Senior Director: Living Operations - Europe

When you join Hines, you will embark on a career journey fueled by vision and guided by leaders who set the standards of our industry. Our legacy is rooted in innovation and excellence, earning us a spot on Fast Company’s esteemed annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, as well as recognition as one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Companies to Work For in 2024. Discover endless opportunities to grow and make your mark at Hines.

The Senior Director: Living Operations - Europe leads the operation of a high-performance Living organization for Europe. Maintains the ultimate responsibility for financial performance and achievement of performance goals across all properties and communities. Highly strategic, fast paced, organized and focused on driving scale, consistency and clearly defining business processes (top down). Ensures successful administration of talent management, operational manuals, quality control, governance, sourcing, and supporting investor/owner/client communication activities for Europe. Ensure value creation through resident experience, operational excellence and strategic asset selection.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Drive Living operations strategy and business generation as the organization continues its growth journey, and directing Living in alignment with broader European Management Services (MS) goals.
• Commitment to champion and implement European MS service delivery standards including consistent business processes and enabling technology.
• Set up and oversee sales and marketing strategy for Living portfolio in close coordination with Asset Management and Regional Business Generation teams.
• Lead all new mobilizations (incl. set up of tools and systems, support recruitment process, marketing strategy, etc.), refurbishments, and operational change projects across the European platform.
• Focus on firm/client Environmental goals. Ensure asset level execution and business process compliance for environmental goals and strategies.
• Track and elevate within the European and Global org notable market trends/client needs/pain points for opportunities for differentiated Hines service delivery, innovation, and continuous improvements.
• Maintain, identify, and build relationships across key Living sector clients.
• Ensure service delivery is consistent and innovative across markets, in collaboration with central resourcing. Develop KPIs to monitor and proactively identify/address issues to drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain a truly differentiated and consistent Hines Living Lifestyle resident experience for PBSA and other living projects empowered by technology, training, property activation, and hospitality-led service execution. Closely coordinate with Hines Experience teams.
• Oversee all European Living market leaders and ensure execution of operating strategies consistent with European and Global priorities.
• Be highly focused on driving improved efficiency and scalability by leveraging technology, centralization, and clearly-defined business processes, differentiated top of market execution, reputation, and Alpha performance.
• Bring thought leadership, urgency and critical analysis in assessing market best practices in this area to quickly identify and implement strategies to support this.
• Champion the culture of Hines Living through developing and retaining talent, recognition, and training - supporting career growth for employees across the Living platform.
• Cultivate relationships and actively pursue new business opportunities in coordination with Country Heads and European Management Services leadership.
• Foster a collaborative work environment.
• Keep abreast of current changes in technology, processes, and standards; adjust priorities and strategies as needed to elevate Hines and market leading in execution, returns to investors, and resident experience.
• Ensure strict adherence with local market standards, laws, and regulations.
• Represent Hines and Aparto brand in selected business, community, and industry organizations and groups.

Minimum Requirements include:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Ten or more years’ supervisory experience in residential operations including senior leadership roles, and a minimum of five years in PBSA.
• Experience with summer lettings and/or hostel operations strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success with new business pursuits including equity developments, acquisitions, and third-party business.
• Experience administering a performance management program, including establishing and tracking key performance metrics to ensure quality across a large management portfolio.
• Experience with best-in-market Living communities.
• Lead employee teams to achieve their highest and best use through interpersonal relationships, evaluation of team members performance, and in accordance with good business practices.
• Comfortability utilizing property management software, word processing, spreadsheet, and database management applications.
• Impeccable integrity and reputation.
• Interact with employees, visitors, and contractors with poise and diplomacy.
• Comply with all company and regional policies, as well as regulatory requirements.
• Maintain a calm demeanor.
• Compose business letters, expositions, summaries, and reports, using proper format, punctuation, grammar, diction and style.
• Speak before an audience with confidence, using appropriate communication skills/style.
• Demonstrate strong initiative and customer service orientation.
• Establish and maintain a cooperative working atmosphere among staff.
• Exchange ideas, information, and opinions with others to formulate policies and programs and/or arrive jointly at decisions, conclusions, or solutions.
• Perform numerical and financial calculations.
• Analyze and interpret various types of data to draw conclusions and solve problems.
• Demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft Office software.
• Ability with other European languages (e.g., French, Spanish, Italian, German) strongly preferred.
• Frequent international travel required.

Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 240 cities in 27 countries. Hines oversees a portfolio of assets under management valued at approximately $160.9 billion, including $81.7 billion in assets under management for which Hines serves as investment manager, and $79.2 billion representing more than 172.9 million square feet of assets for which Hines provides third-party property level services. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired approximately 1,450 properties, totaling over 485 million square feet. The firm has more than 180 developments currently underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. We are an equal opportunity employer and support workforce diversity.