A Day in the Life of a Vice President Global Facilities at Applied Materials
A Vice President of Global Workplace Infrastructure at Applied Materials has "no common day," juggling a variety of tasks including reviewing emails from Asia, attending numerous meetings ranging from one-on-ones to staff meetings and collaborating with city officials on large projects. This role also involves significant financial oversight, managing large budgets and construction projects across multiple time zones, requiring flexibility and constant interaction to make key decisions.
Executive/Leadership, Project Management, Communication, Global Teamwork, Financial Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mike DeMuro
Vice President, Global Workplace and Infrastructure
Applied Materials
University of Southern California
MBA, Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Economics, Finance
Real Estate, Technology
Strategic Management and Executive
Video Highlights
1. A typical day involves a mix of individual work, meetings, and collaborations across different time zones.
2. The role requires a wide range of skills including financial management, project management, and stakeholder engagement (e.g., city officials).
3. The job offers flexibility but demands interaction with various individuals and making critical decisions related to large-scale projects and budgets impacting the organization and its global presence.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a vice president of global workplace infrastructure look like?
There's certainly not a common day; they're all very different. I thought about this question while reflecting on this past week and the various tasks I had to complete.
Every day started at home with a cup of coffee, reviewing emails that had come in overnight. I have many people working in Asia, so when I wake up, they've just finished their day. This allows me to see all the work they've left for me.
Afterward, I would head to the office. Usually, about half of my day is filled with meetings. These range from one-on-ones with colleagues or individuals I support, to larger meetings like staff meetings where we discuss priorities and ongoing activities.
This week, for example, I went to City Hall in Sunnyvale to meet with the city manager. We are working on a large project within the city and require their support. Our meeting focused on how we can best collaborate to ensure the project's success.
I also conducted some financial reviews. Our organization is quite large, and we spend a significant amount of money for the company. We had a budget review for our organization, and also for specific projects.
We have large construction projects that require careful management. We reviewed the financial status of one of our major projects.
Often, I come home at night and might have meetings after dinner with people in different time zones, such as India. Last night, I had a late meeting reviewing the work of the India teams and addressing their needs for guidance and support.
There is a lot of variety in my work. I deal with many different time zones, which requires flexibility. It involves a lot of interacting with people and making decisions.