Executive Director – Corporate Real Estate Management

A world-class executive opportunity for a strategically and tactically savvy real estate industry professional and relationship builder combining subject matter expertise with the skill and confidence to oversee a key portfolio for an award-winning municipal leader.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. Consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities, the City of Toronto is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture.

With a complex real estate environment that includes more than 8400 properties, with an annual operating and capital spend of $1 billion each, the City is looking for an experienced, confident and results-oriented senior manager who, as Executive Director, will provide strategic leadership, advice and guidance to the multi-faceted Corporate Real Estate Management Division, which includes the core real estate, facilities, security and energy management functions.

Reporting to the Deputy City Manager, Corporate Services, you will oversee a high-performing leadership team comprised of key groups including transaction services, property management, facilities services (security, custodial, maintenance), project management and capital project delivery, asset management and support services.

As head of the Division, you will set the overall strategic direction for the Division, establishing the vision, goals, objectives, group-wide change agenda and priorities that align with Council priorities and the long-term fiscal plan. You will be accountable for all elements of corporate real estate for City assets ensuring that all City real estate management obligations are delivered, and all operational and financial metrics are achieved. You will work in partnership with strategic arm of the real estate team, CreateTO to provide key inputs into the portfolio plan and will be responsible for execution of that plan.

This sizable mandate calls for your strengths in building solid relationships, as it involves working closely with multiple stakeholders across the City, such as Councillors, the City's real estate agency, CreateTO, and City agencies, corporations and boards, as well as other orders of government, the private sector and community groups, to ensure the effective delivery of corporate programs, services and capital projects. In particular, you will collaborate horizontally to create opportunities for service improvement and efficiencies, and shared success across the organization.

Your ability to provide financial oversight to ensure that teams are meeting objectives cost effectively and within budget will prove invaluable, as you conduct short- and long-term financial planning and case load forecasting for the development of budgets, and establish financial management systems to ensure that Division budgets are implemented in accordance with Council direction and the budget plan.

You are an acknowledged real estate industry leader with a solid foundation for success in this role: a degree in Business Administration or other relevant discipline/related field, a proven track record of providing senior-level management oversight and extensive real estate experience in a variety of areas such as portfolio, asset and lifecycle management, acquisitions and dispositions, and lease management.

As a result, you bring a strong professional network, and expertise in large-scale real estate transactions, management of large real estate portfolios and in building high-performing teams, leading real estate strategy development for a large division or corporation, and negotiating major real estate related agreements with key industry players. Your skills as a persuasive communicator will also be evident as you manage media relations and represent the City in various public forums on matters relating to, or impacting, the Division.

Your knowledge of business improvement processes, strategies and performance analytics, risk management systems and processes, and Human Resources legislation (e.g. Employment Standards Act) and experience working with collective agreements will also serve you well as Executive Director. Having effectively led change management initiatives, you are well prepared to lead the implementation of new business models, organizational structures, policies and processes.

A proven team mentor and coach, adept at aligning real estate and business strategy, and balancing innovation with cost effectiveness, you will create a working environment that encourages creativity and boosts productivity, and lead by example in the continuous identification, development and implementation of innovative solutions to continually deliver value to the City.

To apply to this strategic executive position, submit your application, specifying the job title in the subject line of your email, to Phelpsgroup at careers@phelpsgroup.ca. Application deadline: June 30, 2019.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: The City of Toronto is committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment where all employees and members of the public feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the public and the communities in which we live and serve.

Accommodation: The City is committed to providing Ontario Human Rights Code-protected accommodation throughout its hiring process. Please visit Hiring Policies and Statements for further details.

Phelpsgroup

401 Bay Street, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M5H 2Y4

Phone: 416-364-6229