We are seeking a Director, Real Estate & Facilities to build and lead a comprehensive facilities and real estate management function across our 230+ location portfolio. This is a hands-on, builder role accountable for facilities program operations, lease portfolio management, and capital expenditure strategy. You will establish systems, standards, and vendor partnerships from the ground up, drive operational efficiency, control costs, and ensure compliance across all owned and leased properties. This role will report to the SVP, Field Operations and partner closely with Finance and Operations leadership.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:Capital Expenditure & Budget Ownership
- Own the annual and multi-year CapEx budget for facilities and real estate; establish intake, prioritization, and approval frameworks
- Manage capital project pipeline: intake from field, prioritization against strategic and operational criteria, spend authorization, and closeout
- Provide monthly CapEx reporting to SVP, Field Operations and Finance; track committed, accrued, and actual spend against forecast
- Balance strategic capital investments (facility upgrades, relocations) with operational efficiency and ROI
- Establish capital request templates, business case requirements, and approval authorities across regions
Facilities Program Management
- Build and scale the facilities management program across the portfolio; establish vendor performance standards, work order management protocols, and preventive maintenance frameworks
- Evaluate, select, and manage outsourced facilities vendors (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, grounds, general maintenance) to optimize cost, quality, and responsiveness
- Own administration of the work order platform (intake, assignment, completion tracking, documentation); establish SLAs and KPIs for vendor response and resolution
- Develop and enforce preventive maintenance standards across all locations to minimize emergency repairs, extend asset life, and ensure safety and code compliance
- Conduct portfolio-wide facility assessments to identify efficiency opportunities, deferred maintenance, and capital priorities
- Drive continuous improvement in facilities operations through data analytics, vendor performance reviews, and cost benchmarking
Lease Administration & Leasing Strategy
- Manage the lease portfolio across all locations; oversee renewals, expirations, and lease renegotiations to achieve favorable terms
- Identify and evaluate sale-leaseback opportunities to optimize cash flow and balance sheet positioning
- Identify surplus, underutilized, or non-strategic space; develop plans for remediation (consolidation, relocation, divestment)
- Partner with legal and finance on lease abstracts, compliance tracking, and renewal calendars
- Lead market analysis and site selection recommendations for new locations or location optimization
Strategic Partnerships
- Work cross-functionally with Operations on facility standards and performance; with Finance on budgeting and reporting; with HR on compliance and safety
- Represent FPG professionally with landlords, vendors, and third-party service providers
- Stay current on industry trends, compliance requirements and cost-management practices specific to multi-site funeral services operations
Education, Work Experience Requirements and/or Competencies:- Minimum 5+ years of hands-on facilities management or real estate portfolio management for a multi-site operator (healthcare, retail, restaurant, quick service, or similar distributed model)
- Real CapEx budget accountability. Demonstrated experience owning capital budgets of $1M+; experience with spend control, project prioritization, and monthly reconciliation
- Function builder mentality. Comfort establishing facilities programs, systems, and vendor relationships from scratch
- Vendor management experience. Track record selecting, negotiating with, and holding accountable outsourced service providers
- Lease portfolio management. Experience with lease abstracts, renewal negotiations, sale-leaseback structures, and surplus space management
- Multi-site operational familiarity. Understanding of how facility decisions impact location-level operations, staffing, and customer experience
- Analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to assess facility conditions, model capital trade-offs, and prioritize competing needs
- Project management discipline. Capacity to manage capital project pipelines, track timelines and budgets, and oversee vendor deliverables
- Communication and influence. Ability to build consensus across operational, finance, and field leadership; translate facility strategy into actionable plans
- Travel as needed
- Bachelor's degree preferred; facilities management certification (CFM, IFMA) or real estate background a plus
