Occupancy Planner at JLL

Role Purpose

The Occupancy Planner is on the front line of solving today’s dynamic workplace challenges with hybrid and remote working strategies. Using the latest software and business intelligence tools, you will ensure all properties are optimized under the client’s workplace strategy. Join us and our client in creating inspirational, sustainable workplace experiences for our people and community.

What this job involves

As Occupancy Planner, you will solve the client’s occupancy and space issues within the framework of corporate workplace programs, metrics, and strategy. This includes responsibility for tracking, analysing, and updating space data to assist in the development of scenarios and options for our client's real estate portfolio across Middle East and Africa. Day-to-day deliverables would include tracking and managing utilization data and trends, analysis, reporting, visual charts & graphics, data audits & maintenance, and updating space layouts.

• Planning Activities: You will respond to end user requests for incremental office space and resolve their workplace issues by understanding their business needs. You will effectively gather the customer’s space requirements/scope through asking the right questions and active listening to understand the underlying business needs. You will then develop space solutions including stacking plans, block plans, allocation plans, and/or adjacency diagrams. Finally, you will present solutions and concepts that align with the workplace strategy and meet the business requirements. You will be responsible for seeing incremental space requests and churn moves through to completion. On larger projects, you will work with senior planners to support implementation of major projects, including tracking occupancy and allocations, and phased moves.
• Managing spaces: You will work regularly in CAFM/IWMS system to maintain space types, business org allocations, neighbourhoods, and other records. AutoCAD experience is required in order to maintain office floorplan layouts and produce furniture / layout test-fits for client projects. You will also support office reservation systems and perform administrative updates when space layouts change.
• Data & Reporting: Major requirements for you will be to get familiar with space utilization methods and the presentation of utilization data. You’ll work closely with local site teams across the client’s portfolio to gather and validate occupancy data related to people and space to be used in the measurement of space utilization and office efficiency.
• Fostering relationships: You’ll foster critical relationships between various individuals and organizations, and ensure coordination and collaboration among various business units, especially regional facility operations, transactions, and project management functions. You’ll interact with business leaders and the client’s internal CRE team up to the senior manager level.

Desired skills and experience for this job

• Workplace Principles: A working knowledge of office design principles; literacy in reading and interpreting floor plans; occupancy utilization; and workplace trends such as the mobile workplace. You understand hybrid working, sharing ratios, collaboration space, and the components of office space (desking, meeting, amenity, support, and specialized spaces).
• Creative thinker & problem solver: You can see the small moving parts that make up the big picture, develop multiple ways to solve a problem, and approach old problems with new ideas.
• Data and analytic skills: You have critical thinking skill sets and can tell a story through data. You will be successful on the job if you have skills in Microsoft Excel (pivot table, cell calculations). You are attentive to detail and accuracy - particularly numbers and trends. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to consolidate data and floor plans into PowerPoint presentations for clients will be highly valuable for the job.
• Excellent communication skills are important – both written and spoken. An individual with strong interpersonal skills, able to understand complex ideas and communicate them to others, and an ability to interact with senior-level external and internal clients will be successful in the role.
• Diploma level qualification or higher in the real estate industry, or equivalent professional experience.
• 4 or more years work experience in occupancy or space planning for corporate clients; or interior office planning, furniture planning/management, move/project management, or related Facilities function in a corporate real estate role.