Leads the Company’s branch real estate and facilities function across more than 1,100 branch locations in sixteen (16) states and the Branch Service Center. Oversees the real estate and facilities functions, bringing site strategy, lease negotiation, build-out, maintenance, and branch closures together into a single, coordinated lifecycle. Owns the strategy and occupancy cost of the lease portfolio, and partners with Operations leadership, Legal, Finance, and Accounting to support branch growth, relocations, consolidations, and acquisitions while controlling cost and risk.
Essential duties and responsibilities:
· Set Strategy for the Branch Real Estate Portfolio
Develop and execute a multi-year real estate strategy aligned with the Company’s growth, relocation, consolidation, and acquisition objectives.
Own the lease portfolio pipeline, including expirations, renewals, relocations, and closures, so that decisions are made well ahead of critical dates.
Partner with Operations leadership (Regional Vice Presidents and District Managers) and Analytics to use branch performance and market data in open, relocate, merge, and close decisions.
Establish and maintain Company standards for site selection (co-tenancy, visibility, ingress/egress, exclusive use), branch layout, and branch appearance.
· Oversee Lease Negotiation and Portfolio Management
Oversee site selection, letters of intent, and lease negotiations for de novo, relocation, and renewal branches, and personally lead high-value or complex transactions.
Set negotiation parameters and approval thresholds, and ensure all required corporate approvals are obtained before lease execution.
Partner with the Legal department to define standard lease terms, acceptable risk positions, and template language.
Direct early lease buyouts and the disposition of excess or vacated property to minimize remaining lease liability.
Ensure accurate handoff of executed leases to lease administration and the integrity of lease data and critical dates, and partner with Accounting on lease accounting requirements (ASC 842).
· Direct Facilities and Branch Build-Out
Oversee signage, furniture, flooring, and build-out for new, relocated, remodeled, converted, and acquired branches, delivering projects on schedule, within budget, and to brand standards.
Own vendor strategy, including selection, contracts, pricing, quarterly business reviews, and performance management.
Ensure permits, code requirements, and landlord approvals are secured for all branch projects.
Oversee branch repair and maintenance, enforcement of landlord maintenance obligations, the national document-shredding program, and Branch Service Center facilities and mailroom operations.
Partner with Marketing and Operations on rebranding and branch modifications so the branch network presents a consistent look.
· Manage Budget, Cost Control, and Reporting
Develop and manage the occupancy, facilities, and capital budgets, and track actual spend against budget.
Report portfolio metrics to senior leadership, including occupancy cost per branch, upcoming lease expirations, project status, vendor spend, and realized savings.
Review and approve invoices and lease-related payments within delegated authority.
Identify and pursue opportunities to reduce occupancy and facilities costs across the portfolio.
· Lead and Develop the Team
Lead, coach, and develop the real estate and facilities teams.
Set goals for the function and define clear roles and handoffs among the real estate, facilities, and locations teams.
Drive continuous improvement in processes, systems, and tools used across the function.
· Lead and assist with ad hoc projects as needed.
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:
Proven ability to set strategy and lead…