Facilities Manager

Reports to: Director of Operations | Department: Administration / Operations | Location: The Rose Center – 80 Pitt Street and Essex Community Center – 175 Delancey Street, with support to other Grand Street Settlement locations as needed

About Grand Street Settlement

Since our founding in 1916, Grand Street Settlement has offered a continuum of innovative programs ranging from early childhood and youth development to support for adults and older adults. While community needs have shifted over the years, our services remain rooted in the belief that community members have the capacity to empower their neighbors while enriching their own lives.

About the Role

The Facilities Manager is a hands-on operational leader responsible for maintaining safe, clean, secure, functional, and welcoming environments at The Rose Center (80 Pitt Street) and Essex Community Center (175 Delancey Street), while providing additional facilities support across Grand Street Settlement locations as needed. Reporting directly to the Director of Operations, the Facilities Manager provides day-to-day leadership and supervision of facilities, maintenance, custodial, and security personnel; oversees building systems and preventive maintenance; coordinates vendors and contractors; supports regulatory compliance and inspections; and responds to routine and emergency operational needs.

This position requires more than technical facilities knowledge. The Facilities Manager must be a collaborative, service-oriented, and highly dependable leader who can balance administrative responsibilities with a visible and hands-on presence throughout the facilities. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound judgment, professionalism, initiative, emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to lead and develop a diverse team with respect while maintaining clear standards of performance and accountability.

Leadership & Management Expectations

• Lead by example and maintain a consistent, visible, and approachable presence throughout assigned facilities.
• Supervise, coach, motivate, and develop maintenance, custodial, and security personnel.
• Establish clear expectations and hold employees accountable for performance, attendance, professionalism, and assigned responsibilities.
• Provide constructive feedback and corrective direction professionally, respectfully, and appropriately.
• Address sensitive employee performance matters privately whenever appropriate.
• Build trust and maintain positive working relationships with employees, managers, program teams, participants, vendors, contractors, building management, and community partners.
• Demonstrate patience, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and sound judgment when managing people and resolving workplace concerns.
• Remain calm, respectful, and solution-oriented during disagreements, emergencies, and high-pressure situations.
• Promote open communication and create an environment in which employees can appropriately ask questions, raise concerns, and provide feedback.
• Lead through collaboration, coaching, accountability, and mutual respect.
• Work collaboratively across departments and balance facilities requirements with programmatic and organizational needs.
• Support frontline Operations staff when necessary and participate in hands-on operational responsibilities during periods of high demand, staffing shortages, events, emergencies, and other operational needs.
• Independently assess situations, establish priorities, make sound decisions, and appropriately escalate significant matters to the Director of Operations.
• Foster a workplace and facility environment where employees, participants, visitors, partners, and community members feel welcomed, respected, and supported.

Responsibilities

Facilities Operations

• Oversee daily facilities operations at The Rose Center and Essex Community Center.
• Ensure facilities are consistently maintained in a clean, safe, organized, functional, and welcoming condition.
• Oversee cleaning, custodial operations, routine maintenance, and building readiness.
• Develop and monitor daily work assignments, cleaning routes, preventive maintenance schedules, and facilities priorities.
• Conduct regular building walkthroughs and proactively identify maintenance, safety, cleanliness, and operational concerns.
• Perform and/or coordinate minor repairs involving plumbing, locks, painting, plastering, electrical components, boiler rooms, furniture, fixtures, and other building systems within appropriate scope.
• Work alongside and support facilities staff with cleaning, maintenance, event setup, emergency response, and other hands-on operational responsibilities when necessary.
• Oversee recycling, sanitation, trash removal, and extermination programs.
• Maintain appropriate inventories of facilities, maintenance, cleaning, and emergency supplies.
• Purchase authorized maintenance supplies and equipment in accordance with organizational procedures.
• Oversee preventive maintenance of building systems, furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
• Assist with space rentals and coordinate setup and breakdown for internal and external events as assigned.
• Provide facilities and maintenance support to other GSS locations and off-site programs as needed.

Staff Supervision & Development

• Provide daily supervision and direction to maintenance, custodial, and security staff.
• Coordinate staffing schedules and ensure appropriate operational coverage.
• Monitor attendance, punctuality, performance, completion of assignments, and adherence to departmental standards.
• Conduct regular check-ins and provide timely coaching and performance feedback.
• Support employee training, cross-training, professional development, and required certifications.
• Participate in recruitment, onboarding, performance evaluations, progressive discipline, and other personnel processes in coordination with the Director of Operations and Human Resources.
• Promote teamwork and shared accountability across the Operations Department.

Building Systems & Preventive Maintenance

Maintain working knowledge and oversight of:

• HVAC systems
• Boilers and heating systems
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing systems
• Fire alarm and sprinkler systems
• Fire suppression systems
• Security cameras and access-control systems
• Building technology and cabling infrastructure
• Locks and door hardware
• Elevators and related equipment
• Furniture, fixtures, and equipment

• Coordinate preventive maintenance, inspections, service calls, repairs, and required follow-up for these systems.

Vendor & Contractor Management

• Coordinate and oversee contractors, consultants, service technicians, and vendors performing work at GSS facilities.
• Ensure vendors comply with organizational requirements, site rules, safety standards, and approved scopes of work.
• Monitor vendor performance and completion of assigned work.
• Review scopes, proposals, estimates, invoices, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with developing technical specifications and obtaining competitive proposals when appropriate.
• Negotiate contract terms and agreements with maintenance contractors and other vendors as authorized.
• Coordinate vendor access while minimizing disruption to GSS programs and participants.
• Manage, coordinate, upload, and appropriately code vendor invoices and payments in accordance with GSS procedures.
• Maintain professional and productive relationships with external partners and service providers.

Regulatory Compliance & Inspections

• Coordinate and monitor inspections involving applicable agencies and authorities, including:
  • NYC Department of Buildings (DOB)
  • NYC Fire Department (FDNY)
  • NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
  • New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
  • Building/property management
  • Fire alarm, sprinkler, suppression, and life-safety vendors
  • Other regulatory agencies as applicable
• Maintain required facilities documentation, inspection records, service reports, permits, and certificates.
• Conduct and document required fire and emergency drills.
• Monitor correction of identified deficiencies and communicate outstanding compliance matters to the Director of Operations.
• Maintain working knowledge of applicable NYC building, fire, safety, and operational requirements.

Emergency Response

The Facilities Manager serves as a key operational leader during facility emergencies and unexpected building conditions. Responsibilities include:

• Responding to utility interruptions, water outages, floods and leaks, HVAC failures, electrical issues, fire/life-safety conditions, security incidents, and other building emergencies.
• Quickly assessing conditions and determining appropriate operational priorities.
• Coordinating internal staff, vendors, building management, NYCHA, emergency services, and other appropriate resources.
• Maintaining clear communication with the Director of Operations and affected program leadership.
• Helping develop temporary operational solutions when normal building operations are disrupted.
• Remaining actively engaged through stabilization and resolution of facility emergencies.
• Participating in the department's emergency preparedness and continuity planning.
• Being available for after-hours emergency response as required.

Customer Service & Community Environment

Grand Street Settlement facilities serve children, families, youth, older adults, community members, employees, partners, and visitors. The Facilities Manager is expected to:

• Maintain a customer-service-oriented approach to facilities management.
• Help ensure that all GSS facilities are welcoming, inclusive, safe, and respectful environments.
• Interact professionally and courteously with program participants, staff, community members, vendors, and visitors.
• Recognize that Operations staff often serve as visible representatives of Grand Street Settlement.
• Work collaboratively with program leadership to resolve facilities concerns while supporting continuity of services.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least three years of experience managing maintenance/facilities staff, contractors, or comparable operational teams.
• Demonstrated experience successfully supervising and developing frontline employees.
• Strong knowledge of HVAC, boiler, electrical, plumbing, and general building systems.
• Strong knowledge of cleaning operations, floor care, painting, minor repairs, and general building maintenance.
• Ability and willingness to operate standard maintenance equipment and tools and perform minor repairs when appropriate.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Demonstrated conflict-resolution and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to communicate professionally with individuals at all organizational levels.
• Understanding of safety, security, and emergency preparedness best practices.
• Working knowledge of NYC fire and building requirements.
• Understanding of technology and security infrastructure, including cabling, security cameras, and access-control systems.
• Ability to manage and direct