Full-time Custodial Manager - National Geographic Society (Washington DC)

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Who We Are

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new museum will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.

The Campus and Experiences team is responsible for creating amazing brand experiences for live audiences and delivering excellent service and operations at NGS headquarters. The team is currently focused on the Base Camp renovation project, including all construction, content and design, revenue and operations planning, and overall budget and schedule management. They also produce and generate revenue through National Geographic Live and National Geographic’s Traveling Exhibitions programs.

Job Description Summary

The Campus & Experiences Division is seeking a Custodial Manager to provide overall support to the Senior Director of Facilities and Mechanical Maintenance through technical and operational assistance. This position will manage all Custodial Services for Base camp. Responsible for space and furniture management and coordination, as well as keeping an updated list of employee office location seating. This position will also provide assistance as needed with outside contractors utilized in maintaining the facility. Work closely with leadership and expert consultants for preparing for the opening of the Museum and Base Camp. This role is responsible and accountable for ensuring impeccable service to internal and external customers, including visitors to the National Geographic Museum by being knowledgeable about the Museum and directing the custodial team to be proactively helpful to those who need guidance or assistance while visiting the Museum or the Base Camp complex, and to demonstrate the highest quality of polite, friendly and courteous customer service.

This position is considered **essential** and is **on-call** as needed, responding to emergencies and unscheduled operational issues in a timely manner. As Base Camp and the Museum of Exploration operate year-round on multiple shifts, **flexibility to work different types of shifts is crucial**. The regular work schedule of this position could include **weekend, holiday, early-morning, and late-evening coverage**.

We are seeking a team member who values interoperability and is ready to jump in and support colleagues across different projects when needed. At the Museum of Exploration, we believe that our greatest successes come from shared expertise and a willingness to step outside of a single role. This isn't just a part of the job; it's a core aspect of how we operate and collaborate, reflecting the spirit of partnership that defines National Geographic's culture.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include:

Strategy and Operational Management (20%)

• Assist in the development and execution of strategic and tactical initiatives in alignment with the Campus & Experiences team business goals. Collaborate with the Senior Director to align custodial service plans with broader divisional objectives, ensuring all initiatives are executed effectively and meet quality standards.
• Work collaboratively on the development and management of the department's budget and allocate resources effectively to maximize efficiency and achieve project goals.
• Stay current with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices. Lead research and development efforts to drive innovation and improve company procedures, processes, and systems. Proactively identify and assess emerging industry trends and technologies to recommend improvements in custodial processes, procedures, and systems, leading to enhanced service delivery and resource optimization.

Team Development and Leadership (25%)

• Foster a culture of exceptional customer service, ensuring that services provided to internal and external customers are delivered with empathy and urgency.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the team, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
• Recruit, train, and manage a high-performing team. Conduct performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and identify professional development opportunities for team members.

Business Operations (45%)

• Provide subject matter expertise, guidance, and oversight for all janitorial activities and custodial operations. **Ensure that all provided services meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and regulatory compliance**.
• Establish, monitor, and maintain appropriate inventory levels of janitorial consumables.
• Manage a Quality Assurance program and conduct regular audits and reviews to ensure adherence to departmental standards.
• Oversee general support duties to include review and processing invoices for payment and other support information.
• Maintain custodial-related data management.
• Provide logistical and on-site support for special events, including setup, vendor coordination, and breakdown.
• Assist the logistics and execution of office relocations and transitions for internal and external staff.
• Support, assist, or perform the monitoring of weather conditions and the dispatching of resources to ensure the timely and prompt removal and/or application of de-icing agents in adherence to established safety protocols for snow and ice.

Partnerships and Collaboration (10%)

• In consultation with other Departments, negotiate and oversee contracts with suppliers, vendors, and other partners.
• Work with the Sustainability team to manage adherence to **LEED Green Cleaning Standards and Green Policies**.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to coordinate appropriate support, staffing levels, and shift adjustments for a complex and variable events schedule.
• Act as a point of contact for escalated facility issues, ensuring timely resolution and high service quality.
• Demonstrate proactive communication with internal and external stakeholders, tenants, neighbors, vendors, suppliers, and appropriate local agencies and offices.
• Monitor and enforce customer service standards, creating feedback channels to continuously improve service delivery.

What You’ll Bring

Educational background

• High School Diploma or equivalent. Associates or Bachelor’s degree in facilities management, business administration, or related field preferred.

Minimum Years and Type of Experience

• A minimum of **5 years** of professional experience in custodial or janitorial services and at least **3 years** of experience in a management or leadership role, overseeing a team of custodians.

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Experience in supervising, motivating, and training a diverse custodial staff to achieve high performance and maintain morale.
• Extensive knowledge in cleaning and sanitation methods, chemicals, and janitorial equipment.
• Experience managing a Janitorial staff, working multiple shifts.
• Experienced in supporting a workforce providing event set-ups and breakdowns.
• Demonstrated experience using effective interpersonal skills, listening, diplomacy and tact to build strong relationships with stakeholders and staff
• Ability to interact with a diverse audience
• Skilled in time management and ability to meet deadlines with accuracy
• Skilled in demonstrating independent judgment, discretion and decision-making
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional work standards and ethics
• Familiarity with computer-aided maintenance management systems (CMMS).
• Experience managing custodial operations within museums, cultural institutions, or other public-facing organizations.
• Fluence with personal computers and common business software.

Desired Qualifications

• Cleaning Industry Management Standard (**CIMS**)
• IJCSA Green Cleaning Certification
• Any industry-specific certifications

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Support various teams as needed, providing cross-trained coverage for breaks, absences, or high volume.
• Assist with general museum tasks such as maintaining public spaces, providing basic visitor assistance, and helping with event setup/breakdown.

Supervision

A team of 35 staff members (6 direct reports)

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations. The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The salary range for this position is $83,600.00 - $88,000.00.

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to:

• medical, dental, and vision insurance;
• engaging and comprehensive wellness program;
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment;
• flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave;
• 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.);
• paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits;
• learning and development opportunities;
• Lifestyle Spending Account;
• pet adoption assistance and insurance;
• pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy;
• employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and
• a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what’s required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.