Associate Director of Facilities

Job Description

About the Role

Reporting to the Vice President of Facilities, Operations, and Capital Programs, the Associate Director of Facilities ("Associate Director") provides senior-level leadership for facilities operations across The Huntington's complex, 24/7 cultural campus. The role is responsible for the safe, reliable, sustainable, and uninterrupted operation of buildings, infrastructure, utilities, support systems, and emergency response functions across approximately 200 acres and 600,000 square feet of varied facilities, including galleries, library spaces, offices, public areas, support buildings, and historically significant structures. Operating with broad direction and considerable independence, the Associate Director ensures that facilities, equipment, and utility systems are maintained, repaired, renewed, and improved to high professional standards while supporting the institution's mission, collections care, visitor experience, staff needs, and long-term stewardship of campus assets.

The position oversees daily operations, preventive maintenance, capital renewal support, facility improvement initiatives, custodial services, mailroom operations, special event set-up, waste management, and emergency response readiness. The Associate Director provides direct leadership to Facilities staff, including the facilities coordinator, custodial services supervisor, mailroom staff, special events set-up supervisor, chief engineer, engineers, maintenance technicians, and related team members.

S/he/they will demonstrate a background of working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach.

Essential Duties

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve comprehensive strategies, policies, procedures, and service standards for maintaining and operating The Huntington's buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and support systems in a safe, reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective manner.
• Oversee the maintenance and operations of galleries, exhibition halls, collection storage areas, library spaces, administrative offices, residential buildings, auxiliary facilities, and public areas, with particular attention to environmental conditions, climate control, risk reduction, and the protection of collections and historically significant structures.
• Lead day-to-day facilities operations, building maintenance, and service response to ensure high standards of safety, reliability, professionalism, and responsiveness in high-traffic, high-visibility, and collections-sensitive environments.
• Manage utilities, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, building automation, lighting controls, life-safety interfaces, and supporting infrastructure to ensure dependable performance, operational continuity, and appropriate documentation.
• Establish, administer, and improve preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs for building systems, equipment, and infrastructure, including routine inspections, condition assessments, prioritization of repairs, and timely resolution of deficiencies before they escalate into larger operational issues.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local codes, regulations, permits, inspection requirements, safety standards, and institutional policies related to facilities operations and building systems.,.
• Oversee facilities support operations, including custodial services, special event set-up, mailroom operations, waste and recycling management, and related service functions, ensuring consistent quality, appropriate staffing, and responsive support for institutional programs and public operations.
• Administer and maintain the Computerized Maintenance Management System, including work order intake, prioritization, assignment, closeout, recordkeeping, reporting, asset data, preventive maintenance schedules, performance metrics, and continuous improvement of maintenance workflows.
• Lead, supervise, mentor, and develop Facilities personnel in alignment with institutional policies and procedures, including recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance management, accountability, succession planning, and staff development. Hold team members accountable for satisfactory performance, safety, documentation, and service standards.
• Develop and deliver training programs that standardize methods, materials, safe work practices, equipment use, hazardous materials handling, systems related to collections-sensitive work, client service, emergency procedures, and adoption of new systems or technologies.
• Hire, manage, and oversee outside contractors, consultants, and service providers for repairs, maintenance, inspections, service contracts, equipment purchases, renovations, and facility improvement projects; obtain competitive bids; coordinate procurement; and ensure quality, value, safety, schedule compliance, and contract performance.
• Serve as a Facilities and Maintenance Operations subject matter expert related to Capital Programs and Projects, supporting planning, design review, constructability input, commissioning, turnover documentation, warranties, operations and maintenance manuals, training, and transition of completed projects into ongoing operations.
• Develop and implement programs to improve long-term campus stewardship, including the 10-year asset renewal plan, facilities sustainability initiatives, and energy, water and utility master plan.
• Plan, lead, and coordinate facilities projects in collaboration with internal stakeholders, including Library, Art, Botanical, Advancement, Education, Security, Events, and administrative teams, ensuring work is completed safely, on time, within budget, and with minimal disruption to operations, visitors, staff, collections, and programs.
• Support emergency preparedness, incident response, and business continuity by maintaining operational readiness, participating in response planning, coordinating facilities response during emergencies, and serving as an on-call leader for urgent operational issues.
• Develop, manage, and monitor an operating budget of approximately $7 million, including staffing, supplies, materials, equipment, utilities, contracted services, maintenance programs, and project-related expenditures; prepare budget recommendations and monitor spending to ensure effective stewardship of institutional resources.
• Prepare reports, analyses, recommendations, and presentations for the Vice President and institutional leadership regarding facilities conditions, risks, priorities, budgets, staffing, sustainability, compliance, project status, operational performance, and long-term capital renewal needs.
• Undertake special assignments as directed by the Vice President of Facilities, Operations, and Capital Programs, including technical investigations, operational analyses, and recommendations for resolving complex engineering, maintenance, administrative, and service-delivery challenges.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Candidate Requirements and Experience

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, facilities management, construction management, architecture, business administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education, industry training, certifications, and directly related experience may be considered.
• In-depth knowledge of facilities operations, building maintenance, and building trades, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems, building automation, lighting controls, general contracting, and preventive maintenance practices.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from drawings, specifications, shop drawings, blueprints, as-built documents, operations and maintenance manuals, contracts, service agreements, and applicable codes and standards.
• Strong understanding of safety practices, regulatory compliance, emergency response, risk management, environmental controls, and work practices appropriate for public, historic, collections-sensitive, and mission-critical facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex operations, multiple priorities, budgets, contracts, projects, staff schedules, service requests, and urgent issues in a dynamic campus environment.
• Excellent technology skills, including Microsoft Office applications, CMMS platforms, building management systems, lighting control systems, reporting tools, and other facilities-related software.
• Strong leadership, judgment, diplomacy, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust, communicate effectively, solve problems creatively, and collaborate across departments and with external partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear reports, recommendations, procedures, correspondence, and presentations for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Commitment to inclusive leadership, staff development, service excellence, sustainability, safety, accountability, and stewardship of institutional resources.

Experience:

• At least ten years of progressively responsible experience managing facilities operations, building maintenance, engineering, or campus operations for a complex institution, cultural organization, higher education environment, healthcare setting, corporate campus, hospitality environment, or similar large-scale facility.
• Minimum of ten years of supervisory experience leading facilities, maintenance, engineering, custodial, or operations staff, preferably including responsibility for multiple teams, shifts, trades, or service areas.
• Experience managing preventive maintenance programs, operating budgets, service contracts, vendor relationships, emergency response, regulatory compliance, capital renewal planning, and facilities improvement projects.
• Experience working in historic, cultural, museum, library, gallery, controlled-environment, collections-sensitive, or public-facing facilities preferred.
• Professional certification such as Certified Facility Manager, Facility Management Professional, LEED credential, Professional Engineer license, contractor license, or comparable credential is preferred but not required.

Working Conditions

This position requires the employee to reside on The Huntington campus to respond promptly to emergencies and other critical operational issues outside normal business hours. The residence is well maintained, suitable for family living, and a distinctive benefit of the role, offering the successful candidate and their family the convenience, connection, and unique experience of living within The Huntington's exceptional campus environment.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must have visual acuity and ability to communicate to quickly identify and address safety and security concerns.
• Must be able to access and traverse across a large campus on paved and unpaved roads and work in all weather conditions.
• The job may involve standing, walking, and potentially running in response to emergencies.
• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.

Compensation & Benefits

We provide competitive compensation, generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees including:

• Pay Range: $120,000.00-$130,000.00. Commensurate with experience.
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• 403(b) retirement plan and matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Hybrid remote work schedule available for applicable positions
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and holidays
• Discounts for staff in The Huntington Store and restaurants
• Free admission to various museums and cultural institut