Skilled Trades Manager

The Henry Ford is a nonprofit organization, an internationally recognized cultural destination, and a one‑of‑a‑kind workplace. The Henry Ford provides unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories, and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. Our purpose is to inspire people to learn from these traditions to help shape a better future. Our team is inspired daily by one another as well as the authentic stories of innovation that we share across our four venues.

We want you to be part of this legacy and take it forward, aligning with our core values of being welcoming, curious, authentic, and passionate.

The Skilled Trades Manager provides leadership, direction, and operational oversight for the Skilled Trades team within Facilities Management. This position is responsible for planning, coordinating, and supervising the maintenance, repair, and operation of buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and building systems across The Henry Ford. The role leads union and non‑union staff, including electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, utility maintenance personnel, and other skilled trades employees, ensuring work is completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with institutional standards.

This role is responsible for delivering reliable, cost‑effective facilities services throughout the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Giant Screen Experience, Henry Ford Academy, and administrative facilities, ensuring guests, students, volunteers, contractors, and staff experience clean, well‑maintained, comfortable, and safe environments. The Manager oversees preventive and corrective maintenance programs, supports capital improvement and renovation projects, manages departmental budgets and resources, promotes sustainable operational practices, and partners across the institution to support the mission and strategic priorities of The Henry Ford.

• Lead, coach, and develop union and non‑union Skilled Trades employees through hiring, onboarding, scheduling, training, performance management, and employee development.
• Plan and oversee daily facilities operations, including preventive maintenance, repairs, renovations, capital projects, work order priorities, staffing, and resource deployment to ensure safe, timely, and efficient operations.
• Manage the Facilities work order management system, ensuring work requests are appropriately prioritized, assigned, tracked, and completed in a timely manner while monitoring workload, response times, and departmental performance metrics.
• Ensure facilities, infrastructure, utilities, and building systems remain operationally ready to support daily operations, institutional programming, special events, and emergency response across The Henry Ford.
• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs while monitoring the condition and performance of facilities, infrastructure, utilities, and equipment to maximize asset reliability and minimize operational downtime.
• Develop, administer, and monitor departmental operating and capital budgets while managing labor, materials, equipment, and contracted services in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Manage construction projects, contractor performance, vendor relationships, and service agreements while collaborating with institutional partners to deliver operational improvements and capital initiatives.
• Lead departmental safety initiatives, ensure compliance with OSHA, MIOSHA, NFPA, applicable codes, and institutional policies, and promote a culture of workplace safety.
• Provide operational leadership during facility emergencies, severe weather events, utility disruptions, and other after‑hours incidents as necessary.
• Monitor operational performance, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and implement strategies that enhance service delivery, operational efficiency, and asset management.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, regulatory documentation, operational reports, and departmental performance metrics.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and exceptional customer…