Facilities & Operations Manager

About the job

GrubStreet is the largest and leading literary arts nonprofit in the country, located in the Seaport District in Boston, Massachusetts. We are a passionate and dedicated team of professionals who take pride in our work and are committed to creating a warm and supportive work environment. We are currently seeking a Facilities & Operations Manager to play a key role in helping GrubStreet to support our mission.

Our Center for Creative Writing includes classrooms, offices, community spaces, the Calderwood Writers’ Stage, a podcast studio, and a bookstore and cafe. Classes, events, rentals, and partner programs often overlap.

The Facilities & Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day facilities operations of GrubStreet’s Boston headquarters and serves as the primary point of contact for workplace and building-related matters, while also supporting a range of administrative and programmatic operations. Reporting to GrubStreet’s Managing Director, this role works closely with the Operations Team, as well as GrubStreet’s staff, property management, service providers, space vendors, and internal space partners to maintain a secure, comfortable, efficient, productive, and joyous workplace and center for staff, instructors, students, partners, visitors, and the public. This role will oversee and manage GrubStreet’s part-time Operations Team.

This is a hands-on role, and approximately 75% of the position will focus on space and facilities management, with the remaining 25% focused on administrative and programmatic operations. The Facilities & Operations Manager is designated as essential personnel because of the critical nature of GrubStreet's physical operations and will serve as a primary point of contact for space-related emergencies and will be expected to respond to urgent facilities issues outside of regular business hours, including evenings and weekends when necessary. The position requires the employee to work on-site at GrubStreet’s Center for Creative Writing five days per week.

We encourage BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color), LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and other communities historically underrepresented in arts administration spaces to apply. GrubStreet strives to dismantle every system, process, or structure that would discourage any person from working with us. We actively seek diversity, equity and inclusivity because the excellence of our work and the value of its impact depend on them. We strive to create an environment where the perspectives we bring to our work are valued as much as the work we produce.

Key Responsibilities:

Space & Facilities Management - Approximately 75%

• Ensure GrubStreet operates an inclusive, accessible, welcoming, and well-maintained literary arts space pursuant to its mission.

• Serve as GrubStreet's day-to-day contact for building and space-related matters, including serving as the primary on-site facilities responder when there are issues.

• Conduct daily walk-throughs of GrubStreet's spaces to identify maintenance, security, cleanliness, accessibility, and other issues before they become larger problems.

• Maintain the building operations, inspections, compliance, and permitting calendars and manage for all required inspections.

• Maintain current records related to vendors, inspections, permits, insurance, access, emergency procedures, building systems, and capital projects.

• Develop and maintain routine and preventive maintenance schedules for systems and equipment serving GrubStreet's space.

• Manage maintenance, inspections, and repairs related to HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire/life safety, elevators, security, access control, alarms, and other building systems.

• Manage vendor RFP processes, as well as access, scheduling, work-order lifecycle management, and on-site work.

• Manage recurring facilities and operational services, including cleaning, pest control, HVAC, access control and alarms, elevator, plumbing, electrical, and general repairs.

• Work closely with the Managing Director on communicating space and/or operations-related issues, concerns, and/or regulatory changes impacting the space.

• Oversee GrubStreet’s emergency response plan and protocol.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for space-related emergencies, including water leaks, fire/life safety issues, security incidents, access issues, elevator problems, utility interruptions, severe weather, and other urgent facilities events.

• Coordinate with building management, emergency services, vendors, and internal GrubStreet staff as appropriate.

• Respond to urgent facilities issues outside of regular working hours, including evenings and weekends, when necessary.

• Document incidents, response actions, costs, and required follow-up.

• Help ensure GrubStreet's spaces are prepared for classes, events, rentals, and other programs.

• Review facilities and vendor invoices for accuracy and alignment with approved work.

Administrative & Programmatic Operations — Approximately 25%

• Oversee, manage, and support GrubStreet's part-time Operations Assistants.

• Maintain front desk support hours.

• Attend regular check-ins with the Operations Team and provide clear written follow-up on outstanding issues and action items.

• Create and manage Operations Assistant schedules to ensure appropriate coverage for front desk, events, and operations support.

• Onboard, train, and support new part-time Operations Team staff.

• Help to improve workflows and procedures the Operations Team handles.

• Oversee and help improve standard operating procedures, reference guides, and manuals of workflows.

• Work with the Managing Director on the operations budget, as well as capital projects and fixed assets planning.

• Oversee GrubStreet’s classroom and space management processes.

• Work cross-functionally with other departments to execute projects and workflows that are connected to Operations.

• Other tasks as necessary.

Qualifications:

We acknowledge there may be exceptional candidates who may not fulfill all these criteria, and we are aware that you might offer valuable insights, experiences, and skill sets that we haven't considered. If this resonates with you, we encourage you to submit your application and share your story with us.

• 3–5+ years of experience in facilities management, property operations, and/or office operations, preferably within a public-facing, non-profit setting.

• Demonstrated skills and knowledge of building systems, preventive maintenance, inspection requirements, and emergency procedures sufficient to identify concerns and manage appropriate responses.

• Demonstrated experience managing vendors, contractors, building management, and/or service providers.

• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a public-facing role.

• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.

• Ability to assess facilities and operational issues, including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc., and determine appropriate next steps, escalate issues when necessary, and make decisions on addressing issues.

• Ability to work independently, exercise good judgment, and respond calmly to urgent or unexpected situations.

• Willingness and ability to work on-site five days per week and participate in after-hours emergency response, as necessary.

Statement of Belonging

At GrubStreet, belonging means creating and maintaining spaces where we boldly share our voices, our experiences, and our work as writers, readers, and audience members. Every member of our community commits to engaging across differences with curiosity and a desire to learn and grow together.

Community Agreements:

• Practice cultural humility, ask questions, and engage with different perspectives;

• Grace to speak in draft form and be open to making mistakes;

• Check our biases and be aware of how we carry our own identity and privilege.

Position Status: Full time, exempt

Compensation Band: $75,000 - $100,000

Position Reports to: Managing Director

Location: Boston, MA (Seaport)

Estimated Start Date: January 2027

GrubStreet’s policy is to assure equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants by prohibiting discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This practice applies to all terms, conditions and privileges of employment including hiring, transfer, compensation, layoffs, promotions, training, benefits, termination and retirement.