WeWork Enterprise / Cost Management Lead

About Enterprise at WeWork:

WeWork has evolved from providing flexible workspaces for individual members to providing a full suite of design, construction, and operations solutions to a wide range of members including Enterprise companies. Under the Powered by We (PxWe) brand, WeWork leverages its vast experience, market penetration, and economies of scale to deliver exceptional custom designed spaces and services for clients of all shapes and sizes. To support this rapidly growing offering, we’re scaling our best in class team.

About the Role:

The Cost management Lead will focus on both our people and our process across various Enterprise projects. Within this leadership position, you will harness and help to grow the Cost Estimating and Cost Management professionals, including both new and veteran team members. Additionally, you will be a regional link to global leadership, ensuring constant communication regarding process and growth opportunities for the discipline within your region. Remaining an active team member and working on projects will remain an important part of this role.

The ideal candidate will be a cost management professional with expansive construction experience. You will oversee regional cost activities, both pre- and post- construction, for WeWork’s rapidly growing PxWe offerings. This person will lead a team of cost estimators, cost managers and cost analysts who will manage all of WeWork’s project Enterprise pipeline for the region. In addition, this person will be responsible for approval of capital budgets, reporting cost forecasts for the region and managing the project workload and staffing requirements within the region. The Cost Management Lead needs to demonstrate a deep understanding of their regional marketplace, economics, cost drivers, trades, MEP systems, material and labor pricing, procurement methods and possess the leadership skills to oversee a dynamic and growing business function in a fast-paced environment.

The position requires a proven track record of positive team growth and mentorship, an understanding of our brand at its deepest level, and an aptitude for positive and clear communication within your team. Additionally, the role requires respect for and discretion with sensitive information.

The Cost Management Lead will report into the Construction Director, PxWe.

Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of Cost managers and Cost Estimators who support multiple simultaneous Enterprise projects. Assist team members in learning processes and growing professionally.
• This role manages direct reports. The Cost Management Lead's responsibilities will include conducting professional 1:1 sessions, reviewing performance, providing mentorship, and performing other people management duties.
• Lead and empower Cost Management team members to proactively flag and solve project issues.
• Liaise with the other Discipline Leads on the Development team, maintaining consistent coordination of work processes and deliverables across disciplines.
• In your management role, be a mentor to team members by providing guidance, feedback, and QA/QC review.
• Be a main point of contact and escalation for cost management team members.
• Oversee financial governance for preconstruction and construction activities for WeWork Enterprise projects within the region.
• Manage the Capex Budget within the region.
• Assume signoff and financial responsibility for the Capex Budget, the bidding, procurement and execution of the construction within the region.
• Ensure regional team are following approved budgeting practices consistent with corporate guidelines. Ensure such practices result in the most complete estimates possible while ensuring the financial objectives are met.
• Provide reports and financial oversight to Regional Directors and Global discipline Head/Leadership.
• Assist other individuals within the organization to grow and develop the regional business by providing the requisite cost advice and consultation for potential transactions and opportunities.
• Oversee the organization and management of a centralized cost management database for the region and a formal process to support budgeting to ensure historical data is utilized.
• Identifies cost trends, market economics and regional specific cost drivers to assist management in cost reduction and process improvement efforts.
• Lead the development of a reliable network of contractors and suppliers. Develop and maintain effective working relationships so the needs of WeWork and its clients can be met.
• Provide the necessary oversight and review for work product, costs, estimates and reports generated from within the regional team.
• Ensure the regional team are providing accurate real-time cost forecasting on all projects under management.
• Analyze regional project data to provide clarity and analysis on budgeted costs versus awarded costs versus final cost and assist in the re-use of this data to better inform the budgeting process.
• Negotiate, agree and settle final accounts and close out statements as necessary

Leadership Qualities:

• Be a Positive Influence - Become a positive influence within your discipline and beyond by always carrying yourself in a professional manner. Be optimistic and help others do so as well. This applies to our team, our consultants, and other parts of the business. You are a leader representing the Design Department. We should always be at our best.
• Build the Guild - Be excited about creating a strong culture within your guild, through events, mentorship, and learning opportunities. Develop an environment that excitedly welcomes new discipline team members, and helps to grow current members.
• Manage and Mentor - Act as both a manager and a mentor to regional discipline team members (provide guidance, feedback, and assistance on product design methodology).
• Collaborate - Work collaboratively with your direct guild members, the global Discipline Head, and the other regional Discipline Leads within your function.
• Build Relationships - Dive deep into your discipline by building relationships within your industry, leveraging expertise and creating excitement within the guild about the future of your discipline from a wide-lens perspective.
• Be Respectful and Discreet - As a manager, you will encounter sensitive situations and information. Honesty, respect, and privacy are essential.
• Prioritize and Be Organized - As you will remain an active team member working on projects, it is important that you understand your own workflow, and are able to prioritize and work efficiently. The Discipline Lead will wear many hats--project team member, manager, product expert--so you must feel comfortable and excited about getting involved at many levels of the Design organization.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering or Management, Quantity Surveying, or equivalent and/or relevant work experience in a cost, cost estimator related field
• 5-10 years of general construction estimating experience in interiors or base building projects
• 5-10 years of experience with commercial interior fit-outs, on very tight time frames with high-end finishes
• Well-developed budgeting, communications, construction knowledge, financial analysis, purchasing, negotiation and computer skills are required
• Strong leadership and Management skills essential
• Experience in conceptual, schematic, pre-construction phases of projects
• Impeccable and concise communication and presentation skills, verbal and written
• Highly resourceful problem solver that takes accountability
• Demonstrated ability to consistently meet deadlines
• Strong time management skills and experience managing multiple projects teams and responsibilities simultaneously
• Reliable, focused, and detail-oriented
• Excels under pressure and can maintain a calm demeanor at all times
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment requiring critical decision making and ownership
• Computer skills of using Planswift, and Microsoft Office
• Strategic thinker and has ability to drive improvement and implement strategies, technology and processes to get results