Director, Building Operations

The Director of Building Operations is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for the management, maintenance, and long-term stewardship of The Z’s historic theater facility. The Z holds a 99-year ground lease of this city-owned facility. This role ensures the building is safe, fully operational, and welcoming to staff, artists, patrons, and community members. With a deep understanding of public assembly facility environments, the Director oversees all building systems—including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and life safety—while also leading capital planning, regulatory compliance, vendor management, and emergency preparedness.

In collaboration with Theater Operations, Production, and administrative teams, the Director ensures the appropriate staffing and support for all programming and events in multiple spaces in and outside of the building, aligned with the organization’s commitment to accessibility, safety, and community service while preserving its long-term value.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic and Operational Leadership

·        Develop and lead the overall building operations strategy, goals and impact, aligned with organizational goals and mission impact.

·        Manage operating and capital budgets, forecasting short- and long-term infrastructure needs.

·        Oversee emergency preparedness plans, safety drills, and incident response readiness.

·        Lead with a collaborative, mission-aligned approach that prioritizes service to artists, audiences, and community.

·        Represent the facility’s operational priorities in organizational planning and cross-functional projects.

·        Model transparency, communication, and shared decision-making across departments.

Building Systems & Maintenance

·        Supervise daily maintenance of all areas of the building and grounds, ensuring cleanliness, safety, and functionality.

·        Oversee the operation, repair, and replacement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire/life safety, and security systems as well as equipment such as dishwashers, ice machine, popcorn machine, beer draft refrigeration system, refrigerators, laundry facilities, lifts, etc.

·        Lead and track preventative maintenance schedules using industry best practices and software tools.

Vendor & Contract Management

·        Manage contracts for outsourced services (e.g., janitorial, HVAC, elevator, security, pest control).

·        Conduct vendor evaluations and performance reviews, ensuring quality, cost control, and SLA adherence.

·        Negotiate and oversee service agreements within budgetary and strategic parameters.

Compliance, Safety & Risk Mitigation

·        Ensure compliance with building codes, health, fire and life safety regulations, ADA, OSHA, and local permitting requirements.

·        Act as the primary liaison with the City, fostering a cooperative relationship to ensure the building’s operations align with the terms of the ground lease, municipal regulations, and public safety standards. Coordinate regularly with municipal departments, inspectors and officials.

·        Maintain documentation for all inspections, incidents, and certifications.

·        Lead crowd safety planning and place-of-assembly compliance in collaboration with Production and Theater Operations.

Supervision & Team Development

·        Recruit, train, and supervise a team of facilities staff and contractors/vendors to support a busy schedule of live performances and events in multiple spaces in and out of the building with a focus on inclusion, shared leadership, and growth making.

·        Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and excellence in service delivery.

·        Provide coaching, mentorship, and performance management to build leadership capacity within the team.

Cross-Department Collaboration

·        Partner with Theater Operations and Production teams to ensure seamless event execution and audience experience.

·        Coordinate building readiness for performances, rentals, and special events.

·        Align facility projects and scheduling with programming calendars and operational needs.

Qualifications

Required:

·        Minimum 7–10 years of progressive facilities management experience, preferably in a performing arts, historic, or public assembly environment.

·        Demonstrated expertise in managing complex building systems, capital improvement projects, and preventative maintenance programs.

·        Strong working knowledge of regulatory requirements (building code, place-of-assembly, OSHA, fire/life safety, accessibility, inspections, licenses).

·        Proven ability to manage vendor contracts and lead negotiations.

·        Experience developing and managing operating and capital budgets.

·        Excellent project management and communication skills.

·        Supervisory experience with a track record of fostering inclusive, high-performing teams.

·        Proficiency in work order systems, building management systems (BMS), and Microsoft Office Suite.

·        Ability to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, as needed.

Preferred:

 Facilities Management certification (e.g., IFMA CFM, BOMI).

·         Familiarity with historic preservation or adaptive reuse of performance spaces.

·         Experience of liaising with municipal personnel and departments.

Demonstrable knowledge of industry best practices and a commitment to lifelong learning.

What We’re Looking For

In addition to relevant experience, we’re looking for a colleague who:

• Brings a spirit of curiosity, creativity, and openness
• Communicates with clarity, honesty, and care
• Thrives in a collaborative, relationship-centered team
• Shares our commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racism
• Is excited to learn, grow, and imagine new ways forward

Our Workplace Culture

As part of your onboarding, you’ll be welcomed into a culture that reflects our values:

• Imagination – We encourage creative problem-solving and fresh ideas from every level of the organization.
• Connection – We work with empathy and respect, building strong relationships across teams.
• Equity – We actively address inequities in our systems and strive for inclusive representation in all we do.
• Transparency – We communicate openly, share information proactively, and make decisions with integrity.
• Discovery – We support risk-taking and learning from mistakes as essential parts of growth.

We create a workplace where you can bring your full self, feel supported, and know your contributions matter.

Equal Opportunity:

The Z is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate equity and are committed to creating an inclusive, thriving environment for all employees including, but not limited to, a culture of antiracism in which we build policies, procedures, and a safe space for people from all backgrounds to feel safe and seen in our employ, in our seats and on our stage.

Work Environment: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment ranges from low to high.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to move around the facility; to stand for long hours during events; talk and hear; to lift 50 or more pounds. This position may require work inside or outside of the building, as needed by events.

• The Z is a collaborative work environment, and employees are expected to be open and willing to collaborate across departments and teams.
• The Zeiterion is on an active, and ongoing, journey to be anti-racist organization - advancing anti-racist policies and practices, and fostering and sustaining a culture that values community, social justice, and equity.

To Apply

Submit your resume to careers@zeiterion.org with the job title in your subject line. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with priority to those submitted by Friday, August 29, 2025

We deeply value working with individuals from a rich mix of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe this diversity strengthens our institution and enriches our community. While we've outlined the qualifications and experience that we think will help someone thrive in this role, we also recognize that talent comes in many forms. If your background doesn’t perfectly align with every requirement, we still encourage you to apply — your unique perspective might be exactly what we need.