Senior Director, Global Design, Construction & Space Standards

The Senior Director, Global Design, Construction & Space Standards leads the company’s global design, construction, workplace planning and space standards capabilities across a diverse international portfolio. This leader establishes how offices, laboratories, technical environments, collaboration spaces and employee amenities are programmed, designed, approved and delivered, while allowing appropriate adaptation for local codes and operating conditions.
The role leads the global project design and construction team, directs regional resources and external partners, and serves as the principal authority for design standards, space planning, project governance, design quality and workplace performance. The role also provides executive oversight for headquarters initiatives, major capital investments, campus transformations and other high-visibility projects.
Business Context
The company requires a scalable global model that replaces inconsistent, project-by-project practices with clear standards, reliable space data, disciplined programming, defined decision rights, strong supplier accountability and integrated management of scope, cost, schedule, risk and operational readiness.
Key Responsibilities
1. Global Design & Space Standards
Develop, implement and maintain global standards for workplace, laboratory and technical environments, including planning principles, space typologies, furniture, finishes, lighting, acoustics, accessibility, signage, workplace technology and brand integration.
Define mandatory global requirements, appropriate regional adaptations and a documented standards-exception process.
Maintain a controlled standards library and continuously improve it using project outcomes, post-occupancy findings, business needs, sustainability goals and market innovation.
2. Global Space Planning & Portfolio Enablement
Establish the global space-planning operating model, including intake, programming, decision rights, service levels and accountability among global, regional, site and external teams.
Ensure headcount, attendance, utilization, equipment, technology, security and future-growth assumptions are reflected in workplace and laboratory programs.
Establish ownership and quality expectations for drawings, occupancy, capacity, allocation and utilization data to support portfolio decisions.
3. Global Project Leadership & Executive Governance
Lead headquarters initiatives, major capital investments, campus transformations, flagship workplace projects and other strategically important programs across the global portfolio.
Establish project governance, stage gates, standards, controls and executive reporting to ensure consistent delivery of scope, budget, schedule, quality, safety and operational readiness.
Provide executive oversight for complex, high-risk or high-visibility projects and prepare clear business cases, project updates and decision materials for C-suite leaders and executive governance forums.
Drive alignment across Real Estate, Facilities, IT, Security, EHS, HR, Finance, Procurement, Communications and business stakeholders.
Capture lessons learned from major projects and incorporate them into global standards, governance and future delivery strategies.
4. Team Leadership & Capability Development
Lead, coach and develop a globally distributed team of design, construction, project-management and space-planning professionals.
Define accountabilities across global, regional and site resources; establish expectations for technical review, stakeholder management, documentation, escalation and performance.
Build succession plans, professional capability and a culture of transparency, constructive challenge and early problem-solving.
5. External Partner & Supplier Management
Establish performance expectations for architecture, engineering, project-management, construction, cost-management, furniture, workplace-strategy and space-planning partners.
Develop consistent scopes, deliverables, selection criteria and review processes; ensure the assigned partner team has relevant experience, capacity and accountability.
Monitor supplier performance against cost, schedule, design quality, risk, regulatory coordination, documentation and stakeholder outcomes in partnership with Procurement and Legal.
6. Workplace Quality, Sustainability & Compliance
Translate company culture, employee needs and operational requirements into measurable workplace design principles and appropriate stakeholder-engagement processes.
Embed sustainability, energy efficiency, accessibility, well-being, resilience, safety, maintainability and regulatory compliance into standards and project reviews.
Ensure projects include effective change coordination, commissioning, handover, operational readiness and post-occupancy evaluation.
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Interior Architecture, Real Estate, Workplace Strategy or a related field; master’s degree preferred.
15 or more years of progressive experience in design, construction, workplace, space planning, corporate real estate or capital programs, including significant global or multi-region leadership.
Demonstrated success leading major headquarters, campus, laboratory, workplace or capital programs and establishing enterprise standards or delivery frameworks.
Experience leading internal teams and external architecture, engineering, project-management, cost-management and construction partners.
Strong command of programming, design, cost planning, scheduling, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, occupancy and closeout.
Executive presence and demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders, present complex recommendations clearly and align cross-functional stakeholders.
Ability to travel internationally and operate effectively across cultures, time zones and matrixed organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
Professional registration or certification such as RA, PE, PMP, LEED, WELL, RICS or DBIA.
Experience with laboratories, R&D, advanced manufacturing support, critical environments or other technically complex workplaces.
Experience with CAD/BIM, workplace-management, occupancy, portfolio and project-reporting platforms.
Experience leading a design, construction, workplace or project-delivery center of excellence and working within outsourced service-provider models.
Leadership Profile
Strategic and hands-on, able to define a global model and intervene directly in complex or high-risk issues.
Technically credible, commercially astute, data oriented and decisive in ambiguity.
A strong people leader and standards builder who converts fragmented practices into practical, scalable tools.
An effective executive communicator who translates complex design, construction, financial and technical information into clear decisions.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
No