Head of Workplace

United States Digital Space LLC; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 171,000 - 214,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement benefits

Learning stipend

Generous PTO

Commuter stipend

Job summary

Scale is seeking a Head of Workplace to lead our global Workplace function across ~10 offices. You will own the real estate portfolio, budget, and day-to-day experience while managing the CBRE partner and other service providers. Build the Workplace team and partner with Security, IT, Finance, and Legal to set standards.

The role emphasizes strategic thinking, cost management, and an employee-centric office experience in a fast-growing AI startup environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a global multi-site Real Estate and Workplace function.
• Deep experience managing integrated facilities management partners (CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield).
• Track record owning large operating and capital budgets.
• Experience negotiating leases and leading office openings/build-outs internationally.
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision making.
• Strategic mindset balancing cost, experience, and business needs.
• Excellent project management and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead global real estate portfolio strategy across ~10 offices.
• Own relationships with facilities partners and manage SLAs, KPIs, reviews.
• Own the Workplace and Real Estate budget, including leases and capital projects.
• Oversee food and beverage programs and employee experience initiatives.
• Lead office openings, relocations, and build-outs from start to finish.
• Partner with Security for safety, emergency preparedness and compliance.
• Build and develop a global Workplace team and align with cross-functional partners.

Skills

Global leadership

Vendor management

Budget management

Project management

Data-driven

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Job description

Scale is a cutting-edge artificial intelligence startup dedicated to revolutionizing the way businesses leverage AI and machine learning technologies. We specialize in providing high-quality training data to fuel the development of AI models across various industries. As we continue to grow, we are seeking a seasoned Workplace professional for our People Team to join our dynamic team and play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI.

Job Overview:

As the Head of Workplace at Scale, you will lead our global Workplace function across ~10 offices worldwide. You will own our real estate portfolio, the Workplace budget, and the day-to-day experience in every office, managing our integrated facilities management partner (CBRE) and other outsourced service providers on the ground. You will build and lead the Workplace team, partner closely with Security on safety and preparedness, and work hand in hand with our international leaders as we expand. Your work will make our offices safe, well run, cost-effective, and places people want to be.

You will:Real Estate Portfolio Management:

• Lead strategy, planning, and oversight of Scale’s global real estate portfolio across ~10 offices.

• Manage site selection, acquisition, lease negotiation and administration, renewals, and disposition of properties, working with brokers, landlords, and legal.

• Partner with International HR and business leaders to plan for growth and expansion into new markets.

• Use occupancy, utilization, and cost data to decide when to grow, consolidate, or exit space.

Vendor & Service Delivery Management:

• Own the relationship with our integrated facilities management partner (CBRE) and other outsourced service providers across the global portfolio.

• Define and manage SLAs, KPIs, and regular performance reviews to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience in every office.

• Lead vendor sourcing, contract negotiations, and renewals.

Budget & Financial Ownership:

• Own the global Workplace and Real Estate budget, including leases, facilities operations, food and beverage, and capital projects.

• Build annual budgets and forecasts, track spend against plan, and report regularly to Finance and leadership.

• Find ways to reduce cost without compromising the employee experience.

Workplace Experience and Food & Beverage:

• Oversee food and beverage programs across all offices, including catering vendors, service models, dietary needs, and budget.

• Partner with Employee Experience on events, amenities, and programs that bring people together and strengthen our culture.

• Gather employee feedback and use it to keep improving the office experience.

Workplace Design and Projects:

• Lead office openings, expansions, relocations, and build-outs from start to finish, working with architects, contractors, and project managers.

• Design flexible, sustainable, and collaborative workspaces that use technology to support how our teams work.

Safety, Preparedness and Compliance:

• Partner closely with Security on workplace safety, emergency preparedness, and business continuity planning.

• Own health and safety compliance at each site, including evacuation plans, drills, first aid/AED readiness, and incident response procedures.

• Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and environmental requirements related to our offices and real estate.

Team Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Build, lead, and develop a global team of Workplace professionals, working alongside on-site vendor teams.

• Partner with People, Security, IT, Finance, and Legal to set consistent workplace standards and make aligned decisions.

Ideally you'd have:

• Experience: Proven experience leading a global, multi-site Real Estate and Workplace function.

• Vendor Management: Deep experience managing integrated facilities management partners (e.g., CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield) and outsourced service models.

• Financial Management: Track record of owning and managing large, multi-million-dollar operating and capital budgets.

• Real Estate: Experience negotiating leases and leading office openings, build-outs, and relocations, including internationally.

• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills and a data-driven approach to decision-making.

• Strategic Mindset: Ability to think strategically and balance cost, employee experience, and business needs.

• Project Management: Excellent project management skills, with a track record of delivering projects on time and within budget.

• Team Management: Experience building and leading strong Workplace teams made up of both FTEs and vendor partners.

• Communication: Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and collaborate cross-functionally.

• Adaptability: Highly adaptable approach to a fast-paced, high-growth business environment.

*Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position and may be inclusive of several career levels at Scale; it will be determined during the interview process based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend.*

Please reference the job posting's subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the locations of San Francisco, New York, Seattle is:

$171,200—$214,000 USD

***PLEASE NOTE:Our policy requires a 90-day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This allows us to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants.*

About Us:

*At Scale, our mission is to develop reliable AI systems for the world's most important decisions. Our products provide the high-quality data and full-stack technologies that power the world's leading models, and help enterprises and governments build, deploy, and oversee AI applications that deliver real impact. We work closely with industry leaders like Meta, Ernst& Young, Mayo Clinic, Time Inc., the Government of Qatar, and U.S. government agencies including the Army and Air Force. We are expanding our team to*