Global Real Estate & Workplace Lead

Whatnot is the largest live shopping platform operating in both North America and Europe, designed to revolutionize the e-commerce landscape by integrating community, shopping, and entertainment into a seamless and engaging experience. This dynamic company connects passionate buyers and sellers across a broad assortment of categories ranging from fashion and beauty to electronics and collectibles like trading cards, comic books, and live plants. With a remote co-located team distributed across hubs in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Australia, Whatnot fosters a culture that embraces innovation and is grounded in strong company values. As one of the fastest growing marketplaces in the industry, Whatnot is dedicated to enabling anyone to transform their passions into thriving businesses while bringing people together through commerce in a meaningful and entertaining way. Their commitment to innovation is visible across their engineering and news blogs, highlighting new features, company developments, and industry insights.

The role of Global Real Estate & Workplace Lead at Whatnot is a critical executive position charged with defining and executing the company’s comprehensive real estate and workplace strategy as they scale their workforce from 1,000 to over 1,500 employees by 2026. This expansion will involve broadening their global footprint across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this leader will partner closely with senior leadership teams across Finance and Operations to make strategic decisions about office space, manage lease negotiations, and oversee the construction, design, and facilities operations of Whatnot’s global offices. The position requires a strategic mind capable of balancing long-term vision with operational execution, a deep expertise in the complexities of real estate transactions, and strong financial acumen to ensure alignment with the company’s growth objectives and culture.

The successful candidate will manage all global real estate transactions including lease renewals, negotiations, expansions, and exits across multiple international hubs. They will direct new office buildouts, renovations, and expansions, ensuring projects deliver on time, within budget, and reflect Whatnot’s brand and cultural values. This role also includes establishing global workplace standards and designing scalable, efficient workplace operations that honor Whatnot’s remote-first culture while promoting collaboration and connection. Managing vendor relationships across architecture, construction, property management, and facilities services to uphold quality and cost control will also be essential. Beyond operations, this leader will lead a diverse global team of real estate and workplace professionals, maintaining seamless communication and reporting to executives on portfolio performance and strategic initiatives. The role offers flexibility to work from home or from key global hubs in San Francisco, New York City, Seattle, or Los Angeles, with the requirement that the team member lives within commuting distance of these locations. Compensation for this role ranges from $200,000 to $260,000 annually, reflecting the senior level of strategic, financial, and operational expertise required.