Associate Director of Facilities

Lifelong is a community health organization on a mission to make health and food accessible. We remove barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

Position Overview:

The Associate Director of Facilities provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Lifelong’s facilities, grounds, and physical infrastructure. This role is responsible for setting facilities strategy, leading capital and construction projects, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering reliable, safe, and well-maintained environments that support Lifelong’s mission and values.

Reporting to the CFO/COO, the Associate Director of Facilities serves as the organization’s primary facilities expert and advisor, managing department staff, vendors, and complex projects across multiple sites. The Associate Director partners closely with executive leadership, Finance, Operations, and program teams to plan, communicate, and execute facilities priorities, while maintaining visibility into timelines, risks, and resource needs.

While primarily a strategic and leadership role, the Associate Director must be willing and able to be hands-on when needed. This is a regular, full-time, exempt, non-union position with a pay range of $80,833k/yr - $100k/yr.

Essential Duties:

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop and implement a comprehensive facilities strategy aligned with organizational goals, growth plans, and budgetary constraints.
• Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on facilities planning, capital investments, risk management, and infrastructure needs.
• Lead long-term facilities planning, including space utilization, lease considerations, relocations, and major renovations.

Capital Projects & Construction Management

• Lead capital projects, renovations, relocations, and construction initiatives from planning through close-out.
• Develop project scopes, timelines, budgets, and risk mitigation plans; track milestones and deadlines with rigor and transparency.
• Coordinate architects, engineers, contractors, inspectors, and internal stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget.
• Proactively communicate project status, risks, and decisions to executive leadership and impacted teams.

Operational Oversight

• Provide oversight of day-to-day facilities operations across all Lifelong locations, ensuring buildings, grounds, and equipment is tracked, safe, functional, and well maintained.
• Oversee the facilities service ticket system, ensuring clear prioritization, timely response, and high service standards.
• Ensure the security, integrity, and maintenance of all agency sites and physical infrastructure.
• Serve as primary or escalation contact for after-hours emergencies and urgent facilities issues.

People Leadership & Delegation

• Lead, manage, and develop the Facilities Department staff, fostering accountability, clarity of roles, and professional growth.
• Demonstrate strong people-management skills, including effective delegation, coaching, performance management, and workload balancing.
• Provide dotted-line leadership and guidance to Client Services Coordinators and other site-based staff on facilities and office management practices.
• Build a collaborative, service-oriented team culture that supports diverse departments and stakeholders.

Communication & Managing Up

• Own clear, proactive communication related to facilities operations, projects, and incidents.
• Maintain excellent upward communication—keeping executive leadership informed of priorities, timelines, risks, and decision points.
• Translate technical facilities information into clear, actionable updates for non-technical audiences.
• Coordinate and lead organization-wide communications related to facilities issues, including inclement weather responses in close partnership with CFO/COO.

Financial & Vendor Management

• Develop, manage, and monitor the facilities operating and capital budgets, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Track expenditures, forecast costs, and identify cost-saving or efficiency opportunities.
• Negotiate, evaluate, and manage vendor contracts and service agreements.
• Maintain strong vendor relationships and ensure service quality and contract compliance.

Compliance, Safety & Documentation

• Ensure compliance with applicable city, state, and federal facility codes, regulations, and safety standards.
• Manage permits, inspections, and regulatory documentation for all locations.
• Serve as a permanent member of the Safety Committee and provide leadership on facility-related safety initiatives.
• Ensure facilities processes, SOPs, and documentation are created, maintained, and continuously improved.

Hands-On Support (As Needed)

• Provide hands-on support during emergencies, special projects, or periods of limited staffing.
• Support or assist with basic repairs, space moves, equipment setup, and troubleshooting when necessary to ensure continuity of operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies:

Leadership & Communication

• Exceptional ability to manage up and across the organization.
• Proven strength in tracking timelines, deadlines, and deliverables while keeping stakeholders informed.
• Clear, confident communicator with the ability to present complex information effectively in writing and verbally.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive information.

Facilities & Technical Expertise

• Strong working knowledge of building systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, lighting, life safety).
• Experience leading construction, renovation, or capital improvement projects.
• Solid understanding of facilities work request systems and preventive maintenance practices.
• Ability to step into hands-on facilities work when needed.

People & Project Management

• Demonstrated success managing and developing staff and leading teams through change.
• Ability to delegate effectively while maintaining accountability and visibility into outcomes.
• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize multiple complex projects in a dynamic environment.
• Calm, adaptable, and solutions-oriented in high-pressure or rapidly changing situations.

Technical & Administrative

• Proficiency with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
• Ability to drive large delivery vehicles where a CDL is not required.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Facilities Management, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred; combination of related education & work experience considered.
• 7–10+ years of progressive experience in facilities management, including leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience leading capital projects and managing vendor relationships.
• Experience in multi-site or complex operational environments strongly preferred.
• Valid Washington State Driver’s License required.
• Availability for on-call rotation and after-hours response as needed required.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Generous vacation (3 weeks your first year), sick leave, and 2 personal days a year
• 401(k) match
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance options
• Long term disability
• Mass transit subsidy
• 15 paid holidays per year

Work Environment:

• Based in Seattle; work occurs across offices, commercial kitchens, warehouses, and outdoor environments in all weather conditions.
• Requires regular movement between sites and occasional physical work, including lifting up to 25 lbs. regularly, 50 lbs. occasionally, and up to 100 lbs. with team lift or equipment.
• Ability to use stairs and climb ladders as needed.
• Work conditions may be fast-paced and require flexibility to respond to changing priorities.
• Any offer of employment is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Some programs may require additional background checks or frequency.

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About Lifelong:

Lifelong is a community health organization committed to removing barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone can have the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

We are looking for passionate, dedicated people to join our talented team and make real, meaningful changes in the daily lives of those living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses in their community. Lifelong offers exceptional benefits, including paid time off, medical and dental coverage in addition to a balanced work-life integration.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Lifelong, we are dedicated to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

EEO Statement:

Lifelong is committed to creating an accessible, supportive environment and experience that recognizes diversity and cultural competence as integral components of what we do.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and as such, we do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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DISCLAIMER: INTENT AND FUNCTION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.

Job descriptions assist organizations in ensuring that the hiring process is fairly administered and that qualified employees are selected. They are an integral part of a compensation system, effective performance review system, related promotion, transfer, layoff, etc. decisions.

All descriptions have been reviewed to illustrate the job functions and basic duties, in addition to peripheral tasks or that could generally be considered as other duties as assigned.

In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities and requirements be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. Requirements, skills and abilities included have been determined to illustrate the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions.