Director of Facilities Operations

St Jude Children's Research Hospital; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 138,000 - 262,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is seeking a senior facilities leader to oversee Operations and Maintenance for a complex campus. You will lead teams across maintenance, utilities, landscape, administration, energy management, and customer service, driving best practices for exceptional facility performance.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and a strong safety culture to support mission-driven work and long-term success of St. Jude.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience leading facilities operations and managing budgets, capital projects, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Facilities Operations and Maintenance across campus.
• Develop and implement standards and best practices to enhance service delivery and efficiency.
• Direct planning, resource allocation, and budget management to achieve goals.
• Identify innovative solutions and process improvements to boost performance and customer satisfaction.
• Lead safety, compliance, and regulatory initiatives with strong governance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Team development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Business Administration, Construction Management, or related field

Master's degree preferred

CHFM Certification

CEFP Certification

Tools

CMMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

We are seeking a collaborative and strategic facilities leader to oversee the operations and maintenance of a complex campus environment. In this role, you will lead teams responsible for maintenance, utilities, landscape, administration, energy management, and customer service while establishing best practices that ensure exceptional facility performance. You'll drive operational excellence through effective planning, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and a strong commitment to safety. Working closely with leaders across the organization, you'll help create a reliable, efficient, and customer-focused environment that supports the mission and long-term success of St. Jude.

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead and oversee all Facilities Operations and Maintenance functions across campus.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, standards, and best practices that enhance service delivery, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Direct departmental planning, resource allocation, and budget management to ensure achievement of organizational goals.
• Identify and implement innovative solutions, technologies, and process improvements to increase operational performance and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor operational metrics and performance indicators to drive continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

Facilities Maintenance & Infrastructure Management

• Oversee maintenance programs for buildings, utilities, and support infrastructure.
• Ensure facilities are maintained to the highest standards of safety, reliability, functionality, and appearance.
• Lead complex maintenance and infrastructure projects from planning through execution, ensuring projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and at expected quality levels.
• Monitor energy and utility utilization and lead initiatives focused on sustainability, conservation, and cost reduction.

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and institutional regulations and standards, including OSHA, Tennessee OSHA, DNV, AAALAC, and other governing requirements.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve safety programs, policies, procedures, and training programs.
• Coordinate and support emergency preparedness activities and response protocols with institutional partners.
• Ensure maintenance documentation, inspections, and regulatory reporting are completed accurately and timely.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of facilities professionals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth.
• Conduct performance evaluations, provide ongoing coaching and feedback, and support employee development initiatives.
• Promote teamwork and strong working relationships across departments and stakeholder groups.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Build strong partnerships with institutional leaders, customers, and cross-functional teams to understand and support organizational needs.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on facilities operations, maintenance strategies, and infrastructure planning.
• Manage vendor selection, contract negotiations, performance expectations, and service delivery outcomes.
• Effectively communicate operational priorities, project updates, risks, and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Business Administration, Construction Management, or a related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in facilities maintenance, engineering, operations, or facilities management.
• Demonstrated success leading multiple functional areas within facilities operations.
• Proven experience managing budgets, resources, capital projects, and operational performance.
• Experience influencing and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Prior supervisory and people leadership experience required.
• Experience utilizing Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Certifications

• Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM)
• APPA Certified Educational Facilities Professional (CEFP)
• Other relevant facilities, engineering, or operations certifications may be considered.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and team development capabilities.
• Expertise in facilities operations, maintenance management, utilities, and infrastructure systems.
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance, accreditation requirements, and workplace safety standards.
• Excellent strategic planning, budgeting, and operational management skills.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to drive accountability, operational excellence, and a customer-focused culture.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and make sound decisions in a dynamic environment.
• Experience leveraging data and performance metrics to improve service delivery and outcomes.
• Commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and organizational excellence.

Why Join St. Jude?

At St. Jude, every role contributes to our mission of advancing cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Join a collaborative, mission-driven organization where your leadership will directly support an environment dedicated to world-class patient care, groundbreaking research, and operational excellence.

Together, we are advancing cures and saving children.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $138,320 - $262,080 per year for the role of Director of Facilities Operations.

Explore our exceptional benefits !

St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer

No Search Firms

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.