Your Role
As a Workplace Strategy Lead in Gensler's North Central Region, you will be a key partner in defining and executing the future of workplace strategy at the firm. You will lead complex programming, visioning, and strategic planning engagements for a diverse range of clients—from established institutions navigating hybrid work to high-growth companies reimagining their environments entirely. This is a player role: you will be deeply involved in the craft of strategy while helping to shape the practice itself.
You are someone who can translate organizational ambition into spatial strategy with precision and conviction. You understand that great workplace strategy sits at the intersection of user insight, business performance, and design possibility—and you know how to move fluently between all three. You bring a point of view about the future of work, grounded in research and tested through execution, and you're eager to bring that perspective to bear on challenging, high-stakes client engagements.
You will work closely with the Regional Strategy Director to build the NCR Strategy practice from the ground up—establishing credibility with clients and colleagues, developing emerging strategists, and defining what leading with strategy means in this region. You are as comfortable leading a workshop with 30 stakeholders as you are running space utilization scenarios or teaching a junior team member how to scope a discovery engagement. You thrive in environments that reward initiative, intellectual rigor, and a bias toward action.
This role is based in Chicago and requires full-time presence in the office, with reasonable flexibility for personal needs.
What You Will Do
Lead workplace strategy and programming engagements from discovery through implementation, including space calculations, scenario modeling, test fits, occupancy analytics, and strategic visioning
Design and facilitate workshops (virtual and in-person) for groups ranging from 10 to 100+ participants, translating organizational objectives into actionable spatial strategies
Synthesize research, data, and stakeholder input into compelling strategic narratives that inform design direction and client decision-making
Partner with architecture and design teams to ensure seamless integration of strategy into project execution, serving as the strategic voice throughout the design process
Build and maintain client relationships independently, serving as a trusted advisor on workplace transformation, real estate strategy, and organizational change
Develop methodology, tools, and frameworks that elevate the quality and consistency of the NCR Strategy practice's workplace offerings
Mentor and upskill junior strategists on programming, facilitation, strategic planning, and client engagement
Contribute to business development efforts, including proposals, pitches, and thought leadership that positions Gensler as the strategic partner of choice for workplace transformation
Collaborate with Strategy, Brand, Sustainability, Product, and Digital Experience teams to deliver integrated, cross-functional solutions
Represent the practice in internal and external forums, building the visibility and credibility of Strategy in the North Central Region
Your Qualifications
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in architecture, interior design, urban planning, organizational development, business strategy, or a related field
- 7–10 years of professional experience executing workplace strategy, space programming, real estate portfolio strategy, or management consulting with a focus on the built environment
- Deep technical fluency in workplace programming, including space standards, utilization analysis, scenario planning, test fits, and adjacency planning
- Demonstrated ability to design and lead high-impact workshops and strategic engagements with senior stakeholders
- Proven track record delivering strategic recommendations that have directly informed design outcomes and organizational decision-making
- A strong portfolio (2–3 projects) demonstrating command of strategic communication, data visualization, and persuasive storytelling
- A clear point of view on the future of work—not trends for trends' sake, but a grounded perspective on how organizations, technology, and space are evolving together
- Experience working in or closely with architecture and design firms; fluency in how strategy and design intersect is essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences
- Entrepreneurial mindset and comfort operating in an evolving, ambitious practice that is actively being defined
- Self-motivated, highly organized, and capable of managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word), and digital collaboration tools (Miro, Microsoft Teams, etc.)
- Comfort and skill integrating AI-powered research and synthesis tools into strategic workflows—whether for accelerating research, refining narratives, or generating insights at scale
- Experience with data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) and workplace analytics platforms is a plus
- Familiarity with IWMS platforms, workplace occupancy sensors, or real estate analytics tools is a plus
To Be Considered
Please submit a portfolio including 2–3 workplace strategy or programming projects that demonstrate your approach, craft, and impact. Additionally, include a brief statement (500 words or less) outlining your point of view on the future of work and how workplace strategy must evolve to meet it.
Learn more about our Chicago team: https://www.gensler.com/offices/chicago
This is not a remote role, we look forward to working with our new Strategy Leader in our incredible Chicago office.
**The base salary will be estimated between $100,000 – $120,000 plus bonuses and benefits and is contingent on relevant experience. To learn more about our compensation philosophy and full benefits offerings, please visit Great People, Great Rewards | Gensler
About Strategy at Gensler
Gensler's Strategy Practice is focused on exploring and defining how space, technology, services, and policy can create great experiences and support an organization's best work. We use in-depth user research and data to develop strategies that enable our clients to meet their business and organizational objectives. With our design teams in Chicago and around the world, we conceptualize and implement creative solutions that support our clients' needs. In parallel, we help our clients manage change to ensure new ideas take root and to build the capability that sustains.
The North Central Region is actively reimagining what strategy can mean at Gensler—building a practice that integrates Strategy, Brand, Sustainability, and emerging disciplines in ways that deliver genuine transformation for clients. This is an opportunity to help define that future.
Life at Gensler
At Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions to “Well-being Week,” our offices reflect our people’s diverse interests.
We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401K, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and twice annual bonus opportunities. Our annual base salary range has been established based on local markets.
As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in architecture, interior design, urban planning, organizational development, business strategy, or a related field
- 7-10 years of professional experience executing workplace strategy or management consulting
- Deep technical fluency in workplace programming
- Demonstrated ability to design and lead high-impact workshops
- Proven track record delivering strategic recommendations
- A strong portfolio demonstrating command of strategic communication
- A clear point of view on the future of work
- Experience working with architecture and design firms
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Self-motivated, highly organized, and capable of managing multiple projects
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
- Comfort integrating AI-powered research and synthesis tools
- Experience with data visualization tools
- Familiarity with IWMS platforms or real estate analytics tools
Gensler Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Gensler and has not been reviewed or approved by Gensler.
-
Strong & Reliable Incentives — Incentive programs include twice‑yearly bonuses and profit sharing that are positioned as meaningful parts of total compensation. Employee ownership elements can reward longer tenure and contribute to overall earnings beyond base pay.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — Employee stock ownership and stock appreciation programs provide wealth‑building avenues beyond salary. These equity mechanisms are highlighted as part of the standard package.
-
Healthcare Strength — Core coverage spans medical, dental, and vision alongside life and disability, EAP/mental‑health resources, and wellness programs. Benefits breadth is described as solid within the industry context.
Gensler Insights
What We Do
Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 53 locations and more than 6,000+ professionals networked across the Americas, Europe, Greater China, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Founded in 1965, the firm works globally with more than 4,000 clients across more than 33 practice areas spanning the work, lifestyle, community, and health sectors. Everything we do is guided by our mission: To create a better world through the power of design. We believe the power of design can spark positive change and create a future that promotes equity, resilience, and wellbeing for everyone. Gensler was named one of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in 2020, 2019, 2017 and 2016, and our award-winning culture has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021. Our people-first philosophy is centered on the core ideas of diversity empowerment, impact, community, respect, and growth. You can learn more about our commitment to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace at https://www.gensler.com/careers#diversity.
