Facilities & Construction Director

Employment Type : Full-Time, Exempt

Organization Summary

Located in Decatur, Alabama, the Cook Museum of Natural Science is a dynamic institution committed to delivering engaging educational experiences, hands-on exhibits, and immersive opportunities for visitors of all ages. We value safety, accessibility, innovation, and stewardship of both our built environment and our mission.

Position Summary

The Facilities & Construction Director is responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of facilities operations, maintenance, and construction projects at the Cook Museum of Natural Science campus. This role ensures the safe, efficient, reliable, and mission-driven use of buildings, mechanical and electrical systems, grounds, and exhibit infrastructure. The Director develops, coordinates, and executes construction and capital improvement projects, while also maintaining day-to-day operations of the facility, utilizing the staff and vendors.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

· Develop and implement a long-term Facilities & Construction Master Plan for the Museum’s campus, including building systems, infrastructure, grounds, and utility services.

· Maintain a prioritized list of maintenance, repair, and capital improvement needs; schedule, monitor and document preventive maintenance, replacement, and upgrade projects.

· Oversee and direct construction, renovation, and infrastructure projects from planning through completion, including budgeting, scope development, scheduling, procurement of contractors/vendors, contract management, permitting, inspections, and close-out.

· Work with the Executive Director and Board to prepare and administer annual departmental and capital budget.

· Supervise assigned staff and manage contractor/vendor relationships to ensure work is executed properly, safely, and in alignment with museum needs.

· Serve as primary point of contact for facility emergencies and on-call situations (systems failures, security, fire, severe weather response, etc.).

· Conduct periodic facility surveys/assessments of structures, systems, and grounds; identify defects, code/EHS issues, deferred maintenance, and improvement opportunities.

· Ensure all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire/life-safety, security, building envelope and structural systems are functioning reliably and in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

· Manage groundskeeping, landscaping, pest control, building façade cleaning, and custodial services to support the visitor experience and museum operations.

· Coordinate set-up and support for events, exhibitions, meetings, and special programs ensuring facility readiness, logistics, technical infrastructure (AV, telecommunications), and safety protocols.

· Maintain accurate documentation and reporting: facility work orders, inspection records, vendor certificates, safety committee records, emergency plans, as-built drawings, and operating manuals.

· Foster a culture of safety, operational excellence and continuous improvement in collaboration with all museum staff.

 Required Skills & Abilities

· Strong working knowledge of commercial building systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire/life safety, security, grounds) and experience with maintenance and operation of such systems.

· Experience with construction project management: budgeting, scheduling, contract negotiation/management, permitting, inspection, along with the architect and general contractor coordination.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to work effectively with museum staff, contractors, visitors, and vendors.

· Ability to manage multiple tasks/projects with minimal supervision while keeping attention to detail and prioritizing resource allocation and timelines.

· Ability to work a flexible schedule: early mornings, evenings, weekends may be required for system emergencies or event support.

· Understanding of budgeting, financial planning, and resource management.

· Familiarity with museum operations and/or historic structures is a plus.

Education & Experience

· Minimum of 5 years facility management experience, including at least 2 years in construction project management.

· IFMA Certified Facilities Manager (CFM) or similar credential preferred or the ability to obtain with 5 years.

· Bachelor’s degree in facility management, construction management, engineering, architecture, or related field desirable but not required if experience is substantial.

Physical Requirements

· Able to conduct indoor and outdoor maintenance and construction inspections in variable weather conditions.

· Must be comfortable with climbing, walking, traversing mechanical rooms, roofs, and construction sites.

· Prolonged periods sitting at a desk or working on a computer for documentation and planning.