Director of Facilities and Construction

About the role

Join Primanti Brothers, a Pittsburgh institution, as a key member of our team. We're a regional powerhouse with locations across four states, and we're looking for someone passionate about people, performance, and preserving our iconic brand while pushing it forward.

Our Core Values guide our decisions, fuel our growth, and keep us grounded in nearly 100 years of tradition. We're fanatical about our fans, believe in winning together, and respect our roots while embracing bold ideas.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive facilities management strategy across all restaurant locations and support facilities
• Establish and maintain preventive and reactive maintenance programs to keep restaurants open, clean, and fully operational
• Oversee building systems, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, fire/life safety, and other restaurant infrastructure
• Establish standards and procedures for restaurant inspections, maintenance, repairs, and 24/7 emergency response
• Monitor facility conditions and identify opportunities to reduce cost per restaurant and improve equipment reliability and uptime
• Develop long-term kitchen equipment replacement and capital planning strategies
• Partner with Restaurant Operations to schedule maintenance and project work around peak dayparts and minimize disruption to guest service
• Monitor restaurant work orders and approve expenses in the company's computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)
• Support operations by training General Managers and restaurant teams on basic building and kitchen systems
• Lead the planning and execution of new restaurant builds, conversions, remodels, and other capital projects
• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, timelines, and performance expectations
• Coordinate architects, engineers, kitchen equipment consultants, general contractors, subcontractors, and vendors as needed
• Manage projects from site evaluation and design through permitting, construction, and restaurant opening
• Develop and manage annual facilities, maintenance, and capital expenditure budgets
• Monitor project and facility spending against approved budgets and track maintenance cost per restaurant
• Evaluate capital investments and provide recommendations based on return on investment, sales impact, operational needs, and asset life-cycle considerations
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and service agreements with contractors, equipment suppliers, and facilities vendors
• Establish and maintain a qualified network of contractors, restaurant equipment service providers, and facilities vendors
• Ensure restaurants comply with applicable building, fire/life safety, health department, and food safety regulatory requirements
• Partner with Risk Management, Operations, and Human Resources on facility-related safety and compliance matters
• Develop and monitor preventive maintenance schedules for all restaurants
• Establish standards for kitchen and building equipment maintenance, repair, and replacement
• Partner with Restaurant Operations and field leadership to prioritize facility needs and minimize operational interruptions
• Collaborate with Finance on capital planning, forecasting, budgeting, and financial reporting
• Communicate project status, risks, budgets, and recommendations clearly to stakeholders at all levels

Qualifications

• 5-7+ years of progressive experience in multi-unit restaurant, hospitality, or retail facilities management, construction, or a related field
• Experience managing multiple restaurant locations, new construction, remodel programs, or capital programs
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, contractors, vendors, and capital expenditures
• Strong understanding of commercial construction, life safety and building systems, commercial kitchen equipment and refrigeration, and restaurant facility operations
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to travel regularly to restaurant locations, construction sites, and new restaurant openings as needed

Preferred Experience

• Experience supporting a growing restaurant portfolio, including company-operated and franchise locations
• Experience managing new restaurant development, conversion, and remodel programs from site to opening
• Construction management, project management, engineering, or facilities-related certifications
• Experience with facilities management software, project management systems, and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) in a multi-unit restaurant environment
• Experience developing multi-year capital and remodel plans across a restaurant portfolio
• ServSafe Food Safety Certification

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Construction & Project Management
• Facilities Management
• Financial & Budget Management
• Vendor & Contract Management
• Risk Management
• Problem Solving
• Operational Excellence
• Negotiation
• Communication
• Executive Presence
• Decision Making
• Accountability
• Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement

Physical & Travel Requirements

Regular travel to restaurant locations, construction sites, and new openings, up to 50%. Ability to walk construction sites and inspect restaurants, including kitchens, cook lines, dish areas, walk-in coolers and freezers, mechanical rooms, rooftops, stairs, and uneven surfaces. Ability to work outside normal business hours — including nights, weekends, and holidays — to respond to restaurant emergencies or critical construction issues.

Benefits

We offer very competitive salary ranges (Base Salary: $95,000-$110,000), paid PTO, an extensive array of healthcare benefits to choose from, 401K with a company match, a fun environment, free sandwiches, company paid parking, and a great place to grow your career.