SR. DIRECTOR, CONSTRUCTION & FACILITIES MAINTENANCE

El Pollo Loco•Costa Mesa, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of Construction & Facilities is the enterprise leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational performance, and financial stewardship of Construction Delivery and Facilities Asset Management for approximately 175 company-operated restaurants, with scale readiness beyond 200 units. This role owns end-to-end execution of new restaurant openings, remodels, capital reinvestment initiatives, and ongoing asset performance across the portfolio. The Senior Director ensures predictable schedule adherence, disciplined cost management, vendor accountability, and best-in-industry service standards in safety, quality, responsiveness, and cleanliness. The position is accountable for rethinking and modernizing both Construction and Facilities operating models—driving value engineering, lifecycle cost optimization, preventative maintenance rigor, and capital allocation discipline to improve restaurant-level productivity, EBITDA performance, and return on invested capital. This leader partners cross-functionally to build a scalable platform that supports accelerated unit growth without disproportionate G&A expansion.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Business, or related field preferred.
Minimum 12–15 years of progressive multi-unit construction and facilities leadership experience within restaurant, retail, or hospitality environments.
Demonstrated experience leading new unit development programs and facilities operations across geographically dispersed portfolios.
Strong financial acumen including capital budgeting, cost accounting, ROI modeling, vendor negotiations, and lifecycle asset planning.
Experience building scalable systems, dashboards, and governance processes that improve predictability and speed to market.
Proven leadership capability in managing both internal teams and external vendor networks.
Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
Executive-level communication skills with the ability to present capital plans and performance results to senior leadership and the Board.
Strong analytical capability with disciplined decision-making rooted in data and financial impact.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams without creating bottlenecks or unnecessary escalation.
Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
Demonstrated ability to drive change, implement systems, and elevate performance standards.
High degree of accountability, ownership mindset, and operational rigor.
Ability to travel domestically as required to support restaurant openings, remodels, and portfolio oversight.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications (e.g., PMP, CCM, PE) are a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and establish the strategic direction for Construction Delivery, including new restaurant openings (NROs), remodels, relocations, and capital reinvestment projects.
Own schedule adherence, budget performance, and quality outcomes for all company construction projects.
Partner with Architecture & Design, Real Estate, Development Operations, and Operations to ensure constructability, cost discipline, and seamless turnover to the field.
Drive design-to-cost initiatives and value engineering efforts to reduce build costs while maintaining brand integrity and operational functionality.
Lead general contractor strategy, preferred vendor programs, and performance scorecards to ensure consistent execution standards.
Implement governance, reporting cadence, and stage-gate controls to reduce variance to pro forma development models.
Support franchise partners with construction standards, toolkits, and advisory guidance to ensure brand-compliant execution.
Provide executive leadership for the Facilities Department, defining annual goals, KPIs, and service standards aligned with operational excellence.
Oversee preventative maintenance strategy, repair & maintenance (R&M) spend, and capital reinvestment prioritization across the portfolio.
Lead vendor strategy, contract negotiation, and service level agreements to drive continuous improvement in cost, responsiveness, and asset uptime.
Establish structured asset lifecycle management processes, including equipment replacement forecasting and capital planning.
Partner closely with Operations leadership to ensure facilities performance supports restaurant cleanliness, food safety, and guest experience standards.
Monitor and evaluate restaurant utility usage, billing accuracy, and alternative sourcing strategies to reduce operating costs.
Own preparation and management of the Construction and Facilities budgets, including: New Restaurant Capital Budget Remodel and Reinvestment Capital Budget Repair & Maintenance Expense Budget Special Projects and Asset Optimization Budget
Continuously evaluate in-house versus outsourced delivery models for both construction management and facilities execution to optimize cost and performance.
Recruit, develop, and lead high-performing Construction and Facilities teams, fostering accountability, technical excellence, and leadership growth.
Establish clear communication cadence, reporting standards, and performance expectations across internal teams and external partners.
Build scalable organizational capability to support multi-market growth across three time zones.
Promote a culture of safety, ownership, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Ensure compliance with all Health Department, OSHA, Building & Safety, Fire, Environmental, and Waste Management regulations.
Review and strengthen emergency preparedness protocols and disaster response procedures.
Mitigate operational risk through disciplined vendor oversight, contract controls, and preventative maintenance rigor.
Oversee Facilities Management for Corporate and Support Center locations, including equipment, infrastructure, and office relocation coordination.
Manage company-owned properties and closed or non-operating restaurants, ensuring compliance with community, landlord, and brand standards.
Provide strategic oversight of asset preservation and disposition readiness.