Regional Workplace Experience Lead

Our small Canadian-born business was founded in 1978 and has become a global organization that now spans 120 locations across 20 countries. Our expansion has been rapid, but what matters most is the common belief that drives all 5,000 of our people to be a different type of real estate organization. We believe that the places in which we live, work and play have the power to make us happier and healthier, and we are united by a shared sense of purpose, to have a positive impact on people’s lives. In short, we are a global commercial real estate advisory firm with a simple aim: for real estate to play a leading role in creating vibrant buildings, cities and places that deliver long-lasting social value and economic impact.

We believe that our industry is changing, and we want our business to be a melting pot of curious minds, passionate hearts and strategic intelligence. Your gender, religion and race are all highly respected, but are less important to us than your ability to step up and change the game. We provide you with a place where you can do just that, with like-minded people. Collaboration is embedded in the way we work – our people have the autonomy to collaborate on client relationships, engage teams across the business, lead operations, work collectively on projects, participate in strategy and are ultimately responsible for our growth.

This role carries voting rights, so our people have a very real say in the future direction and operation of our business. This means that we are able to attract, engage and retain the best talent from the industry.

Responsibilities:

• Post Covid, the working world has changed with employee and visitor experience now at the heart of everything.
• Hybrid working is more in scope than ever; the concept of the traditional office has evolved to meet the demands created by this shift in ‘ways of working’.
• To ensure top talent is attracted and retained whilst enabling growth within a challenging market, our workplaces have become an ‘experience destination’ in themselves.
• Increasing office utilisation is now firmly at the forefront of our business objectives, and our Workplace Experience roles are uniquely positioned to support desirable outcomes.
• Our ambition at Avison Young is simple – deliver a dynamic, market leading client solution that captures modernised needs and drives enhanced engagement throughout the entire building community in new and exciting ways.
• You will play a huge part in creating brand advocacy not just for our own workforce, equally for all our visiting clients.
• This role is the lynchpin supporting our local Experience Ambassadors to deliver our overall REFIM service excellence capability.
• Working closely with the National WEx Manager, you will play a big role in delivery of a service strategy we are proud to showcase to our valued clients and our internal stakeholders.
• Your team leadership, industry knowledge, eye for detail, desire to build community and your passion for progressive change will drive your success in leading your teams on the ground in the creation of optimal workplace experience for all those we encounter.
• You and your teams will provide a service that is continuously progressing in line with the requirements of the world around us and the evolving technological opportunity emerging within it to push the boundaries of the possible.
• Avison Young aim to promote the best user experience by understanding and finding the hidden opportunity in the smallest of detail, to surprise and delight all.
• With your ability to bring teams together, ensure delivery is as expected set out in the service frameworks, and support high performing individuals who embody our ‘make a difference’ service first ethos, you will ensure the compliance of service standards.

General and Operational:

• First level line management and oversight of all service delivery roles within your allocated portfolio.
• Lead by example in demonstrating the behaviours set out in the Avison Young ‘Behaviours Playbook’.
• Establish, manage, develop, and nurture high performing teams and individuals who embody a service culture built on the foundations of exceeding expectations at every opportunity.
• Be regularly present and on hand within your locations to inspire, coach and support all team members to perform to and achieve their potential.
• Build trusted relationships with all Avison Young and client stakeholders.
• Ensure communication throughout the team and colleague network is positive at all times, championing all required changes or new ideas for successful team buy in and implementation.
• Ensure adequate training is completed and in place for all team members to excel, cross training where required to support resilience and flexibility during peak times and absences as well as complying with any H&S requirements for the location.
• Ownership of the quarterly external auditing process, leading report workshops and facilitating autonomy throughout the team to contribute to the production of the accompanying action plan.
• Complete the annual internal audit of all locations, addressing and rectifying any improvement areas identified ensuring all locations are performing to the required standard identified in the framework.
• Utilise the Avison Young ‘Way to Go!’ scheme to ensure appropriate and relevant reward and recognition is reflected in line with the Avison Young Behaviours Playbook, celebrating success publicly throughout the team.
• Ensure all team members are confident in the use of technology for all workstreams such as visitor management, resource booking, workplace apps, concierge support and lifestyle provisions.
• Ensure all team members are confident to promote the benefits of pre-booking visitors, and able to assist with pre-arrival confirmation information and service offer.
• Ensure all team members are confident and proactive in offering enhanced IT support and set up, both in person and remotely.
• Understand and effectively deliver with the accrued budgets for your locations, ensuring reconciliation is completed quarterly.
• Ensure all supplier invoices are accurate in line with expected amounts, and process in a timely manner recording all spend in line with your budgets.
• Accurately manage the payroll for your remit, ensuring new starters and leavers are processed accordingly, and all holiday and sickness is recorded in line with business expectations.
• Support your team at each location to develop a tailored annual operational blueprint focusing on service delivery, occupier and visitor engagement and personnel development – promote delegation and empowerment of its monthly completion throughout your team.
• Working in conjunction with the National Workplace Experience Manager, and our Engage department, execute an annual events calendar to include monthly innovative engagement celebrations and activities within allocated budget to drive fun, charity initiative and community building throughout your portfolio.
• Support your teams to drive the monthly surprise and delight programme and annual agenda – recognise birthday celebrations, work anniversaries and international awareness days etc, both in person and remotely.
• Support your teams to complete a monthly service report for your portfolio/remit in line with the framework and timelines established.
• Be knowledgeable and remain up to date on industry changes.

People:

• Ensure thorough understanding of the inclusions of all ‘Workplace Experience’ roles in your remit in order to oversee and support the team in the delivery of their expectations.
• Instil the Avison Young FOH values into the everyday service delivery ethos of the entire team.
• Keep job descriptions and person specifications updated in line with changing requirements and scopes.
• Assume first line responsibility for recruitment within your portfolio in line with Avison Young policy.
• Manage all probationary periods for direct reports, ensuring the induction booklet and Experience training is completed with a positive onboarding experience delivered.
• Oversee and ensure all team members attend the required training courses within their probationary period and promote ongoing PDPs.
• Oversee the annual appraisal process on Engagedly for your remit.
• Ensure any personal improvement plans (PIPs) are in place and actively monitored to address performance issues to positive resolution.
• Be an advocate for change, motivating and supporting others with the introduction of new initiatives.
• Participate actively in all appropriate company-wide meetings, forums and events.
• Ensure your team are knowledgeable, capable and competent in supporting any potential client visits/show rounds/service delivery demonstrations within your portfolio.
• Manage your teams with zero tolerance in compliance with all Avison Young policies, including but not limited to: GDPR, Bribery, Bullying and Harassment, and unconscious bias.
• Portray yourself as an Ambassador for Avison Young at all times.

Authority & Decision Making:

• Ensure all first level HR related procedures are completed competently at investigation level.
• Offer input and perspective at team meetings, demonstrating reason and emotional intelligence – always being in control of your own positive personal brand output if challenges occur.
• View all challenges and complaints as an opportunity; complete autonomy to seek resolution in a way that excels expectations, ensuring to elevate to your line manager where required.
• Ensure all first level absence management documentation is completed in line with Avison Young procedures, and adequate cover is placed for all absences.
• Be able to take difficult decisions and implement them for the need of the business and service reputation.
• Confidently and positively challenge to gain the right outcome and not shy away from difficult conversations that require influencing skills with your teams.

Qualifications:

• Exudes passion for leading a team to deliver exceptional service.
• Has a proactive, motivated, good-natured personality.
• Always communicates in a confident, positive tone.
• Possesses and instils a very customer focused manner, confident in delivering exceptional services in all circumstances and environments.
• Has a passion for technology and opportunity to utilise within service delivery environment.
• Able to coach and guide teams to find solutions, inspires creativity to problem solving.
• Is a change advocate.
• Forward thinking, and wants to continuously develop the service and themselves.
• Excellent attention to detail – always seeking to find the hidden opportunity to wow.
• Maintains pride in personal appearance, following any guidelines set by the company.
• Ability to react quickly, and prioritise needs in a fast-paced environment.

Equal Opportunities:

At Avison Young, we’ve always put people at the heart of what we do. In the last few years, we’ve increased the diversity at our board, leadership and Principal levels. Avison Young stands out for our commitment to empowering women. In addition to increasing the number of women on our board and in our leadership ranks, our internal Women’s Network of more than 500 members come together for networking and learning, and advise the business on strategies for promoting access, opportunity and inclusion in our industry.

Our global DEI steering committee shapes our strategy to continue to increase industry access for underrepresented groups and accelerating initiatives led by our employee resource groups, including our Women’s Network, Black Professionals and LGBTQ+ groups. In addition to leading global initiatives, the steering committee’s work examines our policies and practices, creating accountability for results and communicating progress to our executive leadership, our clients and our communities.

Our culture is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion, and well-being. We are committed to building an inclusive culture that empowers all our employees to thrive, reflects all backgrounds and talents, allows individuals to be successful and feel a sense of belonging, and fosters a workplace that is supported, inclusive and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

Avison Young is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to treating all its employees and job applicants equitably. This includes implementing deliberate strategies that advance underrepresented communities in commercial real estate careers. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to removing any obstacles to inclusion. If you need any adjustments to support your application or any part of the recruitment process, such as information in alternative formats or special requirements to access our buildings, or you are eligible under the Disability Confident Scheme please contact us at careers.uk@avisonyoung.com and we will do everything we can to help.

We are committed to inclusion in our hiring processes, and we want to give everyone a chance to show what they can bring to our organisation. If you are not sure that you have all the skills in the person specification, please still apply. We value passion and potential in our employees, so it would be great to hear from you and why you would suit this position.

Some of our roles may be remote and some roles may be specific to our offices, but you will need to confirm you have the right to work in the UK.