Kitchen Facilities Manager

JOB SUMMARY

This role is responsible for the oversight, maintenance, safety, and operational efficiency of all commercial kitchen spaces, equipment, and utility systems. This role ensures zero operational downtime by managing preventative maintenance programs, managing vendor relationships, ensuring strict compliance with health and safety regulations, and overseeing capital improvement projects. Service, clean, and repair all restaurant equipment.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Director of Maintenance Operations

Supervisory Responsibility: Director of Maintenance Operations

ESSENTIAL DUTIES - May include, but is not limited to the following:

• Maintain and service all areas in the food service spaces
• Service and schedule all repairs to emergency power services (generators)across

campus

• Maintain and service all Food service equipment across campus
• Food Court, Tuscana, Chick-fil-A, Welcome Center.
• Create and maintain a preventative maintenance program for all food service

equipment.

• Maintain accurate and updated progress and equipment reports.
• Oversee the daily operation, repair, and preventative maintenance (PM) of all commercial kitchen equipment (e.g., ovens, walk-in coolers, fryers, dishmachines, ventilation hoods). Including but not limited to adding refrigerant, checking amp draw on compressors, install and maintenance of refrigeration systems. Hot and Cold equipment, Dishmachines.
• Manage equipment and maintenance in Asset Essentials to track work orders and asset history.
• Diagnose minor electrical, plumbing, and mechanical issues before escalating to external technicians.
• Manage third-party service vendors for regulatory responsibilities. (grease trap pumping, generator services and maintenance).
• Ensure the facility strictly adheres to OSHA, FDA, local health department, and fire safety regulations.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation for fire suppression systems (ANSUL), health inspections, and equipment calibrations.
• Lead regular safety audits and coordinate emergency repair responses (e.g., power outages, refrigeration failures).
• Manage the kitchen equipment operational budget, tracking expenses for repairs, maintenance.
• Assist the Director of Maintenance Operations in Capital Expenditure (CapEx) forecasting by identifying aging assets requiring replacement.

ADDITIONAL/NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES

N/A

All remaining duties are considered "nonessential" within the context of the ADA, which means that the function could be reassigned to another employee in order to allow a disabled individual to hold the position. Alternatively, the manager could try to provide a reasonable accommodation so that the disabled individual could perform the function.

LOCATION

Lakeland Main Campus

EDUCATION

Required Education:

High School/GED

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree or technical certification.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• EPA Section 608 Certification (Refrigeration)
• Valid Driver License with clean driving record

EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Deep understanding of commercial HVAC/R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration), plumbing, electrical, and gas systems.
• Technical maintenance skills and experience.
• 3-5 years of experience in commercial facilities management, specifically within high-volume kitchens, hotels, or food manufacturing plants.
• Proficiency with CMMS platforms, building automation systems (BAS), and standard office software (Excel, G Suite)
• Ability to communicate technical issues clearly to non-technical culinary staff and executive leadership alike

Preferred:

Restaurant equipment manufacture training or experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Required:

• Ability to proficiently diagnose, repair, and maintain specialized food service equipment such as Coolers, Freezers, and other various types of commercial restaurant equipment.
• Repair/replace lights, switches, receptacles, windows, glass, handles, doors, door locks, door closures, hinges, faucets, shower valves, drains, toilets, urinals, furniture, sheetrock, door jambs, water heaters - gas and electric.
• Provide assistance to the Director of Maintenance
• Operations and other maintenance employees in removing and/or repairing air conditioners and other various tasks related to the maintenance area.
• Ability to operate an aerial lift, forklift and other vehicles as the job requires.
• Must be able to read, understand, and interpret schematics, plans, and diagrams and drawings
• Complete additional tasks assigned by the Access Control Manager or Director of Maintenance Operations

Preferred:

Provide information to the Director of Maintenance Operations relative to equipment needs,

cleaning, sealing, caulking, and painting of buildings - interior and exterior.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

All employees are responsible for maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, and harassment, including sexual harassment.

• This position is considered Essential Personnel for the purposes of Emergency Response.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to lift 50 lbs. Able to work in hot environments, in tight spaces, and on ladders. Must possess excellent hand/eye coordination as well as close vision. Must be able to work in high and low/precarious places.Flexibility to handle occasional after-hours or weekend emergency calls.

Travel:

No

Schedule:

Monday - Friday 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM

On-call rotation as scheduled

Overtime when required or approved by the Director of Maintenance Operations.

TRAINING

All new hires and employees transferring into a new position will have a 90-day probationary period within which to learn the functions of the job and to be evaluated. Following the probationary period, the employee can transition to regular status, have the probationary period extended in order to receive more training, or employment can be terminated. Required compliance training is as follows:

• Provided by employer

SAFETY

• SEU promotes a safe working environment. Employees are responsible for completing assigned tasks safely and efficiently, and supervisors are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe work environment.
• Employees must report any unsafe work conditions or practices, as well as any near-miss incidents, to their supervisor and Risk Management.
• Work-related injuries must be immediately reported to Security and Human Resources. When life or limb are at risk, please dial 911. Supervisors and employees should ensure that injury/accident reports are submitted to the Office of Human Resources within 24 hours of the incident.
• Emergency Employees report for or must remain at work in emergency situations. Dismissal or closure announcements do not apply to this position, unless instructed otherwise by your direct supervisor or a member of the Leadership Team.

SCREENING

All full-time positions at SEU are deemed security-sensitive and require background checks. Employees required to drive their own personal vehicle, a rental car or an SEU vehicle in the performance of their duties must pass an MVR records check and meet the requirements of the University's insurance carrier in order to meet the requirements of the position.

DISCLAIMER

SEU is an at-will employer. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change. The employer retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

SEU is committed to providing a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. All forms of discrimination against or harassment of a person because of his or her identification within a protected category are strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition applies equally to conduct by and against employees, vendors, visitors, and students.

Southeastern University is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. The equal opportunity policy will apply in University programs and activities, and all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. All employees of Southeastern University, by continued employment, agree to abide by the policies contained in the Employee Handbook and in the SEU Mission, Vision, Statement of Faith and Community Covenant.