Assistant Facilities Manager - 12 month contract

Summary And Purpose Of The Role

The Global Facilities Management team offers a diverse range of services to our colleagues and this role requires a well-rounded skill set and enthusiasm to help create and maintain a healthy and safe working environment. With oversight and direction from the Global Head of FM, you will lead in the implementation and day to day management of facilities services for the Economist Group’s Americas offices, with particular emphasis on the successful planning and delivery of upcoming office relocations, including our NY headquarters.

You will work with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to turn the agreed move project into a practical plan, coordinate activity on the ground, and ensure the relocation is delivered safely, efficiently, and with minimal disruption to business operations. You will provide an excellent office environment and build and maintain a strong working relationship with all of our colleagues and visitors.

Key Accountabilities

• Office move: project delivery support

• Work With The Global Head Of Facilities, Internal Stakeholders, And External Architects And Other Contractors To Deliver Successful Office Moves, Beginning With The Economist Group’s US Headquarters In NYC

• If required, visit potential spaces to determine their suitability to satisfy the brief

• Translate the approved move brief into a detailed delivery plan covering milestones, dependencies, owners, access requirements, risks, decisions and contingency actions

• Maintain the project schedule, action log, risk and issue register, decision log, budget tracker and change control record; provide concise status updates and early warning of slippage

• Coordinate surveys, site readiness checks, landlord requirements, building access, licences, insurance evidence, method statements and contractor documentation

• Work with workplace design, IT and business teams to validate floor plans, desk and room allocations, furniture requirements, storage, signage, equipment, accessibility and operational needs

• Coordinate procurement and supplier activity for removals, furniture, storage, cabling, IT deployment, cleaning, security, signage, waste and other workstreams within the agreed scope

• Plan move sequencing, packing and labelling, crate distribution, specialist-item handling, staff guidance and departmental responsibilities

• Lead on-site coordination during enabling works, move days and initial occupation, including inductions, access, deliveries, escalation, progress checks and end-of-day reconciliation

• Protect business continuity by coordinating with IT and operational teams, confirming critical services, fallback arrangements, handover criteria and go/no-go information

• Manage snagging and defects, verify close-out evidence, coordinate post-move support and help transition the new workplace into business-as-usual facilities operations

• Act as an approachable, informed point of contact for practical move questions and workplace issues

• Build productive relationships with department leads and move champions; capture requirements, confirm decisions and manage expectations

Facilities Operations

• Support the daily operation of the office workplace, meeting rooms and reception area, ensuring that a professional service and high standard of accommodation is provided at all times

• Complete regular property inspection audits and assist with premises management issues resulting from these checks

• Liaise with relevant building management teams and landlord’s agents to ensure that The Economist Group complies with all building rules and regulations

• Negotiate, co-ordinate and monitor Facilities Management contracts and service agreements, including planned maintenance, reactive repair services and adhoc jobs, with a strong attention to detail

• Establish and maintain proper site records in accordance with best practice rules

Skills And Capabilities Profile

• Practical experience in facilities, workplace, property, office operations or a similar service environment

• Experience coordinating an office move, workplace change, fit-out, refurbishment or another multi-supplier operational projects

• Ability to build and maintain project controls, including plans, actions, risks, budgets, changes and status reports

• Experience supervising contractors and coordinating work in an occupied or operational environment

• Working knowledge of workplace health and safety responsibilities, contractor controls and risk assessment principles

• Confidence using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and a project/task-management tool; able to maintain accurate spreadsheets and records

• Highly organised, dependable and comfortable managing several live workstreams

• Visible and hands-on, with the judgement to solve practical problems at pace

• Clear communicator who can adapt information for colleagues, senior stakeholders and suppliers

• Commercially aware, numerate and attentive to detail

• Calm under pressure, with sound prioritisation and escalation judgement

• Collaborative and service-minded, while willing to challenge unsafe work, missed commitments or uncontrolled changes

Performance Measures

• Facilities requests and planned actions are completed within agreed service levels, with clear records and communication

• The new office is safe, clean, secure, accessible and operationally ready against an agreed readiness checklist

• The move is delivered to the approved scope, key dates and budget, with changes controlled and reported

• Business disruption, safety incidents, lost assets and avoidable rework are minimised

• Stakeholders receive timely, practical information and know what is required of them

• Snags, records, warranties, manuals and supplier handovers are completed promptly and transferred into business-as-usual ownership

Compensation

The expected base salary for this position is between $75,000-$89,000. It is not typical for offers to be made at or near the top of the range. Rather, salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.

Working Arrangements

The majority of our roles operate on a hybrid working pattern, with 3+ days office attendance required.

What We Offer

• A highly competitive pension or 401(k) plan

• Private health insurance

• 24/7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Program

• A range of lifestyle benefits, including our Work From Anywhere program, which allows you to work from any location where you have the legal right to do so for up to 25 days per year

• Generous annual and parental leave

• Dedicated days off for volunteering and even for moving home

• Free access to all The Economist content, including an online subscription, our range of apps, podcasts and more