Facilities Manager

Our client is seeking a hands-on Facilities Manager to keep a portfolio of restaurant locations safe, clean, compliant, and ready for service. This role serves as the central point of contact for repairs, equipment, building needs, preventive maintenance, vendor coordination, and smaller cosmetic improvement projects. 

Position Summary 

The Facilities Manager will support restaurants across the DMV region, coordinating urgent repairs and planned maintenance while minimizing disruption to guests and operating teams. The ideal candidate understands the pace of restaurant operations, solves problems quickly, communicates clearly, and builds strong vendor relationships. 

Key Responsibilities 

Facilities & Maintenance 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for repair and maintenance requests from restaurant teams, prioritizing and tracking work orders through completion. 

• Respond to urgent equipment and building issues, including after-hours and weekend emergencies, and coordinate qualified vendors to restore operations quickly. 

• Source, schedule, and manage vendors for commercial kitchen equipment, refrigeration, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and general building repairs. 

• Manage preventive maintenance programs for walk-ins, ice machines, dish machines, fryers, ovens, and other restaurant equipment; track recurring issues to reduce downtime. 

• Oversee recurring compliance services, including hood and exhaust cleaning, grease trap service, pest control, and fire suppression and extinguisher inspections. 

• Support restaurant readiness for health, fire, safety, and life-safety inspections, as well as site-level emergency procedures. 

• Manage equipment warranties and warranty repairs, and maintain accurate equipment lists, service histories, work orders, and vendor records. 

• Provide repair-versus-replace recommendations, monitor repair and maintenance spending, and coordinate with landlords and property managers on building-related matters. 

• Support risk management and insurance processes when facilities incidents occur. 

Cosmetic Updates & Small Projects 

• Manage smaller restaurant improvement projects such as painting, flooring, lighting, furniture, fixtures, patio work, and exterior updates. 

• Obtain quotes, schedule contractors, and plan work around operating hours or closures to limit disruption to guests and staff. 

• Conduct site visits to review progress and quality, resolve field issues, and close punch-list items. 

• Assist leadership with larger renovation or build-out projects as needed. 

Collaboration & Reporting 

• Partner with general managers, chefs, and restaurant teams through routine site walkthroughs and timely follow-up on open issues. 

• Train managers on preventive maintenance practices, work-order procedures, and effective vendor coordination. 

• Coordinate with Accounting to ensure vendor invoices are coded, reviewed, and approved accurately and on time. 

• Provide regular updates to leadership on open work orders, spending, recurring issues, and project status. 

• Help develop consistent processes and service standards for facilities requests and vendor management. 

Qualifications 

• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree in facilities management, construction, business, or a related field is a plus. 

• 3–5 years of facilities or maintenance management experience, ideally supporting restaurants, hospitality, or multi-unit food service operations. 

• Working knowledge of commercial kitchen equipment and building systems, including refrigeration, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. 

• Understanding of restaurant health, fire, safety, and life-safety requirements. 

• Experience sourcing and managing vendors, obtaining competitive quotes, reviewing completed work, and controlling repair and project costs. 

• Ability to manage smaller improvement projects and interpret basic plans, scopes of work, and vendor proposals. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience using a computerized maintenance management or work-order system is preferred. 

• Restaurant facilities management certification, including credentials such as those offered through the Restaurant Facility Management Association, is preferred. 

• Calm, responsive, and decisive under pressure, with the ability to prioritize urgent needs and remain reachable for after-hours emergencies. 

• Clear communicator who can work effectively with restaurant teams, vendors, landlords, property managers, Accounting, and senior leadership. 

Travel & Physical Requirements 

• Regular travel to restaurant locations throughout Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. 

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required. 

• Ability to walk active restaurant and project sites, climb ladders or stairs, and lift up to 50 pounds. 

• Ability to obtain a valid food handler’s card within 30 days of hire. 

Compensation & Benefits 

Salary: 80k-100k per year 

• Company-subsidized medical insurance; dental and vision insurance. 

• 401(k) retirement plan. 

• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance. 

• Voluntary accident, hospital indemnity, and critical illness benefits. 

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP). 

• Paid vacation and paid sick time. 

• Dining discounts at client-operated locations. 

Reporting & Location 

Preferred base: Washington, DC area 

Territory: Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia