Facilities Director

San Francisco Zen Center:

San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) was established in 1962 by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi ) and his American students. Suzuki Roshi is known to countless readers as the author of the modern spiritual classic, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.

The SFZC community has a diverse population made up of internationally known Zen teachers, short and long-term residential students, a vibrant wider sangha, ordained priests and lay practitioners, and visiting guests. We have three California practice centers:
City Center (located in San Francisco), Green Gulch Farm (located in coastal Marin County), and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (located in the Ventana Wilderness, inland from Big Sur).

The purpose of SFZC is to express, embody, and make accessible the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha as taught and practiced in the Soto Zen tradition.

The Facilities Director is required to keep a broad overview of the physical status of all the facilities operated by San Francisco Zen Center. The status is assessed in cooperation with the President, Vice President and the Directors and Plant Managers of City Center, Green Gulch Farm, and Tassajara, and the Facilities Committee.

To ensure the successful implementation of our vision, the Facilities Director maintains the physical health of all SFZC facilities through a combination of technical expertise, administrative support, and budgetary compliance. A scheduled inspection and maintenance plan is managed by the Facilities Director ensuring that the vision for preventative maintenance and scheduled repairs and replacement is conducted on a cadence clearly visible across the organization.

Job reviews take place every 6 months in alignment with the rest of Zen Central administration.

• Maintain an overview of all maintenance issues for any SFZC affiliated properties and vehicles.
• Compile and maintain a current, in-depth assessment of short- and long-term repair and maintenance projects at all three temples.
• Monitor preventative maintenance programs across all three practice centers; oversee effective implementation of Zen Center’s facilities management software.
• Ensure a high standard of safety, cleanliness, and building functionality.
• Make every effort to maintain environmental standards and stewardship as defined by the Environmental Committee of ZC.

• Serve as Project Manager for any SFZC capital project to ensure timely completion and budgetary compliance.
• Submit capital projects for inclusion in the annual budget; provide estimates for all capital projects.
• Keep a record of deferred maintenance, updated at least once a year.
• Lead facility-related projects from planning to execution, including RFP development, contractor selection, and contract negotiation.
• Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations.

• Select outside service providers, negotiate contracts, and oversee fulfillment.
• Select qualified contractors for capital projects, taking into account cost, reputation, project size, and past performance.
• Follow up and oversee projects done by outside companies, including facilitating payments and keeping records.

• Develop and maintain close working relationships with Zen Center in-house facilities staff—Plant Managers and shop crews.
• Work closely with Directors and Maintenance Personnel of CC, GGF, and ZMC to set priorities and ensure timely completion of maintenance activities.
• Consult in the development of and provide oversight for the R&M budgets of CC, GGF, and ZMC.
• Meet as needed with SFZC staff to provide updates on maintenance issues and capital projects.
• Assis…