Facilities & Vendor Relations Lead

Ascend Bank; Wallingford (CT); On-site; USD 56,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascend Bank is seeking a Facilities & Vendor Relations Lead to maintain and ensure the functionality of all bank properties, including branches, offices, operations center, and other real estate. The role focuses on coordinating vendors for maintenance and may perform light upkeep as needed.

You will manage contracts, bids, invoicing, and vendor relationships, ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards, and provide after-hours support for facility issues, including physical

Qualifications

• One or more years of experience in facility/property coordination and knowledge of basic repair techniques.

Responsibilities

• Facilities Operations (Onsite): manage contractors for landscaping, HVAC, cleaning and general maintenance; coordinate on-site contact.
• Budget support: assist in budget development and capex forecasting; work with Finance on major projects.
• Ensure appearance and smooth operation of all workspaces, aligned with Bank Brand Standards; monitor property daily.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Initiative

Organization

Client service

Communication

Project management

Space planning

Property knowledge

Job description

The Facilities & Vendor Relations Lead is an administrative role responsible for the maintenance and overall functionality of all bank properties, both leased and owned, including branches, subsidiaries, offices, operations center, and other real estate. This role covers all, but not limited to retail, back-office, and corporate workspaces. This role focuses on coordinating vendors for larger maintenance tasks while overseeing both large and light maintenance duties. There will be occasions when the Facilities & Vendor Relations Lead is expected to perform light maintenance work. The Facilities & Vendor Relations Lead also ensures compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilities Operations (Onsite):
  
  
  
  • Manage relationships for contractors handling landscaping, plowing, cleaning, HVAC, branch equipment, and general maintenance. Serve as the onsite point of contact when necessary.
  
  
  • Support property/facility for budget development and manage operating and capital expenditures. Develop long-term capital expenditure forecasts and collaborate with Finance to schedule major projects.
  
  
  • Ensure the professional appearance and smooth operation of all workspaces, including retail locations, through daily oversight. Appearance should conform to the Bank’s Brand Standards. Work with office managers and other leaders to ensure they are monitoring property on a daily basis.
  
  
• Facilities Maintenance & Asset Management (Light Duty):
  
  
  
  • Maintain inventory, records, and schedules for the Bank’s major fixed assets, including but not limited to HVAC systems, fire suppression systems, vehicles, and other assets.
  
  
  • Coordinate vendors for larger maintenance and repair tasks, ensuring timely and effective completion of work. Manage vendors to balance competitive pricing with quality work and meet cost control initiatives.
  
  
  • On occasion, handles light maintenance duties such as shoveling, sanding, replacing light bulbs, moving boxes/deliveries, building maintenance as needed, coordinating deliveries, repairing workstations, and other minor repairs across all facilities.
  
  
• Administer contracts, bids, and RFP processes for services such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing, safety, and janitorial. Manage these processes to control costs and ensure quality of service.
• Oversee vendor management processes, ensuring compliance with the Bank’s Vendor Management Program. Conduct invoice validation and contract reviews to ensure vendors adhere to deliverables and service level agreements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors, coordinate larger tasks, and ensure regular performance reviews.
• Process and validate invoices for scheduled services through the Banks accounts payable platform (Banktel)
• Safety & Compliance:
  
  
  
  • Ensure compliance with all safety and security protocols and local, state, and federal regulations.
  
  
  • Conduct monthly branch/ office/ property maintenance reviews onsite to identify and address any safety concerns or other issues in a timely manner.
  
  
• Emergency Support & Light Maintenance:
  
  
  
  • Be available for after-hours emergency support related to property or facility issues.
  
  
  • Perform light maintenance duties, coordinating vendors for larger or more complex tasks.
  
  

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform invoice validation against contracts and ensure accurate and timely reporting for facility budgets.
• Facilitate contract and relationship performance reviews with internal stakeholders from Retail, Operations, and Technology.
• Handle any other duties as assigned.

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills demonstrating sound judgement.
• Proven self-starter that demonstrates strong initiative and a positive attitude.
• Organization, time management, prioritizing, and the ability to handle a complex, varied workload.
• Exhibits a strong client service mindset and focus orientation.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Effective project management and leadership abilities, capable of managing multiple projects and tasks.
• Space planning, moving coordination, and/or workplace solutions experience.
• Basic knowledge of property appraisal and leasing; and
• Demonstrated knowledge in commercial real estate, project management, building/facility maintenance, and property management

The ability to use data, information, and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills

• Information, data, and content
• Teaching learning and self-development
• Communication, collaboration, and participation
• Digital identity, safety, and security
• Technical proficiency with all bank products
• Awareness and interest in new technology
• Creation, innovation, and research

Functions Supervised: None

List of Positions Supervised: None

Basic Knowledge and Training Required for Maximum Proficiency: Work requires one or more years of experience in facility/property coordinator and knowledge of basic repair techniques and familiarity with household and business maintenance issues. Minimum one year contract and vendor experience.

Physical Requirements: Ability to lift up to seventy-five pounds required. Maybe required to work in seasonal elements, as necessary.

Judgement and Initiative: Responsibilities may require some degree of conceptual thinking and/or individual research in the formulation and maintenance of the 3–5-year Facilities plan.

Independent Action: Individual must be capable of working independently, managing priorities, and making decisions. Consulting with supervisor only when clarification, interpretation or exception to bank policies may be required.

Accountability: Duties involve collaborating with contractors and may have an impact on the working bank environment, affecting staff conditions. Will be required to ensure integrity of Ascend Bank assets whenever necessary, including, but not limited to, times of emergency such as natural and unnatural disasters (fires, floods, hurricanes, etc)

Interrelationships: Deals with bank personnel and acts as a bank representative with outside vendors. Considerable discretion, resourcefulness, negotiation, and persuasiveness may be required.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: A significant level of trust and diplomacy is required, in addition to normal courtesy and tact. Work involves extensive personal contact with others and is usually of a personal or sensitive nature. Work may involve motivating (changing behavior), influencing, or training others. External contacts become important, and fostering sound relationships with other entities (companies and/or individuals) becomes necessary and often requires the ability to influence and sell ideas or services to others.

INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT: Diversified procedures, specialized job standards, and specific policies limit the latitude permitted for independent judgment. Decision-making requires analytical ability, judgment, and ingenuity. There is a moderate amount of discretion available in the job, often with more than one approved course of action. Decision making occurs in pre-authorized operational areas and is normally reviewed by supervisor prior to action, but more involved actions often take the form of recommendations.

MENTAL PROCESS: Problems encountered are complex, requiring analysis of data; weighing the outcomes of a decision. Problems are similar in nature, with previous precedents drawn upon. The job performs interpersonal, analytical, or organizational activities which the general population would be able to perform with advanced or specialty training.

Starting compensation for this position is $62,000 annually, however, compensation is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Ascend Bank is an equal opportunity employer and offers equal opportunity to all applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, and veteran status.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process should notify Human Resources.