Maintenance Director

Mother House LLC (Laurel Senir Living); New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Mother House LLC (Laurel Senior Living) in New Orleans seeks a Maintenance Director to lead maintenance, repair, and safety programs across the community. You will oversee building systems, manage budgets, and supervise the maintenance team to ensure a safe, welcoming environment for residents.

Applicants should have a high school diploma, supervisory experience, and knowledge of codes and safety standards.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Experience leading facilities, maintenance, or physical plant operations preferred.
• Supervisory experience required.
• Knowledge of building codes, safety standards, and ordinances preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees maintenance, repair, and upkeep of building systems and equipment.
• Recruits, selects, and mentors maintenance staff.
• Liaisons with contractors and vendors for facilities work.
• Manages maintenance budgets and expenses.
• Ensures adherence to safety, life-safety, and infection-control practices.
• Maintains grounds and curb appeal; supports resident safety and comfort.

Skills

English fluency

Supervisory experience

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Summary

Leads and oversees maintenance and physical plant operations in alignment with applicable laws, regulations, and community standards, supporting a safe, well-maintained, and welcoming environment where residents feel comfortable and at home.

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Experience leading facilities, maintenance, or physical plant operations across building systems preferred
• Supervisory experience
• Working knowledge of applicable building codes, safety standards, and ordinances
• Long-term care or other health care setting experience preferred

Other Skills and Abilities

• Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently
• Patient, friendly, courteous, and respectful toward residents in all situations
• Exercises sound judgment within the scope of the role, following established procedures and escalation protocols
• Reinforces and follows community maintenance, safety, and service guidelines
• Licensed to drive within the state that the community operates, and must have a satisfactory driving record that meets community standards
• Physically able to stand for long periods of time and move frequently during workday

Work Environment

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Works in administrative, mechanical and community spaces to support maintenance operations, safety and resident experiences
• Frequent bending, lifting, sitting, standing, and moving throughout shift
• Exposed to both inside and outside weather conditions and temperatures
• Manages time understanding frequent interruptions
• May interact with individuals experiencing concern or distress, requiring professionalism, empathy, and solution-focused communication
• Regular shifts with possible weekends, holidays, and additional hours as needed
• Primary focus: resident service; also interacts with visitors and government personnel
• Participation in required continuing education
• May be exposed to conditions common in a senior living environment, including physical hazards, potential contact with bodily fluids, and the presence of odors, including chemicals, all in accordance with safety and infection-control protocols

Physical Requirements

• lift up to 40 lbs. (floor to waist)
• lift 20 lbs. (waist to shoulder)
• carry up to 40 lbs.
• push/pull up to 40 lbs.

FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

You will be evaluated on your ability to perform these functions and responsibilities competently with minimal supervision and/or reminders. This list covers the key duties of the position, but you may be asked to perform other similar or related tasks. Not listing a duty does not exclude it if it is essential or closely connected to the role.

Core Responsibilities

• Oversees all areas of maintenance, repair and upkeep of building systems, equipment and community spaces using approved methods and procedures. Maintains a log of repairs and associated costs.
• Follows the Work Schedule System as a preventive maintenance tool.
• Recruits, selects and orients qualified team members for the Maintenance Department.
• Sets clear expectations and provides coaching, guidance, and accountability to maintenance team members to support quality, safety, and responsiveness.
• Identifies maintenance issues, supports troubleshooting and repairs, and escalates complex matters as appropriate.
• Liaison for outside contractors and vendors.
• Supports adherence to building, safety, and life-safety standards through inspections, maintenance activities, and timely reporting.
• Maintains community grounds to ensure safety as well as neat and clean curb appeal.
• Collaborates with community leadership to support safety, emergency preparedness, and life safety initiatives.
• Manages maintenance, labor and operational expenses in alignment with approved budgets and community priorities.
• Orders supplies and equipment for the maintenance department, and other departments as may be requested.
• Serves as a point of contact for maintenance-related emergencies in accordance with established on-call procedures.
• Participates in various routine and non-routine meetings to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of community outcomes.

Other Job Duties and Community Leadership Responsibilities

• Supports building access, security, emergency preparedness, and safety practices in accordance with community procedures and serves as a visible community leader when on-site.
• Supports cleaning and environmental services needs, including floors and other community areas, as directed or when necessary to maintain community standards.
• Ensures cleaning, maintenance, and related equipment is properly used, stored, maintained, and operated in accordance with applicable safety practices.
• Adheres to and supports community infection prevention and control practices, including appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), as required.
• Supports errands, purchasing, supply acquisition, and other operational needs of the community as requested.
• Coordinates incoming and outgoing freight, deliveries, shipments, vendors, and contractor access as appropriate.
• Assists with furniture, equipment, room readiness, resident move-ins/move-outs, and community setup needs as appropriate.
• Supports required fire, life-safety, emergency preparedness, and related training during orientation, annual in-services, and community drills.
• Ensures maintenance work orders are appropriately prioritized, completed, documented, and followed through, with particular attention to resident safety, comfort, and quality of life.
• Develops, maintains, and executes schedules for equipment inspections, preventative maintenance, life-safety systems, and other required facility checks.
• Conducts routine community and department inspections and follows through on identified concerns to maintain a safe, clean, functional, and welcoming environment for residents, families, team members, and visitors.
• Proactively communicates facility priorities, operational risks, safety concerns, capital needs, and recommendations to community and regional leadership and follows through on agreed actions.
• Serves as a member of the community leadership team and, when requested, provides operational support and leadership presence during periods when the Executive Director is unavailable, within the scope of the position and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Participates in community leadership meetings, daily stand-ups, operational reviews, and other meetings as requested and accepts ownership of assigned community action items through completion.
• Supports community events, resident programs, employee engagement activities, and other initiatives that contribute to resident experience and community culture.

Minimum Expectations

Professionalism

Reports to work on time as scheduled; works in unison with staff; demonstrates flexibility and a willingness to assist wherever needed to support resident comfort and community operations; accepts feedback; maintains a positive, professional demeanor.

Resident Rights

Promptly reports resident grievances or concerns to supervisors; respects resident privacy, dignity and confidentiality at all times, fostering an environment of respect and trust while advocating for the well-being and rights of the residents.

Organizational and Leadership Skills

Ability to multi-task and is detail-oriented with a high level of accuracy; possesses the ability to effectively prioritize matters promptly and appropriately; understands the importance of follow-up; ability to solve problems and treat each situation fairly; is calming during a crisis situation.

Communication Skills

Possesses strong verbal and written communication skills; remains approachable to visitors, residents and staff; strong listening skills and exceptional telephone etiquette.

Safety Awareness

Follows safety program guidelines; immediately reports accidents and incidents to supervisors; identifies unsafe working areas and promptly reports to supervisors; promotes safety by working as safely and efficiently as possible; consistently follows infection control and universal precautions and other guidelines; identifies and corrects or reports hazardous conditions to supervisors; understands community emergency and evacuation protocols; follows safety, sanitation, infection control, and emergency procedures applicable to the role and work environment.

Customer Service

Treats all residents, families, co-workers and supervisors with dignity and respect and takes initiative to contributes to positive resident, family, and visitor experiences through responsiveness, professionalism, and pride in maintaining the community environment; professionally represents the community, self and position to visitors and residents; demonstrates a positive attitude and willingness to help to all visitors and residents; remains sensitive to all needs through listening, observing and responding appropriately for the position held.

Safety, Stewardship & Pride

The Maintenance Director serves as a steward of the community’s physical environment, balancing safety, reliability, and appearance. While technical responsibilities are clearly defined, accountability for resident experience, dignity, and pride in the environment is shared across the entire community.