Operations Manager

ABM Industries; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 80,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ABM Industries is seeking a Facilities Operations Manager in Allentown, PA to lead day-to-day facilities services, including maintenance, janitorial, and building systems, ensuring safe, reliable, cost-efficient operations.

The role requires hands-on operational leadership, the ability to manage budgets, vendors, and customer relationships, and to drive continuous improvement and accountability for service delivery to the client.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or related field.
• Typically 5+ years of facilities, maintenance, operations, or integrated facilities management experience.
• Experience leading teams in commercial, industrial, manufacturing, healthcare, or similarly complex environments.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, contractors, and customer relationships.
• Strong understanding of preventive and corrective maintenance practices; CMMS and MS Office knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Direct and coordinate daily facilities operations to ensure reliable, safe, and efficient service delivery.
• Oversee building maintenance, preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, janitorial services, grounds, utilities, and other facility services.
• Monitor work orders, preventive maintenance schedules, service requests, and outstanding corrective actions.
• Lead staff development, performance reviews, and support employee growth and succession planning.
• Engage with client leadership, manage vendor performance, and communicate operational updates.

Job description

Overview

Position Summary

The Facilities Operations Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient, and cost-effective operation of facility services within an assigned client account. This position provides leadership and oversight for day-to-day facilities operations, maintenance, janitorial services, building systems, vendors, employees, and service delivery.

The Facilities Operations Manager serves as a primary point of contact between ABM, the client, employees, contractors, and service providers, ensuring that contractual requirements, operational standards, safety expectations, and customer objectives are consistently achieved.

The role requires a hands-on operational leader who can manage people, processes, budgets, vendors, and customer relationships while driving continuous improvement and accountability.

Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities

Facilities Operations

• Direct and coordinate daily facilities operations to ensure reliable, safe, and efficient service delivery.
• Oversee building maintenance, preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, janitorial services, grounds, utilities, and other assigned facility services.
• Ensure facility systems and equipment are maintained in accordance with established standards, manufacturer recommendations, and client requirements.
• Monitor work orders, preventive maintenance schedules, service requests, and outstanding corrective actions.
• Establish priorities based on safety, production requirements, asset criticality, customer needs, and business impact.
• Conduct routine facility inspections and ensure deficiencies are identified, documented, assigned, and resolved.
• Support facility shutdowns, equipment installations, special projects, moves, expansions, and other operational activities.
• Maintain appropriate documentation, operating procedures, inspection records, and asset information.

Leadership & Personnel Management

• Lead, coach, develop, and hold facilities personnel accountable for performance and service delivery.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, and operating standards.
• Manage staffing levels, schedules, overtime, coverage, attendance, and workforce utilization.
• Conduct performance reviews and support employee development and succession planning.
• Promote a culture of ownership, teamwork, safety, professionalism, and customer service.
• Ensure employees are properly trained and qualified to perform assigned duties.
• Address performance issues promptly and in accordance with ABM policies and client requirements.

Client Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with client leadership and facility stakeholders.
• Serve as a trusted operational advisor and escalation point for facility-related issues.
• Conduct regular operational reviews with the client and communicate performance, risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Understand client business objectives and align facility services accordingly.
• Respond quickly and professionally to customer concerns and service escalations.
• Identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction and overall account performance.

Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with ABM, client, OSHA, environmental, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Ensure required safety training, inspections, permits, and documentation are completed.
• Investigate incidents, near misses, property damage, and safety concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Conduct regular safety observations and reinforce safe work practices.
• Ensure contractors and vendors comply with site safety requirements.
• Immediately escape significant safety, environmental, operational, or compliance risks.

Financial & Contract Management

• Manage assigned operating expenses and support achievement of account financial objectives.
• Monitor labor, overtime, materials, supplies, subcontractors, and other operating costs.
• Review invoices, purchase orders, proposals, and vendor expenses for accuracy and compliance.
• Identify cost-reduction and productivity opportunities without compromising safety, quality, or service.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and monthly financial reporting.
• Ensure services are delivered in accordance with the ABM/client contract, scope of work, and service-level requirements.

KPI & Performance Management

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators for facility operations.
• Track service-level performance, work-order completion, preventive maintenance compliance, response times, customer satisfaction, safety performance, and other contractual KPIs.
• Analyze trends and develop corrective action plans when performance falls below established targets.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives designed to improve reliability, productivity, quality, and customer experience.
• Maintain accurate operational dashboards and management reports.
• Participate in client business reviews and performance meetings.

Vendor & Contractor Management

• Manage third-party contractors and service providers supporting facility operations.
• Ensure vendors meet contractual, safety, quality, and performance expectations.
• Review vendor performance and address deficiencies.
• Coordinate contractor access, work schedules, permits, safety requirements, and site activities.
• Assist with vendor selection, scope development, bid evaluations, and contract renewals as required.

Emergency & Business Continuity

• Support facility emergency preparedness and business continuity programs.
• Participate in emergency response activities involving utility failures, equipment failures, severe weather, fire, security events, spills, and other disruptions.
• Ensure emergency procedures and contact information are current.
• Coordinate facility response activities and communicate status to client leadership and ABM management.
• Participate in emergency drills and post-event reviews.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Typically 5+ years of facilities, maintenance, operations, or integrated facilities management experience .
• Demonstrated experience leading teams in a commercial, industrial, manufacturing, healthcare, or similarly complex environment.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, contractors, and customer relationships.
• Strong understanding of preventive and corrective maintenance practices.
• Working knowledge of OSHA requirements and workplace safety principles.
• Experience using computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple competing operational requirements in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing facilities in a manufacturing or industrial environment .
• Experience with integrated facilities management (IFM).
• Experience managing janitorial, maintenance, engineering, grounds, utilities, and other facility services.
• Experience with CMMS platforms and facility management software.
• Knowledge of building automation systems (BAS), HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire/life safety, and other building systems.
• Facility Management Professional (FMP), Certified Facility Manager (CFM), or similar credential.
• OSHA 30-hour or equivalent safety training.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, reliability-centered maintenance, or other continuous improvement methodologies.

Core Competencies

• Operational Leadership
• Customer Relationship Management
• Safety Leadership
• Financial Management
• People Development
• Problem Solving
• Strategic Planning
• Vendor Management
• Performance & KPI Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Communication & Collaboration
• Accountability & Execution

Key Performance Indicators

The Facilities Operations Manager may be evaluated against performance measures including:

• Safety incidents and safety compliance
• Preventive maintenance compliance
• Work-order completion and response time
• Equipment/facility uptime
• Customer satisfaction
• Contractual SLA/KPI performance
• Labor productivity and utilization
• Budget performance
• Overtime management
• Vendor performance
• Quality inspection scores
• Janitorial/service quality
• Corrective action closure
• Employee retention and engagement
• Continuous improvement savings and initiatives

Working Conditions

• Primarily works within a facility/industrial environment with regular exposure to mechanical rooms, production areas, offices, warehouses, and outdoor areas.
• May be required to work extended hours, weekends, holidays, or participate in an on-call rotation based on client requirements.
• Must be capable of walking throughout the facility and accessing areas that may involve stairs, elevated platforms, mechanical spaces, or other industrial environments.
• Required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering designated areas.

Position Success Profile

A successful Facilities Operations Manager is a visible, accountable, customer-focused leader who establishes operational discipline while building strong relationships with both the client and the ABM team. The individual should be proactive rather than reactive, able to identify operational risks before they become failures, and capable of translating client expectations into measurable execution.

The ideal candidate combines facilities technical knowledge, people leadership, financial discipline, safety leadership, and customer-service skills to deliver a high-performing facility operation.

REQNUMBER: 164694

ABM is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer qualified applicants without regard race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran or any other protected factor under federal, state, or local law. ABM is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and need assistance in completing the employment application, please call 888-328-8606. We will provide you with assistance and make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.