Building Operations & Facilities Manager

Description:

ABOUT THINKERY

Thinkery is a 40,000-squarefoot learning space where children and their families come to enjoy play-based, inquiry-rich, hands-on learning experiences. As a trusted children’s museum, community and learning hub, and educational leader, we believe that innovative, play-based, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) learning experiences are a powerful way for all children, regardless of means, to develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and curiosity about the world around them.

At the Thinkery Meredith Learning Lab located in Mueller, we proudly offer innovative, interactive museum exhibits and activities and early childhood education. We provide research-backed, community-based professional development programs and trainings for educators via the STEAM Learning Institute- all cultivating a love of learning and encouraging exploration and understanding of the many facets of STEAM and its ability to inspire confident, creative thinkers.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Building Operations and Facilities Manager is a senior manager responsible for ensuring the museum and office spaces are welcoming to our guests and staff, leading to a positive experience. This will be done through proactively considering the cleanliness, safety, efficiency, and maintenance of the facility and ensuring that the facility is in compliance with all applicable regulations. This teammate manages and coaches a facilities technician and works cross departmentally throughout the organization leading optimal building operations.

This role blends operational leadership with a customer-focused and experiential approach. The manager recommends, coordinates, and proactively makes improvements to the facility as needed so that Thinkery continues to run as a high quality, clean, safe and functional space for guests and staff.

The Building Operations and Facilities Manager is able to proactively plan projects and is responsible for overseeing inspections, maintenance and repairs to the facility and its systems, procuring materials and supplies as needed and logging and reporting repairs and issues to established vendors. This role may also provide support to Thinkery Del Valle.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensure the museum facility is in safe, clean and optimal operating conditions. Support daily facility inspections to assess safety, functionality, and sanitation. Address concerns in a timely, efficient, and customer-focused manner.
• Lead ongoing preventative maintenance and repairs of the facility and facility systems by maintaining and refining check lists, processes and procedures.
• Ensure facility repairs, corrections and refinements are made in a timely manner.
• Contract professionals for repairs as needed.
• Maintain and refine proactive schedules for preventative maintenance in relation to the facility and the MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems to ensure optimal operations.
• Plan, secure and allocate resources for timely, efficient implementation of facility projects.
• Coordinate with the leadership team to establish production schedules for high impact facility projects that will help improve the guest experience.
• Oversee the facilities team for timely fulfillment of museum staff facility requests; collaborate with the event team to prepare for special events or programs.
• Ensure conference rooms and program workspaces are functional and fully operational.
• Collaborate with exhibits team when gallery improvements have significant facility impacts.
• Develop and update emergency plans and evacuation procedures and maintain readiness of safety systems, such as AED’s and first aid kits.
• Assist with planning emergency responses and evacuation plans, act as a lead in any emergency situation.
• Log all planned and completed facility repairs and projects.
• Represent Thinkery’s key values of playfulness, belonging, innovation, and collaboration and support a culture of cross-organization communication and information sharing.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be primary on call contact for off-hour emergencies and situations relating to the facility and facility related systems.
• Develop the facilities team's annual budget and monitor spending.
• Coordinates with team to ensure direct service staff has support during all operational hours.
• Maintain and register museum vehicle(s), occasionally schedule and transport building items to offsite locations.
• Schedule reflects a 40-hour work week; however, availability reflects that the organization is a 7-day-a-week operation. This role will be required to work regularly on Saturday’s. Preferred working schedule is Tuesday – Saturday.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

COMPETENCIES

• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet expected commitments.
• Values Differences: Recognizing the value that different perspectives, backgrounds and cultures bring to an organization and Thinkery’s work.
• Creates Connection: Building engagement and belonging in relationships across teams and with guests promoting a welcoming environment for all.
• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• 3-5 years’ experience managing facilities or workplace operations systems, teams and budgets.
• 3-5 years managing contractor and vendor relationships.
• Strong organizational and communication skills and able to resolve issues independently.
• Experience in a wide variety of relevant maintenance and construction techniques and materials.
• Must be able to read and understand building and product schematics.
• Confident computer skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Bilingual is a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. This position is very active. While performing the duties of this job, the team member is required to:

• Observe and react to the needs of guests, staff, volunteers, and community partners.
• Move throughout the museum.
• Manipulate, lift and/or move materials weighing up to 80 pounds.
• Bending/stooping, kneeling, reaching and laying down on hard surfaces.
• Carry, climb and execute work on ladders.
• Move and utilize a single person lift and forklift.
• Communicate and respond to safety hazards.
• Occasionally work in outdoor environments.
• Occasionally drive organizational vehicle.

BENEFITS

Thinkery offers competitive and affordable benefits for our full-time staff, including options for 100% employer-sponsored medical coverage. Our benefits package includes:

• Medical insurance options including HSA, PPO Gold, and PPO Platinum plans
• Affordable dental and vision
• 100% employer-sponsored EAP, STD, LTD, AD&D, and Life Insurance
• 2 weeks of paid vacation, 12 days of paid sick leave, and 13 paid floating holidays each year
• Paid Family Leave
• Pet and child-friendly offices
• Membership to the museum and discounted rates for Camps

This job description should not be construed to imply these requirements are the only duties, responsibilities, and qualifications for this job. Incumbents may be required to follow any additional related instructions, acquire related job skills, and perform other related work as required. This job description may be updated as needed.

Thinkery is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This company does not and will not discriminate in employment and personnel practices on the basis of race, sex, age, handicap, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. Hiring, transferring, and promotion practices are performed without regard to the above-listed items. All candidates offered a position will be required to submit to background and reference checks.