POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Engineering will report to the Senior Vice President Property Management and is a hands-on, highly visible leader responsible for the reliability, safety, regulatory compliance, and performance of all building systems across the ESRT portfolio comprised of approximately 9 million rentable square feet across ten commercialbuildings and several stand-alone retail properties, as well as three multifamily buildings with 743 units. Building systems include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, vertical transportation, life-safety systems, emergency power, façade systems, and all mission-critical infrastructure.

The Director of Engineering provides strategic oversight of engineering operations, including preventive and corrective maintenance, capital planning and project execution, environmental and energy performance, and overall operational readiness. The role ensures that all properties operate at the highest standards of efficiency, safety, and tenant experience.

This leader will establish emergency escalation procedures and appropriate delegation frameworks to support 24/7/365 building operations, maintenance, and emergency response across the portfolio.

The Director leads a team of eight Chief Engineers (with dual reporting to their respective Property Managers) and approximately 48 union engineering staff, represented by Local 94 and Local 30. The role is responsible for workforce performance, labor coordination, and building a strong pipeline of future engineering leaders.

In close partnership with the Property Management, Design & Construction, and Sustainability teams, as well as executive leadership, the Director ensures alignment with ESRT's operational, financial, safety, sustainability, and customer service objectives.

The ideal candidate will leverage data analytics and predictive maintenance tools to optimize system performance, improve lifecycle planning, and drive continuous operational improvement. Additionally, this role serves as a visible leader of engineering operations to executive leadership and external stakeholders.

RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP:

• Develop long-range engineering strategies, asset protection plans, and capital improvement roadmaps for major systems including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, electrical distribution, emergency power, vertical transportation, plumbing, fire and life-safety systems, and façade elements
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, operating procedures, preventive maintenance schedules, safety practices, lockout and tagout procedures, hot work permitting, and work authorization processes
• Ensure all engineering activities are planned and coordinated to minimize operational impact and tenant disruption
• Maintain accurate inventories, equipment documentation, and system records within computerized maintenance management platforms and related systems.

SYSTEM RELIABILITY & UPTIME ASSURANCE:

• Ensure continuous availability and reliability of all critical building systems, which include central heating and cooling plants, primary electrical distribution, building management systems, fire detection and suppression systems, and vertical transportation.
• Track key metrics such as system uptime, response time to events, and work order completion performance. Lead incident reviews, root-cause analysis, and follow-up corrective actions for any significant or repeated system failures
• Implement continuous improvement programs to increase equipment reliability, reduce unplanned downtime, and extend asset life.

BUDGETING, FORECASTING, AND VARIANCE MANAGEMENT:

• Develop and manage the annual engineering operating budget, which includes labor, overtime, materials, contracts, tools, and utilities. Prepare financial justifications for capital projects based on lifecycle cost analysis, risk mitigation, operational efficiency, and compliance requirements
• Partner with Property Operations and Finance to prioritize and forecast multi-year capital needs
• Provide a monthly written review of engineering labor and overtime performance compared to budget, including a clear explanation of any overtime variance greater than five percent
• Provide a monthly written explanation for any repair or maintenance activity exceeding five thousand dollars, documenting the cause, contributing factors, and next steps
• Maintain strict cost control and financial transparency across all engineering functions

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE EXECUTION:

• Lead engineering projects from concept through close-out, including scope definition, budgeting, proposal development, bidding, contractor selection, contract management, scheduling, commissioning, and turnover
• Ensure all work meets Empire State standards for safety, quality, documentation, testing, and system integration
• Coordinate closely with construction management, tenant coordination, information technology, and building operations to avoid conflicts and ensure alignment
• Ensure that all project deliverables, including as-built drawings and operation and maintenance manuals, are accurate and properly archived

VENDOR AND CONTRACTOR OVERSIGHT:

• Select, negotiate, and oversee major service providers for elevators, chillers, boilers, controls, fire and life-safety systems, water treatment, structural specialties, and other technical services
• Establish clear service expectations, performance standards, and work documentation requirements
• Conduct performance reviews, evaluate pricing and service quality, and make recommendations on renewals or rebids
• Ensure all vendors follow strict safety and compliance protocols, including site-specific orientation, daily hazard assessments, lockout and tagout verification, hot work control, and confined space entry rules

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, SAFETY MANAGEMENT, & RISK MITIGATION:

• Ensure full compliance with all New York City and New York State regulations, which include Department of Buildings requirements, Fire Department requirements, safety regulations, and environmental standards
• Maintain all required testing, inspection, documentation, permits, and certifications for elevators, fire alarms, sprinkler systems, fuel storage, emergency generators, pressure vessels, cooling towers, boilers, and all related equipment
• Maintain a comprehensive safety program that includes hazard assessments, worker training, documented safety procedures, and required safety equipment
• Lead emergency planning and response for power failures, equipment failures, floods, leaks, severe weather, and other incidents, including post-event evaluation

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COORDINATION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT:

• Work closely with Property Operations, security, housekeeping, leasing, construction, information technology, sustainability, and major tenants to align engineering priorities with operational needs
• Support leasing and tenant improvement processes by reviewing plans, verifying capacity, identifying code requirements, and assessing system impacts
• Provide clear communication to tenants and employees regarding planned outages, major projects, and incident responses.

SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY PERFORMANCE AND DECARBONIZATION SUPPORT:

• Lead initiatives to reduce energy and water use, lower carbon emissions, and support environmental and sustainability goals set by Empire State Realty Trust
• Monitor energy use intensity, peak electrical demand, utility consumption, and greenhouse gas performance
• Identify both operational and capital opportunities to improve energy efficiency, reduce peak demand, and support compliance with environmental performance laws, including New York City Local Law 97 and related carbon-reduction requirements
• Support benchmarking, certifications, and required government reporting

TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT:

• Oversee building management systems, computerized maintenance management systems, access control systems, and other operating technologies
• Ensure system trends, alarms, dashboards, and maintenance records are accurate, complete, and used to support informed decision-making
• Partner with information technology to ensure network integrity, cybersecurity protection, and infrastructure reliability
• Manage data driven operations and KPI dashboards to make swift informed decisions to reduce energy and staffing costs

STANDARDS, PROCEDURES, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE:

• Develop, maintain, and enforce written standard operating procedures for all critical systems and maintenance activities
• Ensure preventive maintenance schedules are followed consistently and documented accurately
• Conduct periodic audits of logbooks, system settings, equipment conditions, and recordkeeping to ensure compliance with internal and regulatory requirements.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT:

• Lead and develop the engineering team, which includes engineers, mechanics, tradespeople, and technicians, to ensure strong performance, consistent coverage, and high morale
• Conduct performance evaluations, coaching, corrective actions, and succession planning
• Ensure the team receives all required technical training, safety training, and certifications mandated by New York City and state law
• Expand in-house capabilities by recruiting employees with skills in carpentry, painting, plumbing, minor electrical work, and general handyman functions
• Provide ongoing training to increase the team's ability to perform tasks internally and reduce reliance on external contractors
• Promote a culture of safety, professionalism, quality workmanship, and continuous improvement
• Build a strong pipeline of future engineering leaders

PERFORMANCE METRICS AND REPORTING:

• Critical system uptime: Maintain at least ninety-nine-point seven percent uptime for major systems and ninety-nine-point nine percent uptime for life-safety systems.
• Response time for critical events: Respond to life-safety or major infrastructure events within five minutes during staffed hours and within fifteen minutes after hours.
• Work order completion time: Complete standard corrective work orders within forty-eight hours on average.
• Energy performance metrics: Monitor and improve energy use intensity, manage peak electrical demand, and reduce weather-normalized energy consumption.
• Financial reporting: Provide monthly written key performance indicator summaries and variance reports which will cover overtime performance, repair costs over five thousand dollars, and other operational variances.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Establishes strong operational alignment across the portfolio, to drive consistency, accountability, and adherence to clear performance standards across all properties and teams.
• Leverages available technology, data analytics and predictive maintenance tools to optimize system performance, improve lifecycle planning, and drive continuous operational improvement.
• Develops a strong pipeline of future engineering leaders and fosters a culture of professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Expands in-house technical capabilities and reduces reliance on external contractors through targeted training and workforce development.
• Ensures buildings are well maintained, teams operate efficiently, and preventive maintenance and operational initiatives are delivered on time and within budget
• Leverages data-driven operations and KPI dashboards to make informed decisions that reduce energy consumption and staffing costs, resulting in a safe, efficient, and high-performing portfolio.
• Provides proactive leadership and effective operational oversight to enable seamless day-to-day performance and allow senior leadership to focus on strategic priorities.

REQUIRED SKILLS / ABILITIES

• Strong technical knowledge of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; central plant operations; electrical distribution; emergency power; plumbing; vertical transportation; fire and life-safety systems; and building automation systems
• Demonstrated success leading teams, managing budgets, and completing complex projects
• Strong communication skills and the ab