Associate Director, Facilities - DPF

About the role

The Associate Director, Facilities (DPF) owns end-to-end operational leadership and execution for the entire Designated Pathogen Free (DPF) Facilities Maintenance network. This is a network-level role responsible for driving performance across the DPF sites.

Responsibilities

• Drive overall operational performance, reliability, and execution across the full DPF network, including buildings, infrastructure, utilities, GMP systems, and critical environmental controls
• Contribute to functional strategic planning and multi-year operational roadmaps for the DPF Facilities Maintenance network in alignment with broader organizational goals
• Directly lead, develop, coach, and support Site Facilities Managers while maintaining strong alignment and coordination with Site Directors and site leadership at each location
• Establish, enforce, and continuously improve consistent operational standards, escalation protocols, and staffing models across the DPF network
• Drive workforce planning, cross-site staffing flexibility, and rapid deployment of resources to support outages, startups, expansions, vacancies, and peak demand
• Ensure rapid incident response, effective recovery, and permanent corrective actions for critical facilities and GMP systems
• Lead operational readiness, commissioning, startup, expansion, transition, and renovation activities to the highest standards
• Oversee vendor and contractor performance with rigorous accountability to quality, SLAs, and operational delivery
• Support development and management of the DPF network operating budget, including forecasting, expense tracking, and cost optimization initiatives
• Deliver full GMP/GxP, safety, and regulatory compliance with outstanding audit readiness across the network
• Maintain regular, extended on-site presence across all DPF sites each month and provide direct operational leadership and hands-on field support during prolonged absences, vacancies, startups, critical incidents, or periods of elevated demand

Requirements

• 15+ years progressive leadership experience in facilities, maintenance, engineering, or operations within pharmaceutical, biotech, biologics, or other complex FDA-regulated research and product development environments with a H.S. Diploma/GED or 14+ years progressive leadership experience with an Associate Degree or 12+ years progressive leadership experience with a Bachelor’s Degree
• Proven operational leadership and ability to drive high execution across distributed teams under pressure
• Strong technical troubleshooting and decisive judgment in regulated GMP environments
• Track record building staffing flexibility and cross-site collaboration
• Solid understanding of facilities infrastructure, GMP utilities, maintenance execution, and vendor management
• Able to move seamlessly between strategy and hands-on field leadership
• Able to interpret, apply, and enforce GMP/GxP regulations and compliance requirements
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel extensively (a minimum of 30-40% under normal conditions and will increase during start ups, major outages, or peak periods)

Qualifications

• Associate Degree in engineering, facilities/operations management, or related field OR a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, facilities/operations management, or related field
• 5+ years of demonstrated success operating in lean, flexible, or cross-site operational models within regulated research or product development environments

Skills

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Operational leadership and team management
• Technical troubleshooting and problem-solving
• Regulatory compliance and auditing
• Vendor management and resource allocation

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits suite of programs, including medical / dental / vision / prescription coverage, employee wellness resources, savings plans (401k and ESPP), paid time off & paid parental leave benefits, disability benefits, and more

Pay

The salary range for this position is $149,000 - $200,000 per year and reflects our good-faith estimate of the compensation for this role at the time of posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business needs, as well as other factors permitted by law at the time of posting.

Schedule

This is a travel-intensive hybrid role that requires monthly on-site leadership presence at all DPF sites. The successful candidate will maintain a primary operating location while providing regular, extended leadership support across the full DPF network. Time spent at each site will vary based on operational priorities, staffing conditions, startup activities, outages, and business needs.