Director of Building Services

Avanath•Portland, OR

3d•$120,000 - $130,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Avanath is a top property management company focused on providing affordable housing. The Director of Building Services plays a crucial role in achieving the company's purpose, mission, and values by fostering a positive company culture, supporting maintenance teams, enhancing the brand, and driving innovation in maintenance operations. This role involves extensive training of maintenance staff in troubleshooting, diagnosing, repairing, and preventive maintenance of building systems. The Director will also contribute to organizational efficiency, compliance with procedures (customer service, expense management, market turns, contracts, technology use), and long-term asset preservation. Training efforts include motivational coursework, mentorship, coaching, and developing programs to leverage associate strengths and address challenges. The role requires promoting satisfaction and well-being for residents and team members, maintaining professionalism, and demonstrating an aptitude for connecting with people, an authentic attitude, and a positive, professional approach.

Requirements

5-7 years of experience in property management, facilities management, or a building services leadership role.
Strong understanding of building systems, maintenance, and construction.
Proficiency in relevant software and data management tools.
Must have the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Ability to develop and implement long-range and short-term property development and maintenance educational programming.
Ability to create momentum and foster organizational change.
Demonstrated knowledge and skills in operating and maintaining year-round programs and facilities.
Willingness to offer quality internal and external customer service, to assist, and to enhance company guidelines and initiatives.
Ability and willingness to travel to various locations within the US for purposes of associate training, property inspections, and property acquisitions/dispositions. On-site visits are required, a minimum of 3x per week.
Strong interpersonal skills, as well as strong verbal and written communication skills, are required.
Advanced working knowledge of the following software programs: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Office 365.
Aptitude for undertaking administrative tasks such as reporting, budgeting, and working with spreadsheets, etc.
Be detail-oriented, cost-conscious, and reliable to meet deadlines.
Adept at mathematical calculations, equations, and spreadsheet analysis.
Exhibit strong organizational skills and excellent training ability.
Exhibit superior business judgment and acumen, with an acute concern for customer satisfaction. A strong sense of fairness and integrity.
Ability to interact effectively with senior executives, business vendors, community partners, and investor contacts as needed.
Ability to work well under time and other constraints.

Nice To Haves

Certifications in HVAC, CPO, and OSHA are highly desired.

Responsibilities

Assist in developing and maintaining Avanath’s maintenance standardization program for all communities, including safety programs.
Assist in expanding and/or refining Policies and Procedures in the Operational Manuals or support documents to include areas with a focus on Maintenance, general site operations, safety, and/or other disciplines as assigned.
Yardi maintenance dashboard oversight to ensure property complies with Avanath’s maintenance operations (i.e., purchase orders, make readies, work orders, turn management, etc.).
Assist with budget preparation and execution.
Monitor Maintenance KPI’s for all assigned properties to maximize performance and enforce standards.
Streamline and recommend on-site maintenance policies and procedures to enhance NOI and performance.
Conduct monthly property inspections to ensure the property complies with Avanath standards of maintenance operations. Prepare follow-up status reports for senior leadership. Follow up with Maintenance Supervisors on completion or correction of deficiencies found in inspections.
Maintain a consistent and strong customer service orientation, with a focus on integrity.
Offer recommendations to senior leadership on expense Programs regarding improvements to the overall operations.
Recommend, develop, execute, and monitor all capital and non-routine improvement needs and projects. Assist Maintenance Supervisors with property-level management of such projects and oversee non-routine and capital improvements when the scope is too large or complex for Maintenance Supervisors.
Execute companywide service contracts to secure quality services at the best price point available.
Monitor, forecast, and provide recommendations for common expenditures at a Companywide level for maintenance-related items.
Assist with issues or concerns sites have with vendors, especially Avanath preferred vendors.
Develop and train maintenance associates with new hire and mentorship programs in coordination with other key stakeholders, which may include but are not limited to assisting with orientation and other onboarding practices.
Establish training schedules for maintenance associates with the assistance of the Training Manager, Grace Hill Vision, and Interplay or other technology utilized to promote ongoing and effective training of Avanath associates.
Maintain personal technical skills necessary to aid on-site team members in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and executing repairs as needed.
Research new programs to enhance operations and support/implement new company initiatives.
Ensure safe working practices are being followed by all maintenance staff in relation to proper equipment handling and safety practices.
Identify and research common life safety issues, ensuring these issues are corrected in a timely manner by sites and implement operational polices to limit their occurrences in the future.
Assist with developing, customizing, and implementing Avanath’s Preventive Maintenance Program on a site-by-site basis to ensure that repairs are minimized and to improve the community’s operating efficiency to maintain Avanath and regulatory standards.
Identify and implement creative programs to increase the property value and company morale, and to offer services to residents and associates.
Contribute to and support Associate Recognition programs.
Contribute to and assist with performance evaluations and development of strategic planning relating to personnel.
Assist with interviewing new hires, as requested.
Recommend rewards, disciplinary action, and assist with resolving associate concerns or complaints.
Assist Maintenance Supervisors in ensuring the property’s compliance with all applicable regulatory standards.
Perform all job-related responsibilities in complete accordance with local, state, county, local health, safety, land use, and Federal Fair Housing regulations and ensure properties conform to these regulations.
Evaluate and bid out existing portfolio/corporate contracts.
Must be available to assist and coordinate on-call functions in response to emergency situations such as: fire, flood, severe wind damage, ice damming, security breach, and as directed by supervisor.
Exhibit an upbeat professional demeanor.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President, Building Services, or other senior leadership.
Manage tools and parts inventory program compliance in coordination with property maintenance supervisors.
Must adhere to company safety policies and ensure that all employees work in a safe and secure environment.
Must comply with all OSHA safety regulations, federal, state, and local applicable laws regarding health, safety, or environment, including Avanath’s standard operating procedures and policies.