
Director, Facilities
About Us
Position Title: Director, Facilities
Department: Facilities
Reports To: Executive Director, Real Estate & Facilities
Location: South San Francisco, CA – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)
Job Overview
Kardigan is seeking a strategic, hands-on Director of Facilities to lead our South San Francisco headquarters. This role is responsible for reliable day-to-day site operations while building scalable, data-driven systems across Facilities and Physical Security.
The Director will oversee infrastructure, capital projects, security, shipping/receiving, and vendor management. This role also drives operational maturity through standardization, automation, and clear executive reporting.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Site Operations & Delivery
- Lead all day-to-day facility operations (HVAC, utilities, life safety, building systems)
- Oversee construction, renovations, and tenant improvements end-to-end
- Ensure a high-functioning, well-maintained workplace environment
Systems & Operational Excellence
- Build and scale repeatable Facilities systems (work orders, vendor management, workplace standards)
- Establish KPIs and dashboards to track performance, cost, and service levels
- Implement proactive inspection and issue tracking to reduce reactive work
Security, Risk & Compliance
- Own site physical security, including access control, badging, and visitor management
- Implement structured security governance and audit practices (SOX-aligned where applicable)
- Maintain a live risk register with defined mitigation plans and ownership
AI & Automation
- Identify and deploy automation and AI-enabled solutions to improve efficiency and reliability
- Redesign manual workflows to reduce administrative burden and improve outcomes
- Partner with IT to implement and measure impact of new tools
Executive & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Provide clear, concise updates to leadership (progress, risks, decisions needed)
- Partner with IT, HR, EHS, and Real Estate on integrated site operations and planning
- Support portfolio standards and alignment across sites
Workplace & Culture
- Own workplace experience, including space utilization, visual standards, and organization
- Drive consistency across sites to support a cohesive employee experience
Qualifications and Preferred Skills
- 10+ years of facilities management experience in biotech or similar environment
- Experience operating complex, research-adjacent facilities
- Strong vendor and project management capability
- Proven ability to build systems and scale operations in a growing organization
- Experience with automation, analytics, or AI-enabled workflows (preferred)
- Strong communication skills, including ability to support executive decision-making
- Hands-on, detail-oriented, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment
- Familiarity with EH&S and regulated environments
Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.
Pay range
$192,000 - $250,000 USD
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