Senior Director, Facilities and Automation

renttherunway; Arlington (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Rent the Runway in Arlington, TX is seeking a Sr. Director of Facilities and Automation to lead maintenance, capital projects, and strategic programs across all facilities.

You will set engineering standards and drive safe, reliable, and efficient operations. This senior role requires deep expertise in facilities, material handling, safety, data-driven management, and strong executive communication with cross-functional teams and the C-Suite.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement FCA programs covering building systems, automation, equipment, and site infrastructure.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental regs, health and safety standards, building codes, and FM standards.
• Lead enterprise facility data management, including CMMS, building records, drawings, asset inventories.
• Advance facility tech such as IoT, BAS, and smart infrastructure to improve reliability, efficiency, and visibility, driving predictive maintenance strategies.
• Establish team priorities, resource strategies, and engineering processes that support facilities management, maintenance and asset lifecycle programs.
• Maintain high-level communication with cross-functional teams and partners; influence stakeholders up to the C-Suite.
• Plan and manage annual OPEX budgets, as well as CAPEX budgets to optimize facilities and equipment value.
• Create and implement an effective program to optimize equipment life cycle management.
• Establish and reinforce a long-term vision for asset management and provide high equipment availability across operations.
• Collaborate with Tech and Engineering teams to plan for future network growth and ensure scalable infrastructure.
• Oversee testing and commissioning plans (FAT, SAT), including site preparation and rigorous test procedures.

Job description

About Us:

Rent the Runway (RTR) is transforming the way we get dressed by pioneering the world's first Closet in the Cloud. Founded in 2009, RTR has disrupted the $2.4 trillion fashion industry by inspiring women with a more joyful, sustainable and financially-savvy way to feel their best every day. As the ultimate destination for circular fashion, the brand now offers infinite points of access to its shared closet via a fully customizable subscription to fashion, one-time rental or ownership. RTR offers designer apparel and accessories from hundreds of brand partners and has built in-house proprietary technology and a one-of-a-kind reverse logistics operation. RTR has been named to CNBC's "Disruptor 50" five times in ten years, and has been placed on Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list multiple times.

About the Job:

The Sr. Director of Facilities and Automation will lead facilities and equipment/automation maintenance, capital projects, and strategic program development across all Rent the Runway's facilities. This role combines senior leadership and strategy-building, establishing engineering and maintenance standards, with hands-on project execution and oversight, ensuring safe, reliable, sustainable and operationally efficient equipment and facilities.

The role drives maintenance and facilities management excellence across multidisciplinary teams, providing safety-focused, engineering leadership and establishing best-in-class design, execution, and management standards. They will be a highly experienced subject matter expert in facilities and material handling system maintenance, workplace safety, and data driven management and leadership. This role will create and strengthen equipment, automation, and facilities vendor and supplier partnerships, manage capital budgets and operational expenditures, and ensure all projects and systems meet rigorous safety, quality, and timeline requirements. Overseeing engineering and maintenance matters throughout the network, this role will be focused on building systems such as boilers, fire protection systems, and HVAC as well as advanced automation systems such as roller and garment-on-hanger conveyance, cleaning and finishing equipment, and robotic sortation systems. The role will drive continuous improvement initiatives, establish data-driven performance metrics, and maintain unwavering focus on operational excellence.

This role will need to be equally comfortable diving deep into technical specifications and CAD design as they navigate senior stakeholder relationships and executive communications. They will need to communicate clearly and persuasively at all levels, thrive on solving complex technical problems, and collaborate naturally across organizational boundaries. They are energized by the thought of turning innovative ideas into scalable solutions, and do not shy away from a challenge. This senior leader has a bias for action and leads by example by demonstrating a willingness to dive in, roll up their sleeves and help in any situation.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and implement enterprise facility condition assessment (FCA) programs, including building systems, automation, equipment, and site infrastructure evaluations
• Ensure compliance with facility-related OSHA, environmental regulations, health and safety standards, building codes and standards, and Factory Mutual (FM) standards
• Lead enterprise facility data management, including CMMS, building records, drawings, asset inventories, and development of document retention standards and systems
• Advance the use of facility technology, including IoT, building automation systems (BAS), and smart infrastructure to improve reliability, efficiency, and visibility, driving predictive maintenance strategies
• Establish team priorities, resource strategies, and engineering processes that support the delivery of facilities management, maintenance and asset lifecycle programs
• Maintain a high level of spoken and written communication with cross-functional teams and partners; influence stakeholders at all levels, including members of the C-Suite teams
• Effectively plan and manage annual OPEX budgets, as well as and CAPEX budgets to optimize and maintain our facilities and equipment to a high standard, while making fiscally responsible decisions that create the best value for the company
• Create and implement an effective program and plan to optimize the economic value for equipment life cycle management
• Establish and reinforce a long-term vision, directing best in class asset management processes, providing a high level of equipment availability and reliability to the Operations Teams, following all regulatory and compliance requirements, and working with Tech and Engineering teams across the organization to plan for future network growth
• Oversight of comprehensive testing and commissioning plans (FAT, SAT), including site preparation, ensuring test procedures are written to maintain engineering rigor