Project overview
This wasn't just moving desks — it was creating an environment that embodied the company's commitment to human success while managing complex vendor relationships, tight timelines, and a fixed budget. My role covered end-to-end ownership: executive reporting, vendor management and contracts, budget planning, and cross-functional coordination across every department.
Key challenges
- Coordinating multiple vendor proposals and negotiations in parallel.
- Two-floor build-out on a compressed timeline.
- Balancing quality against optimized spend.
- Ensuring zero disruption to daily business operations.
Timeline
- Q1 — Discovery & planning: site selection, lease negotiation, budget approval.
- Q2 — Vendor selection: RFP process, proposal evaluation, contracts signed.
- Q2–Q3 — Design & build-out: space planning, furniture procurement, IT infrastructure.
- Q3 — Move & launch: employee relocation, grand opening, post-move optimization.
Workstreams I owned
Site & lease
Site selection, landlord works, lease terms.
Design & space planning
Zoning, capacity, finishes, brand expression.
Furniture & fit-out
Bill of quantities, sourcing, installation slots.
IT & AV
Cabling, meeting-room tech, day-one readiness.
Budget & procurement
Envelope, quotes, negotiation, donations.
Vendor management
RFP, scoring, contracts, change control.
Internal comms & change
Department briefings, move packs, FAQs.
Move & launch
Relocation logistics, opening event, snag list.
How I structured the vendor process
Every vendor received the same brief, the same quantities, and the same scoring criteria before they priced anything. That single decision is what made fifteen-plus proposals comparable on one page instead of fifteen conversations.
- Write the brief once: vision, scope, plans, quantities, brand standards, budget envelope.
- Issue to all vendors simultaneously with one written Q&A channel.
- Score against published criteria: fit to brief, total cost, lead time, references, sustainability.
- Shortlist, negotiate options and alternates, then award with a clear change-control path.
- Track savings and donations line by line against the envelope.
The vendor deck
To streamline vendor selection, I built a 20-slide information package that communicated the vision, floor plans, unfurnished site conditions, design direction, brand standards, and detailed item counts. Every proposal came back aligned to the same brief, which compressed evaluation time and lifted proposal quality. These are the actual slides. Click any one to view it full size.
Building the business case
Behind the deck sat a cost model that turned the move into a decision the leadership team could actually make. Recurring costs were compared line by line against the old site, employee experience was priced as four competing packages normalised to a cost per person, one-off fit-out was tracked as paid, still needed or sourced free, and every vendor was scored on the same criteria regardless of ticket size.
Recurring cost model: current site vs new HQ
| Line item | Before | New | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly lease | 89,993 DKK | 101,058 DKK | |
| Water & heat | 3,792 DKK | 8,145 DKK | |
| Electricity | — | 1,701 DKK | |
| Internet | — | 999 DKK | Transferred from the previous site |
| Lunch / canteen | 21,902 DKK | 31,500 DKK | 15 seats at 2,100 per person |
| Cleaning services | — | 8,095 DKK | Two bids: 8,095 and 12,160 |
| Plant management | — | 1,500 DKK | |
| Cleaning supplies | — | 1,000 DKK | |
| Employee experience | 8,681 DKK | 7,486 DKK | See the four-option comparison below |
| Monthly total | 124,367 DKK | 161,484 DKK | +37,117 DKK per month, presented as a per-head figure |
Employee experience: four costed options, one recommendation
Palace (as-is)
8,681 DKK / month
868 DKK
per person, 10 in office
Option I
8,646 DKK / month
576 DKK
per person, 15 in office
Option II
5,700 DKK / month
380 DKK
per person, 15 in office
Proposed
7,486 DKK / month
542 DKK
per person, 15 in office
| Snacks (specialty) | Yes | Reduced (candy only) | Betterbox only | Betterbox only |
| Breakfast | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Coffee service | Own + vendor | Vendor | Vendor | Vendor |
| Sparkling / cold water | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Premium drinks | Yes | Reduced | No | Reduced |
| Monthly Friday bar | No | No | No | Yes |
Normalising every option to a cost per person per month is what made the decision quick: the recommended package cost less per head than the old site while serving 50% more people.
One-off fit-out: Paid
23,017 DKK
One-off fit-out: Still needed
3,688 DKK
One-off fit-out: Sourced free
40,405 DKK
Every one-off line carried a status: purchased, still needed, or sourced free. Tracking the free column separately is how 40K+ DKK of donated kit, monitors, plants, storage and lamps stayed visible as a negotiated result rather than disappearing into the budget.
Vendor comparison sample: welcome signage
| Vendor | Price ex. VAT | Lead time | Included | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neonsfeer | 1,728 DKK | 6–8 business days | Dimmer, remote, adapter, mounting kit, free delivery | Best overall value |
| Planet Neon | 2,903 DKK | 6–9 working days | Power supply, wall mount kit, cut-to-shape backboard | Exact logo replication, UK based |
| Neonful | 4,610 DKK | 2–3 weeks | Power supply, control box, remote, 2-year warranty | Danish operations, strongest customisation |
| Radikal Neon | 7,464 DKK | Not quoted | Courier tracking, mounting screws | Largest format, premium pricing |
Same treatment for a 1,700 DKK sign as for a six-figure fit-out line: price, what is actually included, lead time, reviews and whether the vendor can support us locally.
What changed because of it
One brief
15+ vendors bidding on identical scope and quantities.
One scorecard
Comparable proposals, faster shortlisting.
One owner
A single point of contact from RFP through snag list.
Budget & savings
- Kitchen equipment: 4,750+ DKK saved via partner donation.
- Meeting-room monitors: 4,995 DKK via partner donation.
- Plants: 3,790 DKK via partner donation.
- Storage cupboards: 8,995 DKK repurposed from previous office.
- Office lamps: 4,990 DKK via partner donation.
Zero days of business disruption across the entire move.
The reveal
