Custodial Manager

SPU Seattle Pacific University; United States; On-site; USD 40,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Retirement benefits

HSA contributions

Tuition benefits for employees and/or

Other employee well-being programs

Job summary

Seattle Pacific University is hiring a Custodial Manager to lead a four-person custodial team and oversee contracted services. The role focuses on developing employees, ensuring service quality, and coordinating with service desks, maintenance, and campus partners on a large university campus.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, supervisory experience, and strong communication. It is based on Seattle Pacific University’s main campus with day shifts and occasional after-hours

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• One of the following: at least three years of experience in custodial or maintenance management, including client-facing work and oversight of contracted services; or at least one year of supervisory experience plus at least three years of experience in custodial or maintenance operations.
• Experience interviewing, hiring, training, and supporting employees.
• Strong customer-service and relationship-building skills.
• Clear and professional verbal and written communication.
• Ability to organize competing priorities, respond to deadlines, and make sound decisions in a fast-moving service environment.
• Ability to address concerns and resolve conflict respectfully and constructively.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Familiarity with custodial tools, equipment, chemicals, and operating practices.
• A valid Washington State driver’s license and a driving record that meets University requirements.
• Ability to drive University service vehicles, including small pickup trucks and box trucks with lift gates.
• Occasionally adjust working hours to address evening, weekend, or campus program needs.
• Personal commitment to the Christian faith and affirmation of SPU’s Statement of Faith.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a diverse custodial team.
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate staff custodians and student, seasonal, and temporary employees.
• Establish clear expectations, provide coaching, and foster a respectful and supportive workplace.
• Oversee contracted custodial services.
• Coordinate quality-control inspections, maintain regular communication with service providers, and address service concerns promptly.
• Coordinate campus service requests.
• Partner with service desk staff and the Maintenance Manager to review, prioritize, and sequence custodial, maintenance, and event-support requests.
• Build strong campus relationships.
• Communicate with faculty, staff, students, and other campus partners about service needs, facility operations, schedules, and potential impacts.
• Monitor quality and improve operations.
• Use the University’s CMMS to coordinate work and support consistent performance.
• Manage supplies and equipment.
• Review and approve supply and equipment requests while promoting safe, effective, and environmentally responsible practices.
• Respond when campus needs change.
• Provide occasional evening or weekend support.
• Support the University’s mission.
• Contribute to a service-focused department committed to operational excellence, environmental stewardship, diversity, reconciliation, and belonging.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Verbal and written communication

Prioritization

Microsoft Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Supervisory experience in custodial operations

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Job Description: Who We Are

Founded in 1891, Seattle Pacific University has a long and distinguished history in Christian higher education. Located just minutes from downtown Seattle, SPU seeks to be a premier Christian university fully committed to engaging the culture and changing the world by graduating people of competence and character, becoming people of wisdom, and modeling grace-filled community.

What We Need

SPU Facilities is seeking a collaborative, service-oriented Custodial Manager to lead the University’s custodial program and help maintain clean, welcoming, and well-supported campus spaces. This position provides day-to-day leadership for four staff custodians and up to 25 student, seasonal, and temporary employees. The Custodial Manager also oversees contracted custodial services and works closely with the Facilities service desk, maintenance staff, campus partners, and service providers to coordinate work, respond to changing needs, and ensure consistent service quality. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys developing employees, improving service delivery, solving operational problems, and building positive working relationships across a diverse campus community.

The Custodial Manager supports Seattle Pacific University's mission by contributing to a Christ-centered learning and working community committed to academic excellence, service, and engagement with the world. In this role, the employee brings their skills, gifts, and professional expertise to work that matters—serving students, colleagues, and the broader University community in ways that reflect SPU's values and purpose. To that end, all University employees are required to be aligned with and supportive of SPU's Statement of Faith and its derivative policies and lifestyle expectations.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and develop a diverse custodial team.
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate staff custodians and student, seasonal, and temporary employees.
• Establish clear expectations, provide coaching, and foster a respectful and supportive workplace.
• Oversee contracted custodial services.
• Coordinate quality‑control inspections, maintain regular communication with service providers, and address service concerns in a timely and constructive manner.
• Coordinate campus service requests.
• Partner with service desk staff and the Maintenance Manager to review, prioritize, and sequence custodial, maintenance, and event‑support requests.
• Build strong campus relationships.
• Communicate with faculty, staff, students, and other campus partners about service needs, facility operations, schedules, and potential impacts.
• Monitor quality and improve operations.
• Use the University’s computerized maintenance management system to coordinate work, follow service requests, and support consistent performance.
• Manage supplies and equipment.
• Review and approve custodial and event‑support supply and equipment requests while promoting safe, effective, efficient, and environmentally responsible practices.
• Respond when campus needs change.
• Provide occasional evening or weekend support.
• Support the University’s mission.
• Contribute to a service‑focused department committed to operational excellence, environmental stewardship, diversity, reconciliation, and belonging.

What You Bring

• A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• One of the following:
  1. At least three years of experience in custodial or maintenance management, including client‑facing work and oversight of contracted services; or
  2. At least one year of supervisory experience plus at least three years of experience in custodial or maintenance operations.
• Experience interviewing, hiring, training, and supporting employees.
• Strong customer‑service and relationship‑building skills.
• Clear and professional verbal and written communication.
• The ability to organize competing priorities, respond to deadlines, and make sound decisions in a fast‑moving service environment.
• The ability to address concerns and resolve conflict respectfully and constructively.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
• Familiarity with custodial tools, equipment, chemicals, and operating practices.
• A valid Washington State driver’s license and a driving record that meets University requirements.
• The ability to drive University service vehicles, including small pickup trucks and box trucks with lift gates.
• The ability to occasionally adjust working hours to address evening, weekend, emergency, or campus program needs.
• A personal commitment to the Christian faith and affirmation of SPU's Statement of Faith; enthusiasm for supporting the University's Christian mission; and willingness to uphold the policies and lifestyle expectations of SPU's Christian community.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five years of management experience in custodial operations, maintenance, facilities, hospitality, or another service‑oriented field.
• Experience communicating or working with employees who have limited English proficiency.
• Forklift certification or the ability to obtain it.
• Ability to safely wear a tight‑fitting respirator when required.

Work Environment and Schedule

This is an in‑person position located on Seattle Pacific's main campus, working Monday‑Friday first shift business hours. This position combines office‑based coordination with regular movement throughout campus facilities. The work includes walking, standing, climbing stairs, inspecting custodial work, and occasional use or handling of custodial equipment and cleaning products. Occasional evening, weekend, and flexible scheduling is required to support campus programs and operational needs. Facilities employees are designated as essential staff and may be required to work when the University closes because of inclement weather or an emergency.

Compensation and Benefits

Anticipated hiring range: $29.20 - $29.75 per hour, compensation commensurate with experience.

Status: Full‑time, non‑exempt

Department: Facility & Project Management

Location: Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA

Benefits: SPU offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees and their families.

• healthcare coverage
• retirement benefits
• health savings account contributions for eligible employees
• tuition benefits for employees and qualified dependents
• other programs that support employee well‑being and professional success

Benefit plans and eligibility are subject to change and will be provided at the time of hire.

Additional Information

Founded in 1891, Seattle Pacific University has a long and distinguished history in Christian higher education. Located just minutes from downtown Seattle, SPU seeks to be a premier Christian University fully committed to engaging the culture and changing the world by graduating people of competence and character, becoming people of wisdom, and modeling grace‑filled community.

Seattle Pacific University seeks applicants committed to its Christian mission. As part of our mission of cultural engagement, SPU is committed to building an excellent staff and faculty that reflects a broad range of talents, experiences and perspectives. Valuing the full array of God's created humanity is an ethos that is inseparable from our Christian faith. At SPU, we recognize this full human array as a basic feature of God's creation and a core theme of the gospel. At the heart of our mission‑centered commitment is a desire to represent the breadth of God's kingdom more fully. We strive to become a workplace to recruit, develop, and retain faculty and staff who can embrace, value, and engage differences with humility and care. We invite you to join us on our journey by starting a career at SPU!

SPU provides reasonable accommodation to applicants. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the application or hiring process please contact the Human Resources Department at [phone], or email [e-mail]. Notification must be given at least five (5) working days before the accommodation is needed.

These statements are more than policies; they form the shared framework within which we pursue our mission as educators, scholars, staff, and colleagues. SPU is committed to helping all members of the SPU community provide for their own safety and security. Each year, in compliance with federal law, SPU publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This compliance document is available on the SPU website. A print version of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at the Office of Safety and Security at 601 West Emerson Street, Seattle, WA 98119, or you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling 206-281-2922.

SPU’s report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety including topics such as crime prevention, fire safety, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, and other matters of importance related to security and safety on campus. The report also contains information about reported crimes for the three previous calendar years that occurred on campus; in certain off‑campus buildings or property owned or controlled by SPU; and on public property within and immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. In addition, the report contains information about fires occurring in on‑campus student housing facilities during the three preceding calendar years.

This information is required by law and is provided by the Seattle Pacific University Office of Safety and Security.