Facility Operations Manager

Nauticus; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Employer paid pension plan

Parking

Job summary

Nauticus is seeking a dynamic Facilities Operations Manager to provide strategic leadership for the Nauticus Campus, including the USS Wisconsin and Half Moone areas. The role focuses on transitioning operations from reactive to proactive, safeguarding assets and ensuring safe, continuous daily operations.

Responsibilities include long-range maintenance planning, EPA compliance, and budget oversight, with collaboration across vendors and city departments to maintain high standards of safety and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• Three years' experience minimum in facilities management or related field.
• Experience with HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire life-safety systems is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Long-Range Maintenance Plan for USS Wisconsin.
• Ensure EPA environmental compliance and air quality standards.
• Oversee about $500K municipal operating budget for preservation and compliance.
• Coordinate with General Services, contractors, and city departments.
• Lead safety committees and develop SOPs for facility operations.

Skills

Maintenance planning

Budget management

Facilities coordination

Emergency response

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

CFM

FMP

Job description

Norfolk, Virginia is the home to the world's largest naval station and the epicenter for business, arts, and culture in Coastal Virginia. Norfolk has been recognized by numerous publications as an ideal place to live, work, enjoy, and raise a family. The City of Norfolk is dedicated to competitive compensation and a robust retirement package; you can contribute positively to your community while also achieving personal success.

Nauticus is a maritime discovery center located along the waterfront of downtown Norfolk offering a unique form of experiential learning for all ages. Through interactive exhibits and STEM to STERN programming, Nauticus uses the museum, Battleship Wisconsin, sailing center, and Schooner Virginia to tell the story of the maritime environment, industry, and the military. The Facility Operations Manager serves as the strategic leader responsible for the comprehensive oversight, fiscal health, and operational readiness of the entire Nauticus Campus, including the Half Moone Cruise Terminal, the Maritime Center, and the iconic USS Wisconsin Battleship. Nauticus is seeking a dynamic leader to drive operational excellence across our historic and high-profile campus. In this role, you will transition operations from reactive to proactive, maximizing asset longevity and ensuring seamless, safe daily operations.

Salary

• The department hiring range is $62,732.78 - $71,987.31 annually***

Essential Functions

• Leads the development and execution of the Battleship Wisconsin’s Long-Range Maintenance Plan, safeguarding hull integrity, teak and steel deck preservation, and the structural and aesthetic stability of the superstructure.
• Works closely and collaboratively with eco consultants and the EPA to ensure compliance with air quality standards.

Budget Management

• Oversee an approximate 500K municipal operating budget for USS Wisconsin preservation, ship husbandry, and EPA environmental compliance.
• Provides input and recommendations to support the development of the capital budgets for all facilities, ensuring every maintenance, preservation, and renovation expenditure aligns with organizational priorities.
• Tracks budget lines to ensure expenditures are within limits and verifying purchase requests before acquisition and preparing requests for proposals.

Facility Liaison

• Coordinates all Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) identifying and mitigating potential project risks and developing contingency plans while communicating all project updates to stakeholders.
• Conduct continuous daily campus site inspections identifying emerging hazards, addressing facility aesthetics, and maintenance issues which may require immediate attention.
• Oversee preventative maintenance schedules are followed to maximize the continuous functionality of essential campus infrastructure to prevent operational disruptions.
• Serves as an expert liaison with General Services and all third-party contractors, optimizing service delivery and ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Partners with City Departments to guarantee full adherence to ADA, OSHA, and fire code standards.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for on-hour and after-hour emergencies, coordinating rapid responses to incidents such as power failures, fire alarms, elevator/escalator malfunctions, and security threats to protect staff, guests, and critical assets.
• Communicates across all organizational levels, delivering operational briefings, risk updates, and strategic recommendations while ensuring personnel are fully informed of all facility changes that impact safety, operations, or guest experience.
• Chairs all relevant committees to include the safety committee developing comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), conducting regular staff training, and executing emergency response drills.
• Develops and maintains facility operation manuals and standard operating procedures for Half Moone Terminal, Maritime Center and USS Wisconsin.
• Leads a multidisciplinary operations team, including Security, and battleship Maintenance Mechanic Team with accountability for maintaining facility-wide safety, and the preservation of the USS Wisconsin. Accountable for all training, performance management, and hiring.

Events

• Provides hands-on facility support and logistical coordination for large-scale campus events like Winterfest.
• Addresses dynamic, real-time facility infrastructure needs during high-traffic public events as needed.

Education & Experience

Work requires broad knowledge in a general professional or technical field. Knowledge is normally acquired through four years of college resulting in a bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Three years' experience.

Preferred Candidate Education & Experience

• Minimum of 4–5 years in facilities maintenance, property management, or construction trades.
• Strong understanding of HVAC, electrical wiring, plumbing, and fire life-safety systems.
• Familiarity with OSHA standards, local building codes, EPA regulations, and ADA accessibility guidelines.
• Ability to forecast annual operational budgets, track capital expenditures.
• Experience drafting business continuity plans, risk assessment strategies.
• Clear verbal and written skills for reporting across all levels of organization and coordinating with third-party vendors.
• Ability to walk extensive facility grounds, climb ladders, and navigate tight mechanical rooms.

Preferred Candidate Licenses & Certifications

• Certified Facility Manager (CFM)
• Facility Management Professional (FMP)

Work Location

One Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510

Work Hours

Monday through Friday; 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM; 40 hours; on-call availability, nights and weekends.

Benefits

• Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.
• Special project/grant employees are generally eligible for the same benefits of regular full-time employees; however, retirement, life insurance and participation in health plans vary depending on funding and authorization.
• Temporary/seasonal and part-time employees are generally only eligible for employer provided parking and access to membership in credit union.
• Retirement

If you are hired October 5, 2010, or after to a position with City of Norfolk Retirement System benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

If you are hired January 1, 2022, or after to a position with Virginia Retirement System (VRS) benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

Tuition Assistance Program

The Tuition Assistance Program is established to encourage employees toward continued self-development and education. Permanent full-time and permanent part-time classified, unclassified permanent, full-time special projects, and constitutional employees who have completed six months continuous service will be eligible to apply. The applicant’s school of enrollment must be an accredited institution.

Note

The benefits described above are broad generalizations. The specific benefits that an employee may be eligible for are governed by City regulations, as applicable to job type.

Non-City

Positions listed with a job type designation of "Non-City" are not subject to the benefits descriptions above. Refer to the content of the job posting for information regarding these positions.