Occupancy Planner

Ford Ford · Auto · Dearborn, MI +1 · Office of General Counsel

This role focuses on long-range space planning, developing cross-building seating strategies, and guiding the business through major shifts in utilization, hybrid work patterns, and enterprise workplace transitions. The Lead Occupancy Planner acts as a subject matter expert in seating models, densification planning, and headcount-to-seat ratio management, requiring strong partnerships with various internal teams and senior business leaders. The ideal candidate is strategic, data-driven, influential, and skilled at balancing customer needs with long-term objectives.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead multi-year occupancy strategies across large buildings or campuses, aligned with enterprise real estate strategy and hybrid workplace models.
  2. Oversee stacking plans, adjacency strategies, and macro-level space programming for operating groups and enterprise-wide initiatives.
  3. Lead scenario modeling for major reorganizations, consolidations, and growth plans.
  4. Translate business priorities into actionable space strategies that support agility, cost optimization, and organizational effectiveness.
  5. Ensure seating recommendations align with Ford Land’s flexible COG seating model, hybrid workplace guidelines, and ME seat utilization targets.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Real Estate, Urban Planning, Facilities Management, Business, or related field.
  • 6–10+ years of occupancy planning, workplace strategy, or facilities planning experience.
  • Experience leading campus or multi-building occupancy planning.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to influence senior leadership.
  • High proficiency with AutoCAD, IWMS/CAFM platforms, badge analytics, and Excel.
  • Understanding of CAD/BIM and architectural drawing interpretation.
  • Ability to manage ambiguity, competing priorities, and large-scale transitions.

Nice to have

  • Experience within Ford Land or similar large corporate real estate organizations.
  • Knowledge of Ford’s COG model, ME seating, hybrid workplace policies, and Dearborn portfolio.
  • Experience leading teams or mentoring junior planners.

What the JD emphasized

  • 6–10+ years of occupancy planning, workplace strategy, or facilities planning experience, ideally in a complex corporate environment.
  • Experience leading campus or multi-building occupancy planning.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership.
  • High proficiency with AutoCAD, IWMS/CAFM platforms, badge analytics, and Excel.
  • Understanding of CAD/BIM and architectural drawing interpretation.
  • Proven ability to manage ambiguity, competing priorities, and large-scale transitions.