Director of Facilities & Maintenance

Director of Facilities & Maintenance

Location: Saddle Brook, NJ (On-Site, Monday–Friday)

Position Overview

Chefler Foods is seeking an experienced, highly organized, and hands-on facilities leader to oversee the maintenance and continuous improvement of our New Jersey facilities. This role is responsible for ensuring our buildings, grounds, equipment, and infrastructure operate safely, efficiently, and reliably while managing both internal personnel and outside contractors.

This is not a desk job. We're looking for someone who is equally comfortable reviewing project budgets in the morning, troubleshooting a facility issue in the afternoon, and walking a roof, warehouse, or parking lot before the day is over. The ideal candidate understands industrial buildings, knows how things work, and can confidently manage everything from preventative maintenance programs to major capital improvement projects.

If you're the type of person who sees something broken and immediately starts figuring out how to fix it, we'd love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

Facility Operations & Maintenance

• Oversee the daily operation and maintenance of four company facilities.
• Develop and implement preventive maintenance programs for all building systems.
• Coordinate repairs and maintenance for HVAC, electrical, plumbing, roofing, lighting, doors, loading docks, fire protection systems, security systems, generators, compressed air systems, and other facility infrastructure.
• Oversee the maintenance and repair of roads, parking lots, sidewalks, curbs, loading areas, and pedestrian walkways.
• Ensure facilities remain clean, organized, safe, and fully operational at all times.
• Conduct routine facility inspections to proactively identify maintenance needs, safety concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
• Manage grounds maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, exterior lighting, fencing, pest control, and general property upkeep.
• Manage rental equipment, including scissor lifts, boom lifts, pumps, temporary air conditioning units, generators, and other specialty equipment.
• Coordinate waste management operations, including dumpster service, trash removal, recycling programs, and scheduled dumpster swaps.
• Participate in our audit and safety committees.

Vendor & Contractor Management

• Source, negotiate, and manage relationships with contractors, vendors, and service providers.
• Obtain competitive bids and oversee vendor performance, timelines, quality, and costs.
• Coordinate all third-party work, including construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, tree removal, paving, painting, cleaning services, security, and specialized equipment repairs.
• Ensure contractors comply with all company safety policies and operational requirements in partnership with the Director of Safety & EHS.

Cleaning & Facility Standards

• Develop and maintain facility cleaning standards, inspection programs, and preventive housekeeping procedures.
• Create and maintain SOPs for facility maintenance, organization, housekeeping, and contractor management.
• Conduct regular facility audits and ensure corrective actions are completed promptly.
• Maintain a consistent, professional appearance across all company facilities.
• Manage facilities janitorial staff.

Budgeting & Asset Management

• Develop and manage annual facilities and maintenance budgets.
• Monitor expenditures and identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality, safety, or reliability.
• Track facility assets, maintenance history, warranties, rental equipment, and service schedules.
• Assist with capital planning and long-term infrastructure improvements.

Capital Projects

• Lead facility improvement, renovation, expansion, and infrastructure projects from planning through completion.
• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, and timelines.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders and external contractors to ensure projects are completed safely, on time, and within budget.
• Identify opportunities to improve facility efficiency, workflow, safety, sustainability, and space utilization.

Leadership

• Manage internal maintenance personnel and coordinate the activities of outside contractors and service providers.
• Prioritize work across multiple facilities and numerous concurrent projects.
• Build strong relationships with department leaders to understand operational needs and support business objectives.
• Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required

• Five or more years of experience in facilities management, maintenance, engineering, industrial operations, or property management.
• Experience managing multiple manufacturing, warehouse, distribution, or industrial facilities.
• Strong working knowledge of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, lighting, structural systems, and general building maintenance.
• Experience managing construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects.
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing vendors, contractors, and service agreements.
• Ability to read construction drawings, equipment manuals, and technical documentation.
• Valid driver's license with reliable transportation.
• Ability to travel between company facilities throughout the workday.
• Ability to lift up to 75 pounds and work indoors and outdoors in varying conditions and temperatures.

Preferred

• Valid driver's license, with means of transportation.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).
• Experience in food manufacturing, warehousing, or industrial operations.
• OSHA 30 certification or equivalent safety training.
• Experience operating or working around forklifts, scissor lifts, boom lifts, pallet jacks, and other industrial equipment.
• Hands-on experience using power tools, shop equipment, and maintenance equipment.
• Experience with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and best practices for them.

What We're Looking For

The successful candidate is someone who:

• Notices problems before anyone else does.
• Takes ownership and follows projects through to completion.
• Is equally comfortable in an office, warehouse, rooftop, or construction site, with varying temperatures.
• Eager to get hands-on for small tasks requiring basic tools.
• Communicates effectively with executives, employees, contractors, inspectors, and vendors.
• Understands how industrial facilities operate and isn't afraid to roll up their sleeves when needed.
• Excels in a fast-paced environment where priorities shift and every day presents new challenges.