Church Facilities Director Job Description Template
For large and multi-campus churches · 5 min read
When You Need a Director, Not Just a Manager
The facilities director role exists when one person managing the building is no longer enough. When you have multiple campuses, a maintenance team to oversee, a capital budget to manage, and renovations running alongside daily operations — you need someone who thinks strategically, not just responsively.
That's the distinction between a director and a manager. It's not just a title difference. A manager keeps the building running. A director shapes the direction of how the building is maintained, staffed, and invested in over time. One is primarily doing the work; the other is primarily leading the people who do it and planning for the future.
If your facilities leader has direct reports, manages a budget, and is making decisions that affect the building over a 3–5 year horizon — director is the right title and the compensation should reflect it.
Director vs. Manager vs. Coordinator
For reference, here is how the three facilities roles typically stack up:
| Role | Primary Focus | Who It Reports To |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Team management, budget, capital planning, vendor contracts, executive reporting | Executive Pastor, COO, or Senior Pastor |
| Manager | Day-to-day building operations, work orders, preventive maintenance, vendor coordination | Facilities Director or Executive Pastor |
| Coordinator | Room reservations, facility requests, scheduling, administrative support | Facilities Manager or Director |
Not every church needs all three. Small churches may operate with a manager alone. Mid-size churches often add a coordinator for administrative support. Large churches and multi-campus organizations typically need the full structure.
Facilities Director Job Description Template
Copy this template into a Word document. Replace everything in brackets with your church's specific information. The responsibilities and qualifications below are written for a large or multi-campus church — adjust scope as needed for your situation.
Position Title
Director of Facilities
Organization
[Church Name] · [City, State]
Position Type
[Full-time / Exempt] · Reports to [Executive Pastor / Chief Operating Officer]
Position Summary
The Director of Facilities provides strategic and operational leadership over all physical facilities of [Church Name], including [list campuses or locations]. This role is responsible for the safety, maintenance, and long-term stewardship of the church's physical assets — overseeing a team of maintenance and facilities staff, managing the facilities operating and capital budget, and ensuring the building supports ministry with excellence.
Primary Responsibilities
- Develop, manage, and report on the annual facilities operating budget and multi-year capital expenditure plan
- Lead and supervise the facilities team, including maintenance staff, custodial employees, and part-time or contract workers
- Develop and manage a comprehensive preventive maintenance program covering all major building systems — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, life safety, and roofing
- Oversee capital improvement and renovation projects from initial scope through completion, including contractor bidding, project management, and quality control
- Evaluate, negotiate, and manage all facilities-related vendor contracts and service agreements
- Ensure compliance with applicable building codes, fire codes, ADA requirements, health codes, and OSHA standards across all campuses
- Coordinate facilities operations with ministry, events, and administrative teams to ensure spaces are ready for all church programming
- Develop and maintain a long-range facility master plan in coordination with executive leadership and the elder board
- Respond to facility emergencies and provide on-call coverage as needed
- Report regularly to executive leadership on facilities status, capital project progress, and budget performance
- Establish and enforce safety standards and emergency procedures for all facilities
Qualifications
Required:
- 7+ years of facilities management experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory role
- Demonstrated experience managing a facilities budget of $[X] or more
- Proven track record managing capital improvement and renovation projects
- Working knowledge of commercial building systems — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire suppression, and building envelope
- Strong vendor management and contract negotiation skills
- Ability to read and interpret blueprints, construction drawings, and service manuals
- Valid driver's license
Preferred:
- Licensed in a commercial trade (HVAC, electrical, or plumbing)
- Certified Facility Manager (CFM) designation or equivalent
- Experience in a church, school, or other institutional facilities environment
- Familiarity with CMMS (computerized maintenance management systems)
- Bachelor's degree in facilities management, construction management, or related field
Personal Qualities
- Committed follower of Jesus Christ with alignment to [Church Name]'s statement of faith
- Servant-leader posture — views the role as stewardship of the church's physical ministry resources
- Calm under pressure and decisive in emergencies
- Strong communicator with the ability to translate technical issues for non-technical leadership
- Organized, self-directed, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Compensation
[Church Name] offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including [health insurance / retirement / housing allowance as applicable]. Salary range: $[X]–$[X].
To Apply
Submit a resume and cover letter to [contact name] at [email]. [Or link to application form.] Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Tips for Hiring at This Level
The biggest mistake churches make when hiring a facilities director is treating it like a facilities manager search with a larger salary attached. The roles are fundamentally different. A great facility manager who is hands-on and operationally excellent may not have the budget management, team leadership, or capital planning experience the director role requires. These are different skill sets, and conflating them leads to mismatched hires on both sides.
When evaluating candidates, ask them to walk you through a capital project they've managed end-to-end: how they scoped it, how they selected contractors, how they handled scope creep or cost overruns, and what they would do differently. That single conversation tells you more about their director-level readiness than their resume does.
On compensation: the facilities director role at a large church competes directly with building superintendent, facilities manager, and operations manager positions in institutional settings — schools, medical offices, commercial properties. Budget accordingly. Someone who can do this job well has market alternatives.
Give Your Director the Tools to Manage at Scale
Steward My Church supports multi-campus operations, team-based work order management, and scheduled maintenance tracking — the infrastructure a facilities director needs to manage a large facilities operation without losing things in spreadsheets and email.
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