Director of Facilities

Director of Facilities & Construction Location: Corporate Headquarters - Melville, NY Regular travel throughout the tri-state area required Incentive bonus opportunity of up to 20% Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace is a unique and growing gourmet food market with 12 locations throughout the tri-state area and plans to expand to 14 and beyond. We take great pride in offering our customers exceptional gourmet products, freshly prepared foods, and homemade dishes. As our company grows, our facilities and construction operations play an essential role in supporting successful store openings, maintaining our existing locations, and keeping our specialty departments operating at their best. We are seeking an experienced Director of Facilities & Construction to lead companywide facilities operations, maintenance program development, capital improvements, and new store construction and rollouts. Based at our corporate headquarters in Melville, NY, this position will establish the strategy, processes, and infrastructure needed to support our existing stores and continued expansion. The ideal candidate is an accomplished leader with extensive experience overseeing major construction projects within the grocery, restaurant, or commercial food-service industry. This individual must bring a proven ability to develop programs from the ground up, manage multiple construction and renovation projects, and guide new locations from planning and design through construction, equipment installation, opening, and transition to ongoing operations. This role also requires strong technical knowledge of commercial culinary equipment and building systems. The Director will lead internal facilities resources and external vendors, contractors, architects, and engineers to deliver safe, reliable, and cost-effective facilities while maintaining the quality and operational standards that define Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Program Development Develop and execute a comprehensive facilities and construction strategy that supports company growth, operational priorities, and long-term capital planning. Build and lead a scalable Facilities & Construction Department, establishing clear responsibilities, staffing plans, performance expectations, and accountability. Develop and implement companywide programs for preventive maintenance, equipment replacement, asset management, emergency response, and vendor performance. Establish standardized policies, procedures, project requirements, and reporting practices across existing stores and new locations. Create repeatable new store rollout processes, including project milestones, equipment standards, opening-readiness checklists, and handoff procedures. Partner with executive leadership, Store Operations, Finance, and department leaders to align facilities and construction priorities with business needs. Provide leadership with clear recommendations on capital investments, project risks, resource needs, and opportunities to improve efficiency. New Store Development, Construction & Rollouts Direct new store construction, major renovations, remodels, expansions, and infrastructure upgrades from initial planning through completion. Oversee substantial construction scopes involving structural work, site improvements, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, and commercial kitchen infrastructure. Participate in site evaluations and due diligence to assess building conditions, utility capacity, equipment requirements, construction feasibility, and anticipated costs. Coordinate with architects, engineers, general contractors, landlords, equipment suppliers, and internal stakeholders on project design and execution. Review construction drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and equipment layouts to ensure alignment with operational needs and company standards. Oversee contractor bidding, proposal evaluation, vendor selection, and contract negotiations in partnership with appropriate company stakeholders. Establish and manage construction budgets, schedules, procurement timelines, and critical project milestones. Review change orders, payment requests, and project commitments to maintain cost control and identify potential budget or schedule concerns. Conduct jobsite visits and progress meetings to monitor workmanship, resolve issues, and hold contractors accountable for project delivery. Coordinate permitting, inspections, and required approvals with qualified professionals and applicable authorities. Direct equipment procurement, delivery, installation, startup, testing, and commissioning for new and renovated locations. Lead opening-readiness reviews, punch-list completion, warranty documentation, and the transition from construction to store operations and ongoing maintenance. Manage multiple projects simultaneously while minimizing disruption to operating stores. Facilities Maintenance & Equipment Operations Direct facilities maintenance and equipment operations across all store locations, including Kitchen, Bakery, Meat, Deli, Pizza, Seafood, Produce, and other specialty departments. Oversee a comprehensive preventive maintenance program designed to extend equipment life, minimize downtime, and reduce emergency repairs. Establish priorities and service expectations for maintenance requests, urgent repairs, and equipment failures. Oversee work-order and ticketing systems to ensure requests are assigned appropriately, tracked accurately, and completed promptly. Implement and maintain a centralized fixed-asset system documenting equipment inventories, service histories, warranties, and replacement needs. Evaluate recurring equipment concerns and guide repair-versus-replacement decisions based on reliability, operating costs, and long-term value. Establish standards for equipment selection, replacement parts, installation, and service across store locations. Conduct regular store assessments and develop corrective action plans for facility conditions, equipment performance, and infrastructure needs. Oversee emergency response coordination for critical equipment failures and facility issues affecting store operations. Financial Management & Vendor Oversight Develop, manage, and monitor annual facilities operating budgets and construction and capital improvement budgets. Prepare multiyear capital forecasts for new stores, renovations, equipment replacement, and building-system upgrades. Analyze construction costs, maintenance expenses, equipment performance, and total cost of ownership to support sound investment decisions. Build and maintain a qualified network of contractors, service providers, suppliers, and equipment manufacturers. Negotiate service agreements, pricing, warranties, and performance expectations. Establish performance metrics for project delivery, budget adherence, equipment downtime, preventive maintenance completion, and vendor responsiveness. Provide regular executive-level reporting on construction progress, facilities performance, spending, risks, and upcoming priorities. Ensure projects and maintenance activities follow company policies, established safety procedures, and applicable requirements. Perform other duties and special projects as assigned. Professional Skill Set Strategic leader with the ability to translate company growth plans into practical facilities and construction programs. Strong program development skills, including experience building processes, systems, and teams within a growing organization. Extensive construction knowledge and the ability to evaluate project plans, identify risks, and resolve complex field issues. Strong technical and mechanical aptitude related to commercial food-service equipment and building infrastructure. Demonstrated ability to lead internal teams and hold external contractors and vendors accountable. Strong financial judgment, including budgeting, forecasting, cost analysis, and capital planning. Excellent negotiation, communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills. Highly organized, decisive, and capable of managing competing priorities across multiple locations and projects. Hands-on leadership approach with the ability to move between strategic planning, jobsite oversight, and operational problem-solving. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and facilities management, construction project management, scheduling, and reporting platforms. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Facilities Management, or a related discipline. Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in facilities management, construction management, or capital project delivery, including at least five years leading teams and managing multiple locations or major projects. Extensive experience managing major construction projects within grocery stores, restaurants, commercial kitchens, or comparable food‑service environments. Demonstrated experience overseeing new store development and rollouts from planning and design through construction, equipment installation, and opening. Proven success developing and implementing companywide facilities, preventive maintenance, construction, or capital improvement programs. Experience overseeing ground‑up construction, substantial interior buildouts, and major renovations involving multiple construction trades. Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, schedules, contracts, and project budgets. Strong working knowledge of structural, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, refrigeration, fire protection, and other building systems. Advanced knowledge of commercial grocery and restaurant equipment, including tilt skillets, pizza ovens, combination ovens, commercial dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, and specialty production equipment. Experience managing contractor procurement, competitive bidding, change orders, project closeout, and warranty follow‑through. Proven ability to manage significant operating and capital budgets while maintaining quality and controlling costs. Experience implementing and managing work‑order, preventive maintenance, fixed‑asset, and project management systems. Ability to assess technical concerns and clearly communicate recommendations to executive leadership, store management, contractors, and vendors. Flexibility to support construction schedules, store openings, urgent repairs, and projects outside standard business hours when necessary. Ability and willingness to travel regularly to store locations and construction sites throughout the tri‑state area. Benefits and Perks We recognize that our continued success begins with talented and dedicated team members. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: Medical, dental, and vision insurance Paid time off 401(k) retirement plan Life insurance Pet insurance Incentive bonus opportunity of up to 15% 50% discount on lunch 25% discount on in-store purchases Additional employee benefits and perks At Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, we believe in recognizing hard work, developing talent, and promoting from within. This leadership opportunity offers the chance to shape a growing department, guide new store development, and make a lasting impact on our company’s continued expansion. Working Conditions and Physical Requirements Work is performed in corporate offices, active retail stores, food‑production areas, and construction sites. Requires frequent travel and movement throughout stores, facilities, and jobsites, including walking on hard or uneven surfaces and using stairs. Requires the ability to bend, climb, reach, stoop, and position oneself as needed to inspect equipment, building systems, and construction work. Must be able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 30 pounds, with assistance available for heavier or awkward objects. May involve exposure to moving machinery, loud equipment, dust, construction materials, and tools. May involve exposure to temperature extremes associated with outdoor jobsites, commercial freezers, coolers, ovens, and kitchen equipment. Requires adherence to jobsite safety procedures and use of appropriate personal protective equipment. Essential job functions may be performed with or without reasonable accommodation. #J-18808-Ljbffr Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace