Facilities & Renovation Projects Manager

Confidential Search | Greater Toronto Area | Full-Time | Primarily On-Site

Expected annual compensation: $100,000–$120,000, plus benefits

The opportunity

An established, privately held organization with multiple active, customer-facing facilities across the Greater Toronto Area is seeking a Facilities & Buildout Projects Manager.

The mandate is to keep facilities operating reliably and deliver repairs, upgrades, and projects as needed. This role combines facilities operations, preventive maintenance, capital planning, vendor management, and project delivery.

What you will own

Facilities operations

• Oversee the day-to-day functionality, safety and presentation of the organization’s facilities.
• Manage issues involving HVAC, plumbing, electrical systems, lighting, roofs, drainage, doors, elevators and lifts, washrooms, parking and access systems, signage and other building infrastructure.
• Manage contracted services including janitorial, snow removal, landscaping, security, access control, cameras, waste removal, pest control and emergency response.
• Respond decisively to urgent failures while addressing root causes and preventing repeat problems.

Preventive maintenance and asset management

• Establish and maintain a reliable asset inventory for major building systems and equipment.
• Implement preventive-maintenance schedules, recurring inspection calendars and documented service standards.
• Maintain warranty information, inspection records, service histories, equipment condition reports and anticipated replacement dates.
• Use a facilities-management or work-order system to provide visibility into open issues, ownership, priority, cost and completion status.
• Identify deferred maintenance and hidden future costs before they become emergencies.

Capital planning

• Prepare annual and multi-year facilities capital plans supported by condition assessments, operating requirements and credible cost estimates.
• Distinguish between life-safety and legal requirements, business-continuity needs, brand requirements, revenue-supporting improvements, customer-experience projects and discretionary cosmetic work.
• Present clear recommendations, alternatives, costs, risks and sequencing to senior leadership.
• Maintain project and capital forecasts and identify emerging budget pressures early.

Renovations, construction and new-site projects

• Act as the organization’s internal project lead and owner’s representative for renovations, infrastructure replacements, reconfigurations, expansions, customer-area improvements, brand-standard upgrades and new-site buildouts.
• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, procurement strategies and approval materials.
• Coordinate architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, trades, suppliers, utilities and regulatory authorities.
• Manage tendering, contractor selection, purchase orders, contracts, change orders, site meetings, progress billing and project reporting.
• Ensure work is planned around active business operations and completed safely with minimal disruption.
• Oversee commissioning, operational readiness, deficiencies, closeout documentation and warranty follow-up.
• Challenge unnecessary specifications and distinguish mandatory requirements from preferences.

Site logistics and operational flow

• Improve the physical movement of customers, employees, inventory, deliveries, contractors and service providers through active operating sites.
• Address parking, traffic flow, loading, staging, queues, gates, doors, ramps, elevators, wayfinding and restricted-access areas.
• Identify physical bottlenecks, unsafe conditions and recurring operational conflicts.
• Consider pedestrian safety, employee safety, customer experience, neighbouring properties and continuity of operations when planning changes.

Vendor, contractor and commercial management

• Build and manage a dependable network of qualified contractors, trades and service providers.
• Prepare clear scopes of work and obtain comparable quotations.
• Confirm insurance, WSIB status, permits, qualifications and site-safety requirements before work begins.
• Negotiate service expectations, response times, pricing and accountability.
• Review invoices against approved scopes, quotations, purchase orders, progress and completion.
• Track vendor performance and replace underperforming providers where necessary.

Budget and cost control

• Develop and manage facilities operating budgets, maintenance spending, recurring contracts, utilities, emergency repairs and capital-project budgets.
• Maintain reliable commitments, forecasts and variance reporting.
• Control project scope and change orders rather than merely reporting overruns after they occur.
• Support appropriate allocation of costs among sites, departments or operating units.
• Identify practical opportunities to reduce operating costs without creating reliability, safety or lifecycle problems.

Compliance, safety and risk

• Coordinate fire and life-safety inspections, accessibility requirements, equipment inspections, contractor safety, permits, occupancy and use requirements, and other recurring compliance obligations.
• Identify and address workplace hazards, blocked exits, lighting deficiencies, trip hazards, water intrusion, winter slip-and-fall risks and other foreseeable property risks.
• Coordinate environmental, waste-handling and spill-response matters with the appropriate specialists and operating teams.
• Maintain accurate permit, inspection, compliance and corrective-action records.

Internal and external stakeholder management

• Serve as the primary facilities partner for site leaders and corporate functions.
• Implement a disciplined intake and work-order process so requests are recorded, prioritized, assigned and closed instead of being handled informally.
• Communicate clearly about priorities, responsibilities, costs, schedules and service interruptions.
• Work constructively with landlords, property managers, shared-facility stakeholders, neighbouring occupants, utilities, municipal officials, inspectors and contractors.

What you bring

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in facilities operations, construction, capital projects, property operations or a closely related field.
• Meaningful experience managing both operating facilities and capital or renovation projects.
• Experience delivering work in active, customer-facing environments where shutdowns and disruptions must be carefully managed.
• Practical knowledge of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire and life-safety systems, building envelopes and other core building infrastructure.
• Demonstrated ability to manage project scope, budgets, schedules, contractors, consultants, change orders and deficiencies.
• Experience preparing capital plans, operating budgets, forecasts and executive-level recommendations.
• Ability to read and critically assess drawings, specifications, quotations, contracts and technical reports.
• Working knowledge of Ontario building, fire, accessibility, occupational-health-and-safety and permitting requirements.
• Strong judgment, organization, documentation and written communication.
• Comfort operating independently while keeping senior leadership appropriately informed.
• A valid driver’s licence and the ability to travel regularly among GTA sites.

Experience in multi-site retail, hospitality, automotive retail, commercial property, healthcare, institutional or other complex operating environments may be relevant. 

A degree, diploma or professional credential in facilities management, construction management, engineering technology, building science or a related discipline is an asset but is not a substitute for demonstrated operating judgment. CFM, FMP, RPA, PMP, LEED or comparable credentials are also assets.

Employment details

This is an on-site position requiring regular travel among facilities in the Greater Toronto Area. Occasional after-hours availability will be required for emergencies, shutdowns and time-sensitive project work.

This posting is for an existing vacancy. Applications will be handled confidentially, and the employer’s identity will be disclosed to candidates who advance in the selection process.

Applicants requiring accommodation during the recruitment process may identify their needs when contacted.

How to apply

Please submit a résumé together with a brief note describing:

1. The most complex operating facility or portfolio you have managed;
2. A preventive-maintenance or facilities-control system you established or materially improved; and
3. A renovation or capital project for which you personally controlled scope, budget, schedule and contractor performance.

Only candidates selected for further discussion will be contacted.