Director of Environmental Services

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Director of Environmental Services & Maintenance is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating all Environmental Services (Housekeeping) and Maintenance operations to ensure the facility is maintained in a clean, safe, sanitary, functional, and comfortable manner. This position oversees housekeeping, building maintenance, grounds, utilities, life safety systems, environmental compliance, emergency preparedness, infection prevention support, and regulatory compliance in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations, Life Safety Code requirements, OSHA standards, and facility policies.

The Director provides leadership to departmental staff, develops operational goals, manages budgets, oversees contractors and vendors, and collaborates with facility leadership to maintain an environment that promotes resident safety, quality care, and operational excellence.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Administration

• Direct the overall operations of the Environmental Services and Maintenance departments.

• Develop, implement, evaluate, and annually review departmental policies, procedures, and operational standards.

• Establish departmental goals, objectives, work schedules, and performance expectations.

• Delegate responsibilities and designate qualified personnel to assume leadership responsibilities during absences.

• Coordinate departmental activities with Nursing, Dietary, Rehabilitation, Activities, Administration, Infection Prevention, and other departments.

• Maintain accurate departmental records, reports, inspections, corrective action plans, and documentation.

• Participate in state, federal, and accreditation surveys and implement corrective actions as required.

• Assist with the facility assessment process and emergency preparedness planning.

• Prepare reports and recommendations for the Administrator regarding departmental operations, staffing, capital improvements, equipment needs, and regulatory compliance.

Environmental Services Operations

• Direct all housekeeping operations to maintain a clean, sanitary, safe, and attractive environment.

• Ensure resident rooms, common areas, offices, treatment areas, and public spaces meet cleanliness standards.

• Monitor housekeeping quality through routine inspections.

• Maintain appropriate inventories of cleaning chemicals, supplies, equipment, linens, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Ensure all cleaning and disinfecting products meet EPA requirements.

• Develop cleaning schedules and quality assurance measures.

• Monitor housekeeping supply usage to reduce waste while maintaining quality standards.

• Assist Infection Prevention with environmental cleaning initiatives and surveillance activities.

Maintenance & Physical Plant Operations

• Direct preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs.

• Ensure proper operation of building systems including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, generators, boilers, compressors, emergency power, fire alarm systems, smoke detectors, and other life safety systems.

• Conduct routine inspections of the facility, grounds, parking areas, lighting, sidewalks, equipment, and infrastructure.

• Coordinate repairs, renovations, capital projects, and equipment installations.

• Supervise contractors and vendors to ensure quality work, regulatory compliance, and budget adherence.

• Interpret blueprints, specifications, and work orders.

• Maintain grounds, landscaping, snow removal, and exterior appearance.

• Maintain required maintenance logs, inspection records, and regulatory documentation.

Regulatory Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with CMS regulations, OSHA standards, NFPA Life Safety Code requirements, EPA regulations, infection prevention standards, and applicable state and local codes.

• Maintain facility readiness for regulatory surveys and inspections.

• Participate on Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI), Infection Prevention, Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and Risk Management committees.

• Collaborate with the Infection Preventionist to maintain appropriate environmental cleaning and infection control practices.

• Ensure staff properly utilize PPE, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), chemicals, and hazardous materials.

• Investigate accidents, injuries, unsafe conditions, and incidents involving environmental services or maintenance operations.

• Develop and implement corrective action plans as necessary.

• Maintain emergency preparedness plans utilizing an all-hazards approach.

• Coordinate fire safety, evacuation, disaster preparedness, and emergency utility management programs.

• Ensure proper labeling and handling of contaminated equipment and infectious waste.

Personnel Management

• Recruit, interview, hire, orient, supervise, evaluate, discipline, and terminate employees in accordance with facility policy.

• Develop staffing plans and work schedules to ensure adequate departmental coverage.

• Maintain on-call schedules for emergency maintenance response.

• Monitor attendance, productivity, competencies, and performance.

• Conduct annual performance evaluations.

• Provide coaching, counseling, corrective action, and professional development.

• Conduct regular departmental meetings.

• Promote teamwork, accountability, customer service, and continuous improvement.

Staff Education & Training

• Develop and conduct departmental orientation and ongoing in-service education.

• Ensure staff complete all mandatory education including:

  • OSHA

  • HIPAA

  • Infection Prevention

  • Bloodborne Pathogens

  • Fire Safety

  • Emergency Preparedness

  • Hazard Communication

  • Safe Lifting and Body Mechanics

  • Life Safety Code

• Train maintenance personnel in HVAC, plumbing, electrical systems, mechanical systems, and facility equipment.

• Train housekeeping staff in cleaning procedures, chemical safety, PPE usage, and infection prevention practices.

• Maintain documentation of employee competencies and training.

Budget & Financial Management

• Prepare and manage departmental operating and capital budgets.

• Monitor expenditures and maintain financial accountability.

• Recommend equipment replacements and capital improvements.

• Obtain bids and evaluate proposals for repairs, renovations, and capital projects.

• Manage vendor contracts and service agreements.

• Purchase supplies and equipment within approved budget parameters.

Equipment & Supply Management

• Maintain adequate inventories of:

  • Housekeeping supplies

  • Cleaning chemicals

  • Maintenance tools

  • Equipment

  • Replacement parts

  • PPE

• Ensure equipment is maintained, inspected, repaired, and replaced as needed.

• Monitor inventory usage and minimize waste.

• Maintain documentation of inspections, testing, repairs, and preventive maintenance.

Quality Assurance

• Conduct routine inspections of housekeeping services and maintenance operations.

• Monitor department performance indicators.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement.

• Participate in facility quality improvement initiatives.

• Develop corrective action plans when deficiencies are identified.

• Maintain documentation supporting regulatory compliance.

Working Conditions

The position works throughout the facility, including resident care areas, offices, mechanical rooms, utility areas, kitchens, therapy areas, outdoor grounds, and maintenance spaces.

The position:

• Requires frequent walking, standing, bending, climbing, lifting, and movement throughout the facility.

• May require work beyond normal business hours, weekends, holidays, and emergency call-back.

• Requires participation during emergency events, disasters, evacuations, and severe weather.

• Involves exposure to infectious materials, hazardous chemicals, dust, cleaning agents, noise, weather conditions, mechanical equipment, and other occupational hazards.

• Requires interaction with residents, families, employees, contractors, surveyors, vendors, and government agencies.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

• Technical education, trade certification, or college coursework in facilities management, engineering, environmental services, business management, or related field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum three (3) years of supervisory experience in healthcare environmental services, maintenance, facilities management, plant operations, or a related field.

• Long-term care or hospital experience strongly preferred.

• Experience managing budgets, regulatory compliance, and multidisciplinary staff preferred.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must:

• Demonstrate strong leadership and organizational skills.

• Possess working knowledge of housekeeping operations, building systems, maintenance practices, infection prevention, OSHA, CMS regulations, and NFPA Life Safety Code.

• Understand HVAC, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and building infrastructure systems.

• Be able to read and interpret blueprints and technical specifications.

• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Exercise sound judgment and independent decision-making.

• Work effectively with residents, families, staff, contractors, surveyors, and regulatory agencies.

• Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA requirements.

• Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, flexibility, and excellent customer service.

Physical Requirements

The employee must be able to:

• Walk throughout the facility for extended periods.

• Sit, stand, bend, kneel, stoop, climb, reach, push, pull, and lift throughout the workday.

• Lift and carry up to 25 pounds routinely.

• Assist during emergency evacuations when necessary.

• Safely operate maintenance equipment and housekeeping machinery.

• Perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation.