Job Description

Director, Workplace Services & Operations (Interim). Nairobi. Posting Date: 09/18/2026. Deadline: 10/09/2026

Role Title: Director, Workplace Services & Operations (Interim)

Contract Type: Fixed-Term, 12–18 months

Workstyle Arrangement: Hybrid

Reporting To: Chief Operating Officer

Department: Office of the COO

Location: Nairobi, Mexico City, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro

Team Name: Global Operations and Real Estate

Role Purpose

The Interim Director, Workplace Services & Operations provides executive leadership for the organization's global workplace services portfolio, encompassing real estate, facilities management, office operations, and associated operational support services. Reporting to the COO, the role is accountable for maintaining safe, reliable, inclusive, and cost-effective services across a geographically distributed office footprint while leading in partnership with the COO, a time-bound evolution and alignment of functions priorities.

Over the 12–18-month assignment, the Director will stabilize service delivery, surface synergies and integrate currently separate capabilities, clarify ownership and decision rights, and establish consistent governance, service standards, performance measures and commercial disciplines. The role will assess the current operating model and deliver an evidence-based future-state model that improves accountability, customer experience, operational resilience, value for money, and scalability.

The Director will lead managers and teams through change, partner with senior leaders and local offices across jurisdictions, and provide the COO and executive leadership with clear insight into risks, performance, priorities and investment decisions. Success requires a seasoned and credible global workplace leader who combines strategic judgement with hands-on operational stewardship, organizational design, transformation delivery, commercial acumen and inclusive people leadership.

Key responsibilities

Strategic and operational leadership

• Set the direction and priorities for global Workplace Services & Operations, translating organizational priorities into a clear portfolio plan.
• Maintain continuity, safety, resilience and service quality across real estate, facilities and office operations, intervening decisively where performance or risk is outside tolerance.
• Advise the COO and executive leadership on workplace strategy, portfolio risks, investment choices, performance and emerging operational issues.

Service integration and operating-model transformation

• Lead a comprehensive current-state review of services, structures, accountability, capacity, demand, costs, contracts, systems and ways of working.
• Integrate currently separate workplace capabilities and develop a service catalogue that defines customers, service owners, standards, escalation routes and service levels.
• Design and implement an approved future-state operating model, including organization structure, role clarity, governance, decision rights, capabilities and resource requirements.
• Simplify processes, remove duplication, and embed continuous improvement disciplines across the portfolio.

Governance, performance and commercial stewardship

• Establish new (and/or improve existing) portfolio governance, risk controls, management information, KPIs and SLAs, and provide regular executive reporting with clear recommendations.
• Own portfolio budgets, forecasts and resource allocation, ensuring responsible expenditure, value for money and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Oversee strategic vendors, contracts and procurement activity; strengthen supplier performance, commercial terms, compliance and risk management.
• Ensure global policies and operating standards are practical, consistently applied, and appropriately adapted to local legal and operational requirements.

Stakeholder and change leadership

• Build trusted relationships with local offices, functional leaders and senior stakeholders to understand needs, manage trade-offs, and improve the workplace experience.
• Lead consultation, communication and change activity in a transparent, inclusive and culturally sensitive manner that sustains engagement and service continuity.
• Represent the portfolio in enterprise forums and model the organization's values internally and externally.

People leadership

• Lead, coach and hold managers accountable for delivery, collaboration, workforce planning, and the development of their teams.
• Assess capability and succession needs, create development opportunities and foster an equitable, inclusive, service-oriented and high-performing culture.

Key assignment deliverables

• A validated current-state assessment covering services, demand, structure, capability, costs, contracts, performance, risks and stakeholder experience.
• An agreed service catalogue, accountability framework, information flow and portfolio governance model.
• A prioritized operational improvement plan with measurable efficiency, service quality, and risk reduction outcomes.
• A sustainable performance dashboard and executive reporting cadence.
• A handover plan at the end of the assignment.

People Responsibilities (Total Team/DRs)

Yes (2 direct reports and 28 FTE in total)

Key Metrics

Service continuity and critical incident performance; stakeholder satisfaction; achievement of portfolio KPIs and SLAs; budget and forecast performance; vendor and contract performance; risk and compliance; process efficiency; implementation of the approved operating model; and team engagement and capability.

Key Internal Relationships

COO; Managing Directors for Operations (People & Culture, IT, Finance, OGC, Grants Management and Global Safety & Security); Opportunity Directors; Managing Directors for Programs, Justice Initiative and Impact Investment.

The ideal candidate

• Substantial senior leadership experience across workplace services, corporate real estate, facilities management or office operations in a complex, geographically distributed organisation.
• Proven accountability for a multi-country service portfolio, including service continuity, operational risk, customer experience and local regulatory considerations.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational transformation, operating-model design, service integration and implementation in an ambiguous environment.
• Experience leading people managers and sizeable multidisciplinary teams, with evidence of improving accountability, capability, engagement and performance.
• Strong budget ownership, forecasting and resource-allocation experience, together with oversight of significant supplier contracts, procurement and commercial negotiations.
• Track record of establishing governance, KPIs, SLAs, risk controls and executive reporting that support evidence-based decisions.
• Credibility partnering with executive leaders, functional peers, local offices and external providers across cultures and jurisdictions.
• Experience translating strategy into a prioritized roadmap and delivering measurable operational improvements.

Languages and Travel Requirements

• Excellent written and spoken English; additional languages are an asset.
• Travel is required. Travel frequency depends on the role requirements.

What we offer

• Exceptional opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact; from a generous annual professional development allowance for every employee to onsite training and learning conversations with visiting experts.
• Excellent benefits and perks to promote well-being and a healthy work-life balance, including:
• Generous time off and flexible work arrangements.
• Staff are required to work in an Open Society office 50% of working days per month.
• Employer-paid health insurance and dental plans for individuals and families (no employee contribution required).
• Exceptional retirement savings plan (non-contributory for employees) and life insurance.
• Progressive paid parental leave, reproductive and family planning support, and much more.
• A commitment to nurturing a diverse and inclusive workplace, so you can bring your whole self to work and make a positive impact.

Who we are

Open Society Foundations aim to establish vibrant and inclusive democracies where governments are accountable to their citizens. Our operating model organizes grantmaking around specific, time-limited projects, developed alongside support for established partners, enabling us to respond swiftly to emerging needs. We are committed to promoting human dignity, equality, and rights; reimagining democratic ideals and practice; and advancing equity in governance systems.

Guided by our founder’s values and the belief in the art of the possible, we engage directly with global entities, individuals, and policymakers through grants, advocacy, impact investing, and strategic human rights litigation to drive positive change. At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to rights, equity, and justice, inspiring every action we take.

Competitive rates of pay apply.

Open Society Foundations is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, and to building a diverse staff that reflects the movements, issues and communities that our mission serves. Candidates from all underrepresented backgrounds, identities and communities are encouraged to apply.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and colleagues with disabilities.