Manager, Fleet & Facility Operations

Smart Foodservice Stores; Plainfield (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart Foodservice Stores in Illinois seeks a Manager, Fleet & Facility Operations to lead the maintenance of fleet, refrigeration, and facility systems across our DC network. You will implement preventative maintenance, manage vendors, and drive safety and regulatory compliance.

This role oversees a skilled team, optimizes CMMS-driven workflows, and partners with QA, safety, and operations to sustain cold chain integrity and uninterrupted service to customers.

Responsibilities

• Direct and monitor associates responsible for building, grounds, sanitation, refrigeration systems, power industrial equipment, and security maintenance.
• Oversee the operation, monitoring, and maintenance of refrigeration systems to ensure temperature control standards are met for perishable products.
• Manage, assign, and oversee all facility operations activities and capital projects, coordinating with other departments for repairs and upgrades.
• Lead the safety culture, train and evaluate staff, manage labor hours within budget, and create schedules.
• Establish relationships with third-party vendors (utilities, refrigeration contractors, janitorial, pest control, security) and ensure compliance.
• Oversee asset selection, inventory control, and budget development for equipment and shop items.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations (USDA, FDA, GMPs) and conduct routine inspections.
• Ensure proper maintenance of all company-owned vehicles and document certifications.

Job description

Join Our Community of Food People!

The Manager, Fleet & Facility Operations is responsible for the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of all fleet maintenance, as well as facility, domicile and hub functions and systems, including general maintenance, repairs, sanitation, groundskeeping, office space, security, power industrial equipment, compliance on all systems and vendor services. This role ensures proactive preventative maintenance and rapid issue resolution to ensure regulatory compliance and operational upkeep of all company owned equipment, including facility refrigeration and all vehicles. The Manager, Fleet & Facility Operations will lead and develop a skilled fleet and facilities operations and maintenance team, optimize workflows using CMMS and automation technologies, partner with third-party providers, implement sustainability initiatives that reduce energy consumption, extend asset life, and support corporate environmental goals. This position is critical to maintaining a safe workplace, protecting product quality, and enabling uninterrupted service to customers.

• The initial onboarding and training will be in our Aurora IL DC
• This position will be based in our Plainfield IL DC

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct and monitor associates responsible for building, grounds, sanitation, refrigeration systems, power industrial equipment, and security maintenance using tracking software and preventative maintenance schedules. Ensure adherence to Preferred Work Methods (PWMs) and foster a safety-first culture that prioritizes injury-free operations.
• Oversee the operation, monitoring, and maintenance of refrigeration systems to ensure temperature control standards are met for perishable products. Partner with Quality Assurance and Food Safety teams to prevent product loss, maintain cold chain integrity, and respond quickly to temperature excursions or equipment failures.
• Manage, assign, and oversee all facility operations activities and capital projects. Ensure timely, high-quality completion while minimizing impact on distribution operations. Coordinate with other departments for repairs, upgrades, and equipment installations.
• Lead to create a culture of safety that ensures that every US Foods associate remains injury free, always. Interpret, train, and consistently enforce Company policies and procedures.
• Recruit, train, coach, and evaluate staff performance. Administer discipline when necessary and maintain strong associate relations through open communication, regular meetings, and policy clarification. Manage labor hours within budget and create work schedules, including overtime as required. Ability to prioritize daily tasks and long-term projects to ensure timely completion. Manage competing deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with third-party vendors, including but not limited to utilities, refrigeration contractors, janitorial, pest control, and security services. Ensure vendors meet all compliance requirements, including current certificates of insurance and hold harmless agreements.
• Oversee the selection, purchase, utilization, and inventory control of company assets such as racking, material handling equipment, refrigeration units, fuel, and shop equipment. Monitor equipment life cycles and recommend replacements or upgrades to maintain operational efficiency. File warranty claims and recovery warranty dollars, and develop the yearly budget.
• Partner with QA and sanitation teams to ensure compliance with all food safety regulations (USDA, FDA, GMPs). Maintain facility cleanliness and conduct routine inspections to verify sanitation, pest control, and allergen management programs are effective.
• Ensure all vehicles are in proper working condition by performing and/or overseeing maintenance on all company owned equipment. Provide the proper documentation and applicable certifications and ensure conformance with vehicle manufacture's service recommendations.
• Work with drivers to enable them to operate specialized equipment properly and provide assistance as needed when troubles develop on the road. Find qualified service to repair downed vehicles and obtain competitive bids for repairs.
• Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations (OSHA, EPA, USDA, DOT, Tax Commission, etc.). Conduct internal audits and maintain documentation for inspections, food safety protocols, EPSM, Process Safety Management (PSM), ammonia refrigeration safety, and fire protection systems.
• Partner with the Safety Department to deliver training, perform safety observations, investigate accidents, and update PWMs. Lead emergency response planning, crisis management, and liaison efforts with local emergency management agencies.
• Coordinate with warehouse and transportation teams to ensure facility infrastructure supports high-volume receiving, s