MEET DEEPL

DeepL is a global communications platform powered by Language AI. Since 2017, we’ve been on a mission to break down language barriers. Our human-sounding translations and intelligent writing suggestions are designed with enterprise security in mind. Today, they enable over 100,000 businesses to transform communications, reach new markets, and improve productivity. And, empower millions of individuals worldwide to make sense of the world and express their ideas.
Our goal is to become the global leader in Language AI, building products that drive better communication, foster connections, and make a real-life impact. To achieve this, we need talented individuals like you to join our exciting journey. If you’re ready to work with a dynamic team and build your career in the fast-moving AI space, DeepL is your next destination.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are committed to fostering an innovative, collaborative, and productive work environment that supports our employees and reflects our company culture. As we continue to expand, we are looking for an experienced and strategic leader to join our team as the Director of Workspace Management.
Reporting to the VP Strategy & Operations, you will be responsible for defining and executing our physical workspace vision, ensuring our offices are optimized for productivity, collaboration, and employee well-being across all our regions. This is a critical senior leadership role requiring strong people management skills, significant experience in budget ownership, strategic planning, contract negotiation, and third-party vendor management.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

Global Workspace Strategy & Planning:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive global workspace strategy that aligns with the company’s growth objectives, budget constraints, and evolving work models, building upon strong foundational work conducted by the current team.
• Conduct needs assessments and collaborate with regional leadership to understand specific market requirements and cultural nuances.
• Lead site selection, lease negotiations, and build-out projects for new office locations or expansions, as well as optimizing existing spaces.
• Stay abreast of industry trends in workspace design, technology, and employee experience to ensure our spaces remain productive and engaging.

Budget Ownership & Financial Management:

• Develop, manage, and oversee the global workspace budget, including operational expenses, capital expenditures, and project costs.
• Identify opportunities to maximize the spend impact for employee experience.
• Provide regular financial reporting and forecasting to senior leadership.

Team Leadership & People Management:

• Build, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing global team of workspace professionals.
• Foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement within the team.
• Oversee performance management, professional development, and talent retention for your direct reports and the broader workspace team.

Third-Party Provider & Vendor Management:

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with landlords, brokers, general contractors, furniture suppliers, facilities management companies, cleaning services, security providers, and other relevant third-party vendors.
• Lead/delegate the sourcing, evaluation, and selection of new vendors, ensuring competitive pricing and high-quality service delivery.
• Negotiate and manage all contracts, service level agreements (SLAs), and terms to ensure optimal value and compliance.

Office Operations & Facilities Management:

• Oversee all aspects of facilities management across the global portfolio, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient operation of all workspaces.
• Implement best practices for space utilization, maintenance, security, and environmental health and safety (EHS).
• Develop and manage policies and procedures related to workspace usage, access, and shared resources.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner closely with IT, People (HR), Finance, Legal, and other departments to ensure seamless integration of workspace services with broader company initiatives.
• Act as a key stakeholder in discussions around employee experience, well-being, and company culture as it relates to the physical environment.

Key Success Measures:

• Employee feedback on our office spaces, gathered through focus groups and in biannual surveys
• Effective utilization of our office spaces, avoiding under-and over-utilization through effective capacity planning
• Active participation in annual budget planning and consistent adherence to global budgets
• Employee engagement, including engagement scores within our valued global office team