Director of Facilities

Gallagher & Associates - Museum Operations•Mantua Township, NJ

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Facilities is a full-time, exempt, on-site position based at the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum in Mantua Township, New Jersey. Reporting to the Senior Director of Administration and Finance, this role provides strategic and operational leadership for the museum’s buildings, grounds, infrastructure, safety, security, and physical assets. The Director oversees building maintenance and repairs, landscaping and Fossil Park stewardship, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, cleaning, vendor relationships, budgeting, space planning, facility improvements, and facilities staff and contractors. The role also partners with museum departments and Rowan University on operational and capital needs and supports a safe, sustainable, and welcoming environment for visitors and staff. The position requires regular interaction with staff, visitors, contractors, vendors, volunteers, and external partners. Work takes place in office, museum, outdoor, and maintenance environments, including travel throughout museum grounds and outdoor visitor areas. Occasional evening, weekend, holiday, and special-event hours may be required, as well as participation in an on-call rotation and response to facilities or safety emergencies. The role may involve varying weather conditions and physical activities such as walking, standing, bending, climbing stairs, reaching, and occasionally lifting or carrying materials weighing up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requirements

At least five years of progressive experience in facilities management, building operations, or a related field.
Strong knowledge of building systems, facility operations, safety standards, regulatory requirements, and preventive maintenance practices.
Demonstrated experience managing HVAC systems; working knowledge of plumbing, electrical, carpentry, mechanical systems, and general building maintenance.
Experience with building automation systems, CMMS, access control systems, CCTV, fire alarm systems, and related facility technologies.
Demonstrated ability to develop and manage operating budgets, control costs, evaluate capital needs, and negotiate contracts with vendors and service providers.
Strong leadership and team-management skills, including hiring, training, supervising, and developing staff.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to prioritize competing needs, manage multiple projects, and respond to changing circumstances.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with staff, leadership, contractors, vendors, regulatory agencies, and the public.
Proficiency with Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office applications.
Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety, environmental stewardship, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
Ability to perform essential job functions, including occasional lifting and carrying of materials weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability and willingness to work outdoors in varying and sometimes challenging weather conditions.
Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events as operational needs require.
Ability to participate in an on-call rotation and respond to facilities or safety emergencies on a 24/7 basis.
Ability to lead strategically and operationally, including supporting day-to-day facility operations and working alongside staff and contractors to address facility needs directly.
Commitment to the mission, values, and strategic objectives of the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and meet requirements to operate a company vehicle, if applicable.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a museum, hospitality, cultural institution, educational facility, or similar environment.
Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent education, training, and relevant experience may be considered.
Experience operating and maintaining geothermal or heat-pump systems.
Familiarity with facilities-management and work-order-management software.

Responsibilities

Provide overall leadership and management of museum facilities, building systems, infrastructure, and physical assets.
Oversee operation, preventive maintenance, repair, and replacement of building systems, including HVAC, geothermal heat pumps, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, security, access control, radio, and building automation systems.
Develop and maintain a preventive maintenance program using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), including maintenance schedules, inspection protocols, and equipment replacement plans.
Represent the museum for Rowan-controlled systems, including CCTV, access control, associated hardware, and staff and temporary access credentials.
Coordinate specialized repairs and maintenance with contractors, engineers, manufacturers, and other service providers; maintain facility records and ensure compliance with manufacturer specifications and warranty requirements.
Perform and oversee general building maintenance and repairs, taking a hands-on approach when appropriate.
Oversee maintenance and stewardship of grounds, trails, gardens, landscapes, and outdoor visitor areas; implement the Fossil Park regeneration and stewardship plan in collaboration with the Chief Science Officer.
Promote sustainable landscape management, including native species and environmental stewardship, and oversee trail maintenance, erosion control, invasive-plant management, and seasonal grounds work using organic and pesticide-free practices whenever possible.
Maintain the fossil quarry pumphouse and water-management infrastructure in accordance with DEP permits; oversee snow and ice removal and coordinate specialized grounds contractors and staff.
Ensure facilities and operations comply with applicable local, state, and federal safety, building, fire, environmental, OSHA, DEP, Soil Conservation, and other regulatory requirements and permits.
Ensure inspections, certifications, reporting, and permit renewals are completed accurately and on schedule.
Develop, maintain, and update the Emergency Action Plan; coordinate drills, training, evacuation procedures, severe-weather response, and other emergency protocols.
Serve as the primary facilities contact during emergencies, participate in an on-call rotation, and respond to significant facilities or safety issues as required.
Develop and administer the OSHA Hazard Communication Program, including Safety Data Sheets, required logs, training, and documentation.
Oversee the third-party security contractor and ensure appropriate 24-hour site security coverage.
Support the Director of Exhibitions, Experiences and Programming with animal-related permits, inspections, and regulatory compliance, and support the Café Manager with health, sanitation, and food-safety compliance.
Partner with the Chief Science Officer on environmental sustainability and climate resilience; establish facilities-related sustainability goals, metrics, and benchmarks and identify ways to reduce energy, water, waste, costs, and environmental impacts.
Promote environmentally responsible products, equipment, materials, and maintenance practices, incorporating sustainability and biodiversity into facilities planning and decisions.
Oversee in-house cleaning operations and maintain established cleanliness, sanitation, safety, and appearance standards; establish cleaning schedules, quality-control procedures, and performance expectations.
Ensure cleaning staff have appropriate supplies, equipment, and resources; maintain environmentally responsible cleaning practices and coordinate cleaning and site preparation for events, programs, and high-volume visitor periods.
Develop and maintain relationships with contractors, vendors, consultants, and service providers; solicit bids, evaluate proposals, negotiate contracts, and manage service agreements, warranties, and vendor performance.
Set scopes of work, performance expectations, schedules, and deliverables for contractors; monitor performance and address deficiencies; maintain current vendor records and documentation.
Develop, manage, and monitor the annual facilities and grounds operating budget; monitor expenditures and keep operations within approved budgets.
Partner with Rowan University on long-term capital and asset-replacement plans; assess lifecycle costs, identify cost savings, and advise leadership on capital needs, deferred maintenance, and significant facility investments.
Collaborate with museum departments to evaluate facility needs and optimize space use; coordinate space reconfigurations, renovations, installations, and improvements while minimizing disruption to visitors, staff, programs, and operations.
Coordinate facility projects with contractors, consultants, and internal departments and ensure completed work meets safety, accessibility, operational, and quality standards.
Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and develop facilities staff and other personnel under the department’s direction; establish roles, schedules, expectations, and accountability standards.
Coach staff, provide professional development and cross-training, conduct performance evaluations, and ensure staff have the tools, equipment, training, and resources to work safely and effectively.
Promote a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, customer service, and continuous improvement.
Serve as the museum’s primary internal resource for facilities, building operations, safety, security, and physical infrastructure; work with senior leadership and department directors to anticipate and resolve operational needs.
Collaborate across departments to support visitor and staff experience and participate in planning and executing events, exhibitions, programs, and other activities with facilities requirements.
Develop and implement policies, procedures, and operational standards that improve museum operations; maintain an active, collaborative presence throughout the museum and Fossil Park and provide timely operational support.