The Senior Director, Strategic Real Estate is a roll-up-your-sleeves leader responsible for actively managing Graham Packaging’s global real estate portfolio—including manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution centers. This position combines boots-on-the-ground execution with strategic oversight to ensure our physical footprint is cost-effective, operationally aligned, and built for growth. The role requires direct involvement in site selection, negotiations, and project execution while partnering closely with leaders in Operations, Legal, Finance, Engineering, and Procurement.

Real Estate Execution & Portfolio Optimization

• Lead hands-on execution of real estate strategies across a complex, multi-site industrial portfolio.
• Conduct site evaluations, property walkthroughs, and due diligence to identify opportunities for consolidation, expansion, or relocation.
• Oversee day-to-day lease and property management responsibilities, ensuring compliance with terms, renewals, and key milestones.
• Drive timely resolution of lease and property issues by working directly with landlords, brokers, and internal partners.

Deal Making & Negotiation

• Personally manage and negotiate real estate transactions—leases, purchases, build-to-suit, and dispositions—in coordination with Legal and external advisors.
• Develop and own tactical plans for footprint changes, including timelines, budget estimates, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Execute relocations and divestitures with a clear focus on cost avoidance and minimal business disruption.

Capital & Cost Accountability

• Own real estate budgeting and forecasting processes, identifying opportunities to reduce costs and unlock capital.
• Track and report on spending for a real estate portfolio of ~$80M annually.
• Provide real-time financial analysis to support negotiations, site decisions, and project investments.

Project & Facility Support

• Oversee physical site development, renovations, and decommissions, including boots-on-the-ground coordination with engineering, facilities, and contractors.
• Act as a field resource for project troubleshooting, construction timing, and cross-functional alignment.
• Drive operational readiness of new or restructured facilities.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Lead and develop a lean team of real estate professionals, providing tactical guidance, hands-on coaching, and clear accountability.
• Work side-by-side with Operations, Supply Chain, EH&S, and Finance to solve real-time facility needs.
• Support local plant leadership through regular check-ins, responsiveness to concerns, and timely follow-up on real estate deliverables.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Business, Finance, or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum 10 years of direct, hands-on experience in industrial real estate management—preferably in manufacturing or logistics environments.
• Demonstrated ability to personally lead complex negotiations, site transitions, and property management activities.
• Strong knowledge of leasing, capital planning, construction project timelines, and facility operations.
• Proficiency with real estate and project management tools (e.g., CoStar, Lucernex, Procore).
• Ability to travel up to 30% to inspect sites, lead negotiations, and oversee real-time execution.

The standard compensation for this role is $169,800 - $254,700. Salary offers will be determined based on final candidate qualifications, experience, skillset, and other relevant factors.