Operations Manager - General Services, Operations and Maintenance

Howard County Government; Maryland; On-site; USD 95,000 - 107,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Retirement plan

Wellness programs

Job summary

Howard County Government in Maryland seeks an advanced-level professional to supervise the Bureau of Operations and Maintenance, overseeing 50+ employees and a portfolio of ~200 county buildings. You will manage operations, maintenance, and repair programs, and help shape long-range facility strategies.

Bachelor's degree with six years of related experience is required; a Maryland Class C license and certifications such as CFM or PMP are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and six years related experience required.
• Class C Maryland Driver's License or equivalent required.
• Preferred: Certified Facility Manager (CFM) or PMP.
• Experience overseeing maintenance projects, budgeting, and contracting oversight.

Responsibilities

• Directs operations and maintenance for the Bureau of Operations and Maintenance.
• Supervises staff, training, and development.
• Develops and manages a comprehensive building maintenance plan and budgets.
• Oversees contracting, procurement, and project oversight.
• Manages energy management and cost-reduction strategies.
• Ensures regulatory compliance and accreditation for facilities.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory abilities

Budgeting

CMMS management

Energy management

Education

Bachelor's degree and six years related experience

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Howard County:

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government:

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2026, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 113 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 165 awards. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This is an advanced level professional position at the full performance level in a supervisory capacity within the Bureau of Operations and Maintenance at Department of General Services, to effectively manage technical tasks and oversight related to operations, maintenance/repair, preventative maintenance and long-range planning for County maintained facilities.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:

$45.68 - $51.52/Hourly
$95,019 - $107,162/Annually

*This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.*

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs management and advanced level operations service work under administrative direction. Work includes managing the operation, construction, and maintenance program of the Bureau of Utilities. Work also includes implementing program policies and procedures; assigning duties to technical and clerical staff; supervising equipment operation maintenance and repair and maintenance facilities; and preparing and monitoring the Bureau’s annual operating budget.

*This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months*

Leadership and Bureau Management:

• Directs overall operations of the Bureau of Operations and Maintenance, overseeing 50+ employees including supervisors, licensed trades, building mechanics, and inventory staff.
• Provides leadership for maintenance services across ~200 County buildings totaling 2.3M sq. ft., including offices, libraries, senior centers, fire/police stations, parks buildings, maintenance facilities, and courts.
• Conducts weekly site visits to evaluate work progress and safety compliance.
• Performs duties with direction from the Director or Deputy Director, applying evaluative thinking and established functional practices.

Staff Oversight, Training and Development:

• Oversees staff training and development, providing guidance to internal staff and contractors on complex electrical, mechanical, and structural repairs.
• Maintains records of division activities and prepares reports on operations, staffing, budgeting, and procedural improvements.

Maintenance Planning and Building Systems Management:

• Develops and manages a comprehensive building maintenance plan that encompasses all building systems for the County portfolio, using both staff and contracted services.
• Provides cost-effective engineering analysis and planning to reduce operational expenses.
• Oversees facility condition studies for all County buildings, updating data and integrating findings into 5- and 10-year building system replacement schedules.
• Manages replacement of major building systems based on planned life-cycle schedules.

Contracting, Procurement and Project Oversight:

• Determines services requiring contracting and prepares scopes of work for repair, renovation, and replacement projects.
• Reviews and evaluates construction bids, recommends awards, and coordinates with contractors to define project parameters.
• Conducts on-site inspections during and after construction to ensure compliance with plans and specifications and approves completed work for payment.
• Initiates and reviews major expenditure requisitions.

Energy Management:

• Oversees energy management and curtailment strategies for all County buildings.
• Collaborates with energy suppliers, consultants, and building occupants to implement best practices to reduce energy consumption and costs.

Regulatory and Accreditation Responsibilities:

• Ensures maintenance and operational compliance for buildings requiring accreditation (e.g., Police, Fire, Corrections, Courts, Libraries, Senior Centers, Recreation & Parks).
• Develops multi-agency maintenance, repair, and usage agreements as needed.

Budget Development and Administration:

• Develops the Bureau’s operating budget and contributes to capital budget planning for system replacements and building improvements.
• Administers and monitors budgets, providing periodic financial reporting.
• Develops program information for capital/operating budgets related to building condition assessments, maintenance, and repair.
• Supervises development of new and expanded maintenance programs.

Systems and Data Management:

• Provides strategic oversight of the Bureau’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
• Uses system data and performance metrics to identify trends, optimize workflows, improve accountability, and support continuous improvement.

Additional Duties:

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Directly supervises the employees in the Bureau of Operations and Maintenance. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; developing Standard Operating Procedures; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Accreditation is related to the operations of the building’s program, which is beyond our responsibility.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree and six (6) years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:

Class C Maryland Driver's License or equivalent issued by state of residence.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ten (10) plus years of experience overseeing maintenance projects.
• Certified Facility Manager (CFM) as issued by the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA).
• Project Management Professional (PMP) as offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI); or equivalent and related experience and/or training.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to deliver speeches and write articles for publication that are relevant to the Division's mission. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors with or without visual aids.

Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.