Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a MAC & Occupancy Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

As a MAC & Occupancy Specialist, you are the master strategist of our physical workspace. You are the central point of contact for all things related to space planning, employee moves, and workplace optimization. This isn't just about moving desks; it's about understanding how our teams work best and shaping the built environment to support their success. You will manage the intricate dance of Moves, Adds, and Changes (MAC) across our portfolio, ensuring every transition is seamless and every square foot is utilized effectively. Your work directly impacts employee experience, operational efficiency, and our ability to adapt to a changing business landscape.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Facilities Coordinator
Move Coordinator
Project Coordinator (in a related field)
Senior Administrative Assistant (with a focus on facilities/operations)

Advancement To:

Senior Occupancy Planner / Workplace Strategist
Facilities Manager / Senior Facilities Manager
Real Estate or Facilities Project Manager

Lateral Moves:

Project Coordinator (Corporate Real estate or Construction)
Facilities Operations Specialist
Change Management Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Orchestrate the end-to-end lifecycle of all MAC (Moves, Adds, Changes) requests, from initial intake and scope validation to project planning, stakeholder communication, execution, and post-move follow-up.
Develop and maintain meticulously accurate space and occupancy data within our Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS/CAFM), serving as the single source of truth for all floor plans and seating assignments.
Create and manage detailed move project plans, including timelines, logistics, vendor coordination, and communication strategies to ensure minimal disruption to business operations.
Act as the primary liaison between business unit leaders, HR, IT, and external vendors to gather requirements, coordinate dependencies, and facilitate smooth relocations and reconfigurations.

Conduct regular space utilization audits and occupancy studies, analyzing the data to provide actionable insights and recommendations for optimizing our real estate portfolio.

Develop and present strategic space planning scenarios, block plans, and stacking diagrams to leadership, illustrating headcount projections and future-state space allocation options.
Manage and resolve all space-related inquiries and service requests, providing exceptional customer service and timely solutions to our internal clients.
Collaborate with the design and construction team on test fits and programming for new office layouts, renovations, and restacking projects, ensuring they align with workplace standards.
Partner with IT and telecommunications teams to coordinate the seamless setup of data, voice, and equipment for all employee moves and new hires.
Oversee external move vendors and contractors, ensuring they adhere to building standards, safety protocols, and the agreed-upon scope of work and schedule.
Maintain and update the master set of AutoCAD floor plans to reflect all architectural changes, furniture layouts, and departmental assignments.
Develop comprehensive move packets and communication materials for employees, providing clear instructions and support to ensure a positive relocation experience.
Track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to MAC activities, such as cost-per-move, cycle time, customer satisfaction, and space utilization rates.
Generate and distribute regular and ad-hoc reports on occupancy, vacancy, capacity, and space allocation to inform strategic decision-making.
Participate in forecasting future space needs by analyzing business growth projections, workplace trends, and utilization data.
Ensure all move and space planning activities comply with building codes, ADA regulations, and internal health and safety standards.
Manage the furniture inventory, coordinating the purchase, redeployment, and disposal of assets in an economically and environmentally responsible manner.
Assist in the development and enforcement of workplace standards, design guidelines, and space allocation policies to ensure consistency and equity across the organization.
Support the onboarding process by ensuring all new hires have an assigned and properly equipped workspace ready on their first day.
Conduct post-move surveys and gather feedback to identify areas for continuous improvement in the MAC process and overall employee experience.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer complex questions about workplace usage and trends.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by ensuring space and occupancy data is clean, structured, and integrated with other business systems.
Collaborate with business units to translate their evolving spatial and adjacency needs into tangible facilities and engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies as part of the broader Facilities and Real Estate team.
Assist in budget tracking for MAC activities, small projects, and furniture procurement.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

IWMS/CAFM Proficiency: Deep expertise in using Integrated Workplace Management Systems or Computer-Aided Facility Management software (e.g., iOffice, Archibus, Serraview, FM:Systems) for space and move management.
AutoCAD/Drafting Software: Strong proficiency in AutoCAD or similar programs to read, edit, and polyline floor plans for space calculations and planning.
Data Analysis & Reporting: Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel (PivotTables, VLOOKUP, complex formulas) and experience with BI tools (like Tableau or Power BI) for creating insightful reports and dashboards.
Project Management: Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, using project management principles and software (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Asana).
Space Planning Principles: Solid understanding of corporate space planning, block and stack planning, and utilization metrics (e.g., density, seat-to-headcount ratio).

Soft Skills

Customer-Centric Communication: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with a talent for building rapport, managing expectations, and conveying complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
Problem-Solving & Adaptability: A proactive and resourceful problem-solver who can think critically and remain calm and effective under pressure, especially when dealing with last-minute changes.
Meticulous Attention to Detail: An obsession with accuracy, particularly in relation to data entry, floor plans, and logistical coordination, where small errors can have large impacts.
Stakeholder Management: Political savvy and the ability to tactfully navigate competing priorities and negotiate solutions with department leaders, vendors, and team members.
Organizational Prowess: Superior time management and organizational skills, with a proven ability to prioritize tasks and manage deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, or an Associate's degree combined with significant, directly-related professional experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree focused on one of the fields of study below.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Interior Design / Interior Architecture
Architecture / Architectural Technology
Facilities Management
Corporate Real Estate
Business Administration or Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-5 years of direct experience in corporate occupancy/space planning, move coordination, or facilities management within a dynamic, medium-to-large scale office environment.

Preferred:

5+ years of experience in a fast-paced technology, finance, or professional services company with a portfolio of 500,000+ square feet and frequent MAC activity. Experience working with hybrid workplace models is a significant plus.