Publicis Groupe UK fosters and inclusive environment through our inspirational Employee Action Groups (EAGs).

We have a comprehensive benefits offering. Our full health and lifestyle benefits package will be shared with you, when you join us. In addition to key benefits like Pension, Life Assurance,  Income Protection and Private Medical, some of our other benefits are:

• Annual Leave (25 days plus 8 bank holidays), increasing after 5 years, by 1 day per additional service up to 30 days. Birthday Day Off that can be used in your birthday month and the opportunity to Buy or Sell Holiday at the start on each year.
• Flexible Bank Holidays, you can switch the 2 Easter bank holidays for other days of your choosing. Reflection Days for time away from work to focus on what works best for you. Work your World, after completion of one year, you have the opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis Groupe office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
• Help@Hand, our lifestyle and wellbeing app that supports you and your family; 24/7 Helpline, Remote GPs, Medical or 2nd Opinion, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Physiotherapy, 1-2-1 Lifestyle Coaching, Nutritional Consultations, Savings & Discounts and lots more. 
• Inclusive Policies to support you and your family including enhanced Family Leave, Disability, Carers, Transitioning at Work, Flexible Working, Menopause.
• Local discounts, restaurants & retailers in Westfield White City. Onsite Café with complimentary breakfast, a subsidised lunch menu, and an in-house barista.