Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Services
Parexel
Summary
We are seeking an Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Services, to join our team in an on-site capacity in Raleigh, NC. Reporting to the Chief Accounting Officer, you will lead the global real estate and workplace strategy for a large-scale, multinational organization. You will oversee a diverse portfolio of leased facilities across more than 50 countries, aligning real estate decisions with corporate strategy, financial objectives, workforce needs, customer experience, and the operational environment that supports clinical research.
Job description
This role offers the opportunity to shape enterprise portfolio strategy, workplace transformation, and operational standards on a global scale. You will drive portfolio optimization, cost efficiency, and risk mitigation through periods of growth, contraction, and organizational change, while developing future leaders and partnering with senior stakeholders across the business.
Key Responsibilities
- Optimize a real estate portfolio across more than 50 countries through negotiation, consolidation, divestiture, and downsizing.
- Strategically review competitive space ahead of lease renewals and drive cost optimization through lease negotiations and portfolio efficiencies.
- Oversee the global portfolio of offices and, in certain regions, operational medical customer-facing facilities.
- Ensure operational excellence, safety, security, and regulatory compliance, and establish governance models and global operational standards.
- Oversee the global receptionist and concierge team, coordinate office-based events, and promote the company brand within the office.
- Own and manage global operating and capital budgets in excess of $50 million annually.
- Serve as the primary liaison to FP&A and Accounting, ensure timely and accurate lease abstraction, and participate in financial planning, forecasting, and reporting.
- Lead enterprise real estate downsizing, footprint reduction, and workplace transformation initiatives supporting hybrid and future-of-work models.
- Partner with HR and Communications to manage organizational change while balancing business objectives with employee experience considerations.
- Ensure customer-facing locations reflect brand and experience standards, and support business growth through strategic location planning.
- Lead and motivate a geographically dispersed global Corporate Real Estate Services organization, develop future leaders and succession plans, and foster accountability and innovation.
- Partner cross-functionally with HR, Finance, IT, Legal, and Business Leaders, including executive and C-suite stakeholders.
Candidate Profile
You'll thrive in this role if you bring:
- Strength in global portfolio strategy, financial stewardship, workplace operations, and organizational change.
- A working knowledge of the accounting implications of real estate decisions.
- The drive to understand all aspects of the portfolio and communicate relevant business facts to stakeholders in a timely manner.
- Experience managing and motivating large, geographically dispersed teams.
- Experience interacting with executive and C-suite leadership.
- The ability to tailor communication to the audience and situation.
- The ability to balance cost efficiency, employee experience, customer experience, compliance, and business growth.
Required Qualifications
- BA/BS in Business, Finance, Real Estate, or a related field.
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive corporate real estate or facilities management experience with multinational organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading a global real estate portfolio across periods of growth, contraction, restructuring, or organizational change.
- Experience with leased facilities, global operating and capital budgets, workplace transformation, and customer-facing locations.
Requirements
- BA/BS in Business, Finance, Real Estate, or a related field.
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive corporate real estate or facilities management experience with multinational organizations.
- Experience leading a global real estate portfolio across periods of growth, contraction, restructuring, or organizational change.
- Experience with leased facilities, global operating and capital budgets, workplace transformation, and customer-facing locations.
Benefits
- Health, Vision & Dental Insurance
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Vacation/Holiday/Sick Time
- Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts
- Work/Life Balance
- 401(k) with Company match
- Pet Insurance
Company overview
Parexel is one of the world's largest and most prominent contract research organizations (CROs), providing comprehensive clinical research services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies globally. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Parexel operates with a global workforce of over 24,000 professionals across 84+ facilities in 49 countries. The company specializes in managing the full spectrum of clinical trials from Phase I to IV across diverse therapeutic areas including neuroscience, oncology, infectious diseases, hematology, and general medicine. Parexel offers end-to-end solutions encompassing clinical trial management, regulatory strategy, data management, biostatistics, pharmacovigilance, medical communications, and market access consulting. With a strong track record spanning over 40 years, Parexel has established itself as a trusted partner for both established pharmaceutical leaders and emerging biotech innovators, helping accelerate drug development and bring life-saving treatments to patients faster through its patient-centric approach and operational excellence.