Operations + Maintenance Specialist

Position Overview

The Operations + Maintenance Specialist supports the planning, design, construction, operation, and long-term performance of athletic and recreational facilities. Leveraging firsthand experience operating and maintaining sports facilities, this role brings an owner/operator perspective that helps align design intent with long-term facility performance, maintenance needs, and operational success.

Working under the guidance of the Senior Advisor and alongside design and construction professionals, this position contributes operational insight throughout project development and collaborates with project teams to evaluate facility performance, constructability, quality standards, and long-term maintenance considerations. The role also plays an important part in expanding McAdams' maintenance-focused consulting services and strengthening the firm's presence within the sports facilities market.

Key Responsibilities

OPERATIONS + MAINTENANCE SERVICES

• Serve as a resource on athletic facility operations, maintenance practices, asset management, and lifecycle planning.
• Develop operations and maintenance manuals, maintenance plans, inspection programs, checklists, and operational recommendations.
• Conduct facility assessments to evaluate existing conditions, maintenance practices, and opportunities for improvement.
• Stay current on industry trends, regulations, maintenance practices, and sports facility performance standards.

DESIGN SUPPORT + TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

• Partner with internal design teams throughout project development to provide operational and maintenance insight that informs planning, design decisions, specifications, and facility solutions that enhance performance, maintainability, safety, and long-term owner usability.
• Assist with technical reviews of plans, specifications, reports, shop drawings, and submittals to evaluate design intent, constructability, quality standards, and overall facility performance.

CLIENT DEVELOPMENT + PRACTICE GROWTH

• Support the growth of McAdams' sports facility practice by expanding client relationships, increasing market share, enhancing service offerings, and helping build a high-performing team to support future growth.
• Support client development efforts through existing and emerging relationships within athletics, education, recreation, and sports facility markets.
• Participate in industry events, networking opportunities, client meetings, and professional organizations.
• Assist with proposals, interviews, presentations, scope development, and marketing initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to enhance client value through operational insight and maintenance-focused consulting services.

CONSTRUCTION OBSERVATION + FACILITY DEVELOPMENT

• Collaborate with project teams, contractors, and testing agencies during construction to help evaluate whether installed facilities align with design intent, performance expectations, and owner operational needs.
• Participate in site visits and field observations to help identify construction issues, support coordination among project stakeholders, and contribute to the successful delivery of facilities that meet design intent, performance expectations, and owner needs.
• Assist in evaluating installation quality, material performance, testing results, drainage systems, and overall facility performance.
• Support punch list reviews, warranty evaluations, corrective work inspections, and owner turnover activities.

Skills + Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in facilities management, construction management, sports management, turfgrass management, engineering, landscape architecture, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in athletic facility operations, maintenance, asset management, or facility leadership.
• Relevant certifications in facility management, sports field management, athletic facility construction, or related disciplines are a plus.
• Experience operating, maintaining, managing, or overseeing athletic and recreational facilities.
• Working knowledge of synthetic turf, natural grass fields, tracks, courts, irrigation, drainage, athletic equipment, and related facility systems.
• Experience developing or administering maintenance programs, inspection programs, operational procedures, asset management initiatives, budgets, or capital improvement plans.
• Ability to interpret plans, specifications, construction details, shop drawings, submittals, warranties, and manufacturer requirements.
• Ability to translate technical information into practical recommendations for facility owners, operators, and maintenance staff.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to build productive relationships with clients, facility operators, contractors, vendors, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Existing relationships within collegiate athletics, education, municipal recreation, sports facilities, or related markets preferred.
• Willingness to travel to project sites, client meetings, conferences, and industry events.

Work Environment + Physical Demands

The characteristics described below are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position. When properly requested and when feasible (without undue hardship to the company), reasonable accommodations will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

• Work will primarily be in an office setting with limited opportunities to be exposed to adverse environmental conditions, however when conducting field work, exposure to outside environmental conditions should be expected.
• Work will be primarily working with fingers by picking, pinching, typing, and grasping often with repetitive motion.
• Must have visual acuity for viewing a computer screen, the ability to talk, hear and sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to carry, lift and push/pull up to 5 pounds frequently and up to 30 pounds occasionally. When working in the field, the need to carry, lift and push/pull up to 50 or higher pounds may occur.
• Field based work will involve long-term standing and frequent walking as well as include common hazards encountered while maneuvering through project sites.
• Must have the ability to see, smell, hear, talk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel and twist, crouch, crawl, reach, grasp, sit, stand, and walk.
• Additional physical duties may be required as necessary.