Global Real Estate and Workplace Operations Lead

About the Role

We are seeking a Global Real Estate Operations Lead to build and lead DeployCo’s global workplace operations function. You will set the long-term direction, shape the team and provider model, and own delivery across our international portfolio. As a partner to senior leadership, you will guide decisions about workplace investment, capacity, and the organization needed to support our growth.

This is a strategic, hands-on leadership role with substantial autonomy. Your focus will be workplace and facilities operations, with sufficient real estate and project expertise to oversee environmental health and safety, outsourced leasing, design, and construction. You will be accountable for dependable services today while building the capability to scale.

You will partner with business Site Leads for local insight while retaining accountability for operational delivery. You should be comfortable moving between a global operating plan, a difficult provider conversation, and an urgent facilities issue. You will coordinate with OpenAI’s Real Estate and Workplace team where relevant and build DeployCo’s own delivery capability.

In this role, you will

• Set and execute the global workplace operations strategy, translating business growth into service models, staffing, budgets, and operating standards.
• Own workplace and facilities services across the portfolio, including maintenance, landlord relationships, health and safety coordination, employee services, and issue resolution.
• Build and lead the global workplace operations team, starting with strong local site operations staff. Define responsibilities, develop leaders, and evolve the organization as the portfolio grows, enabling teams to make sound decisions and deliver independently.
• Set consistent service expectations while adapting to local requirements, office size, and working patterns. Partner with business Site Leads on local context and priorities while your team owns delivery and workplace communications.
• Establish a global workplace operations standard for DeployCo ensuring people receive a consistent and high value working experience.
• Manage workplace and facilities providers, setting scopes, performance measures, commercial expectations, and escalation paths. Address recurring problems and hold partners accountable.
• Lead workplace integration of acquired businesses and readiness for new offices, moves, and expansions, maintaining service continuity through each transition.
• Oversee outsourced leasing, design, construction, and office projects. Assess specialist recommendations, coordinate approvals, and manage dependencies, budgets, risks, and operational handover.
• Own workplace budget planning, forecasting, and reporting. Use utilization, service, and cost data to guide space and investment recommendations.
• Build processes, tools, and playbooks that improve visibility and prevent recurring issues. Coordinate with cross-functional partners on safety readiness, office services, employee experiences, and onsite gatherings.

You may thrive in this role if you

• Progressive experience leading workplace and facilities operations across multiple countries, with a record of building reliable services in a fast-moving environment.
• Demonstrated ability to set an operating strategy, build scalable systems, and make sound decisions independently when information or resources are incomplete.
• Strong people leadership, including hiring, coaching, delegation, and performance management across geographically dispersed teams.
• Depth in provider and landlord management, financial planning, and operational performance, combined with a practical understanding of facilities and health and safety requirements.
• Fluency in leasing, real estate transactions, design, and construction sufficient to question advice, recognize risks, and oversee specialist delivery.
• Experience opening offices or managing significant workplace transitions, and clear communication with senior leaders, employees, and external partners.
• Experience at a third-party facilities or real estate firm followed by in-house leadership at a fast-growing technology company, or equivalent paths demonstrating operational depth and the ability to build
• Experience integrating acquired offices or supporting a distributed professional-services business
• Experience in establishing and managing regional office sites globally taking into consideration regional work practices and operational nuances