Director of Facilities & Safety, Massachusetts Historical Society (Boston)

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 1,115,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dedicated Director of Facilities and Safety to oversee the maintenance and security of a historical building in Boston. This pivotal role involves managing facility operations, ensuring safety for staff and visitors, and protecting priceless collections. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in facilities management, project oversight, and budget management, with a strong collaborative spirit. This full-time position requires a proactive leader who can respond to emergencies 24/7 and work closely with various departments to enhance operations. Join a historic institution and make a meaningful impact on its mission.

Benefits

Parking Available

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Qualifications

• 15+ years of facilities management experience required.
• Skilled in project, budget, vendor, and staff management.

Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain the facility to ensure safety and optimal performance.
• Collaborate on security and preservation of collections.

Skills

Facilities Management

Project Management

Budget Management

Collaborative Communication

Basic Maintenance Skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Associate’s Degree or Equivalent Certifications

Tools

Computerized Facilities Management Systems

Job description

Director of Facilities & Safety, Massachusetts Historical Society (Boston)

The Massachusetts Historical Society, founded in 1791, is America’s oldest historical society. Located in the Back Bay of Boston, in a 48,000 square foot historically registered building, the MHS is home to priceless documents, art, and artifacts that pre-date the Revolutionary War, and which continue up to the present day.

The Director of Facilities and Safety manages and maintains the MHS facility to ensure the safety of staff, researchers, the public, and to protect the Society’s collections and environment. The Director is responsible for ensuring optimal building performance in support of the Society’s mission. The position works closely with the entire facilities staff to assist with maintenance, repair, and general operation of the building including monitoring staff and vendor performance to ensure the highest quality service and value, recommending improvements to operations, and planning and scheduling work. The position also manages all aspects of building safety and security, and collaborates with Collections staff on aspects of facilities management that overlap with the security and preservation of the Collection. The position requires the ability to organize and prioritize work and solve problems collaboratively across departments.

The Society’s historically registered building is headquartered in the Back Bay of Boston, and consists of 48,000 square feet, six floors and basement, with occupancy and capital budgets to be managed by the Director.

This position is on call 24/7 for alarms, emergencies, facilities staff outages, and event coverage. The Director is the first person on the call list for alarms, emergencies, and off-hours calls, and has the responsibility to either respond or delegate the response directly, while managing all follow-up.

While the Society’s regular work week is Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM, the building opens and closes outside of these hours and is open on Saturday. Earlier and later work hours will be required to meet the needs of the Society. Exclusive of special events, building hours include: Monday-Thursday, close at 6:00PM, Friday, close at 5:00PM, Saturday hours 8:00AM-3:00PM.

This role works on site, 100% of the time. Parking for this specific position during work hours is available.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will possess the following skills and experience :

Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred;
Associate’s Degree or equivalent management or technical certifications and trainings required;
At least fifteen (15) years of progressively increasing facilities management experience is required;
Skilled project, budget, vendor, and staff manager;
Collaborative communication and project management skills, with ability to work in teams that span multiple departments;
Experience managing computerized facilities management systems and experience managing facilities systems and vendors;
Experience performing basic maintenance work: carpentry/painting, plumbing, painting, minor electrical;

The essential functions of this job include the following requirements :

Residence in sufficient proximity to Boston to be able to drive on a 24/7 basis to respond to alarms and other emergencies;
Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer;
Ability to lift 25-50 pounds regularly, and 50 pounds or more with assistance from other Facilities department and/or MHS staff;
Ability to work on site full time;
Ability to travel throughout facility as required to conduct safety inspections, including ability to use stairs, and ability to access attic, basement, or other spaces with narrow confines. Climbing, kneeling, stooping, turning, reaching, pushing, pulling, carrying, shoveling, sweeping, using a ladder, and using hand and power tools are all essential functions of this position.;
Ability to travel to and from and be present on-site during trainings or any emergency;
Ability to conduct in-person and virtual trainings, including evacuation trainings, workplace safety training, and emergency drills.

Full/Part Time

Full Time

Education

NA

Salary Range

$85,000.00- $1,115,000.00/year

Salary Notes

Salary depends on experience

Closing Date

Applications received by April 4, 2025 will be given preference.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Director of Human Resources, Erika Barrie, [e-mail]. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Pre-Hire Requirements:

MHS requires proof of a vaccination for COVID-19 for all employees. As part of its offer process, MHS will conduct a reference, education verification, and criminal background check for any finalist. We are not able to sponsor visas.

Posted

2025-03-21