Plant Operations Director

About the role

Join, stay, and grow with Benchmark. Meadow Ridge is the premier life care retirement community in Fairfield County, located on 136 acres in beautiful Redding, Connecticut. We are seeking an experienced Plant Operations Director to lead the Maintenance and Housekeeping departments for a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC).

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, and supervision for the Maintenance and Housekeeping departments, overseeing approximately 60 team members, including managers, supervisors, technicians, mechanics, custodial staff, and contracted vendors.
• Develop departmental goals, performance standards, staffing plans, and succession planning initiatives.
• Maintain all campus buildings, grounds, and infrastructure to ensure safety, reliability, and resident satisfaction.
• Oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs for all building systems and equipment.
• Ensure continuous operation of critical infrastructure, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, life safety, and emergency power systems.
• Manage all capital improvement projects, renovations, equipment replacements, and construction activities.
• Develop and administer annual operating and capital budgets while identifying cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality or service.
• Establish and monitor maintenance work order systems, preventative maintenance schedules, and key performance indicators.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including OSHA, fire safety, environmental standards, and healthcare accreditation requirements where applicable.
• Collaborate with executive leadership and department directors to support organizational goals and resident satisfaction initiatives.
• Foster a culture focused on customer service, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• Seven to ten years of progressive facilities management experience, preferably within healthcare, senior living, hospitality, or institutional environments.
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience managing multiple departments and large teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing facilities exceeding 500,000 square feet.
• Strong working knowledge of HVAC systems and controls, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems, Building automation systems (BAS), Electrical distribution systems, Fire alarm and fire suppression systems, Emergency generators and backup power systems, Preventive maintenance software and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), OSHA regulations and life safety compliance, Capital planning and facility asset management.

Qualifications

• Technical Knowledge: Candidates must possess strong working knowledge of HVAC systems and controls, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems, Building automation systems (BAS), Electrical distribution systems, Fire alarm and fire suppression systems, Emergency generators and backup power systems, Preventive maintenance software and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), OSHA regulations and life safety compliance, Capital planning and facility asset management.
• Leadership Competencies: The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional organizational and time management skills, strong leadership and team development abilities, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, strategic planning and problem-solving capabilities, financial and budget management experience, ability to prioritize multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, commitment to exceptional customer service and resident satisfaction, sound decision-making under pressure and during emergency situations.

Skills

• Ability to walk throughout a large campus daily.
• Ability to inspect mechanical spaces and construction areas.
• Ability to respond to facility emergencies outside of normal business hours as required.

Benefits

• 8 holidays & 3 floating holidays
• Vacation and Health & Wellness Paid Time Off
• Discounted Meal Program
• Associate Referral Bonus Program, up to $1,500
• Physical & Mental Health Wellness Programs
• Medical, Vision & Dental Benefits; no enrollment waiting period
• 401k Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Company-provided Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability

Pay

The anticipated salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000 annually. In addition to base compensation, this position may be eligible to participate in the Company's annual incentive or community bonus program, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plan.

Schedule

This position serves as a key member of the leadership team and requires regular interaction with residents, families, staff, contractors, and regulatory agencies. The Director is expected to maintain a visible presence throughout the campus and participate in an on-call rotation for facility emergencies. The anticipated schedule includes regular office hours and occasional evening and weekend shifts as needed.