Facilities Manager

First United; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Pension plan

Life insurance

Long-term disability

AD&D

Paid vacation

Statutory days off

Sick leave

Professional designation reimbursement

Inclusive workplace

Job summary

FIRST UNITED is seeking a Facilities Manager to oversee the Downtown Eastside campus and building operations in Vancouver. You will manage maintenance, safety, vendor contracts and budgeting to ensure a safe, efficient workplace for staff and clients.

The role requires extensive facilities experience, strong leadership, and a compassionate approach when interacting with vulnerable individuals, within a not-for-profit setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years facilities management experience.
• Knowledge of building systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical).
• Project management and organizational skills.
• Leadership abilities to manage facilities staff.
• Problem solving and timely issue resolution.
• Budgeting and financial management for facilities.
• Clear communication with stakeholders.
• Compliance with building codes and safety regulations.
• Ability to engage with vulnerable populations empathetically.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance and repairs: plan and schedule preventive maintenance, coordinate with contractors, manage building systems.
• Safety compliance: conduct safety inspections, ensure codes compliance, manage emergency plans.
• Building operations: oversee cleaning, waste, energy use, and procurement of supplies.
• Vendor management: negotiate contracts with service providers.
• Budgeting and cost control: track expenses and identify savings; operate with a $300-$500K budget.
• Project management: oversee renovations and upgrades.
• Staff supervision: lead facilities staff.
• Communication: coordinate with departments and inform staff about maintenance.

Skills

Facilities management

Building systems

Project management

Leadership

Problem solving

Budgeting

Communication

Compliance

Empathy

Education

Facilities management degree

BOMA designation

HVAC 4th class Power Engineer

Tools

None

Job description

FIRST UNITED is a registered charity that has been serving Vancouver's Downtown Eastside community for 140 years. We offer responsive, low-barrier services to individuals who are low income, underhoused or homeless. We pursue dignity, belonging, and justice to meet the daily needs of community members while engaging in systems change work to reduce homelessness and break cycles of poverty. If you're looking for purpose-filled work and want to make a difference in the community, this might be the opportunity for you.

Each job within the FIRST UNITED CHURCH Community Ministry Society should promote our accomplishment of our vision, mission and values.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Comprehensive and 100% employer-paid health benefits including extended health and dental plan for regular staff, spouses and dependents.
• United Church of Canada defined benefit pension plan; employee contribution rate 6%, employer contribution rate 9%.
• Life insurance, Long-term Disability, and AD&D.
• 15 days of paid annual vacation.
• 13 statutory paid days off every year and 12 days of paid sick leave.
• Professional designation reimbursement.
• An inclusive and supportive workplace culture.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Facilities Manager is responsiblefor overseeing all aspects of First United’s buildings’ functionality andupkeep, ensuring a safe and efficient working environment by managingmaintenance tasks, coordinating repairs, supervising staff, and adhering tosafety regulations, all while optimizing building operations to meet the needsof occupants within the facility.

This role will be onsite at our location in the Downtown Eastside found at 320 E. Hastings Street, Vancouver.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintenance and repairs:

• Planningand scheduling preventative maintenance activities, coordinating repairswith contractors, managing building systems like HVAC, plumbing, andelectrical systems.

Safety compliance:

• Conductingregular safety inspections, ensuring compliance with building codes andregulations, managing emergency preparedness plans.

Building operations:

• Overseeingcleaning and janitorial services, managing waste disposal, monitoringenergy consumption and implementing energy-saving measures.
• Procurementof supplies and materials

Vendor management:

• Negotiatingcontracts with service providers like maintenance contractors, cleaningcompanies, and security firms.

Budgeting and costcontrol:

• Trackingfacility expenses, managing maintenance budgets, identifying cost-savingopportunities. Est operating budget of $300-$500K.

Project management:

• Overseeingrenovation projects, coordinating installations and upgrades within the facility.

Staff supervision:

• Leadingand managing a team of facilities staff.

Communication andstakeholder management:

• Collaboratingwith departments within the organization to address facility needs,communication updates to employees regarding maintenance activities anddisruptions.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Minimum10 years’ facilities management experience
• Technicalknowledge: Understanding of building systems, HVAC, plumbing, electricalsystems, and maintenance procedures.
• Projectmanagement skills: Ability to plan, execute, and monitor facilityimprovement projects.
• Leadershipabilities: Leading and motivating a team of facilities staff.
• Problemsolving skills: Identifying and resolving facility issues promptly.
• Budgetingand financial management: Effectively managing facility expenses.
• Communicationskills: Clear and concise communication with stakeholders at all levels.
• Complianceexpertise: Knowledge of relevant building codes, safety regulations, andenvironmental standards.
• Abilityto maintain a calm, welcoming, empathetic and professional demeanor at alltimes with staff and with vulnerable and/or marginalized individuals.

QUALIFICATIONS

Degreeor certification in facilities management, engineering, or a related field.

• Hold a BOMA designationand an HVAC 4th class Power Engineer credential

Experiencein facility management or a similar operational role.

Knowledgeof project management and organizational skills.

• Must be able to pass aCriminal Record Check (Vulnerable Sector).
• A clean driving record
• Availability to respondto emergency situations after hours.
• Management experiencein a unionized setting strongly desired.

Experiencein a not-for-profit environment (such as a shelter, group home, social housingor recovery house) would be an asset.

SPECIALTRAINING

• Nonviolentcrisis intervention training (NVCI) an asset.
• StandardFirst Aid or equivalent training/recertification within first three months ofemployment.
• MentalHealth First Aid training an asset.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Physical conditions:

• Work can be physically demanding and sometimesdirty and unpleasant.
• Must be able to lift up to 50lbs/23kg on aregular basis.

Must be comfortable with physicallydemanding work that includes bending, stooping, stretching, kneeling, andcrouching.

May be exposed to noisy equipment ortools.

Environmental conditions:

• Must be able to work in extreme cold and heat attimes.
• Must be able to work outdoors to sweep walkways,shovel snow, remove graffiti, maintain building at times.

Sensory demands:

• Musthave good communication skills and the ability to work under limitedsupervision.
• Needthe ability to listen to and understand written and verbal instructions.

Mental Demands:

• Possible exposure/proximity to traumatic medicalevents and clients in crisis.
• Possible exposure to emotionally disturbingexperiences.
• Ability to exercise nonviolent crisisintervention techniques to reduce interpersonal conflict.

RECRUITMENT TIMELINE

• July 30th to August 10th: Reviewing Applicants.
• August 11th to August 26th: Telephone screening selected applicants who display the needed skills for the role.
• August 27th to September 4th: 1st round of formal interviews.
• September 7th to September 11th: 2nd round of formal interviews.
• September 14th to September 18th: Reference checks and Vulnerable Sector/Police Criminal Record Checks.

The anticipate start date for this position is on or around September 28, 2026.

We are committed to becoming a more just, equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplace, which extends to how we hire. We are continually learning new and unlearning old practices while examining systemic causes of inequity, including colonialism.

We aim to be representative of the communities that we serve. We welcome everyone to apply, and we strongly encourage applications from members of communities that have been marginalized based on Indigeneity, race, colour, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. In order to achieve a representative team, preference may be given to people who are members of one or more of these groups.