Building Manager, The Harry Ransom Center

About the Harry Ransom Center 

The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin. Its extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of writers and artists, deepening our understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts. Visitors engage with the Center's collections through research and study, exhibitions, publications, and a rich variety of program offerings including readings, talks, symposia, and film screenings. 

The Ransom Center encourages discovery, inspires creativity, and advances understanding of the humanities for a broad audience through the preservation and sharing of its extraordinary collections. 

Purpose

Lead, manage and serve as the primary point of contact for facilities operations of the Harry Ransom Center's building and grounds, ensuring safe, efficient, and well-maintained environments that support staff, visitors, collections, exhibitions, public programs, and special events.

Responsibilities

Building Maintenance:

• Plan, prioritize, and manage preventive and corrective maintenance of traditional building systems, including HVAC, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, life safety, environmental controls, and grounds, as well as specialized archival building systems, including nitrate and acetate film vaults, coordinating closely with staff, UT Facilities and external service providers.

• Manage facilities-related projects, including renovations, construction, space planning, procurement, asset management, vendor coordination, and facility enhancements, ensuring work is completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with University standards, applicable codes, and museum requirements.
• Conduct regular, documented facilities walkthroughs and perform routine building maintenance tasks to ensure building functionality, safety, and appearance.
• Manage and maintain the Ransom Center’s exterior grounds including dumpster corrals, parking areas, and receiving dock operations and scheduling, coordinating deliveries, contractors, exhibition logistics, and building access to support daily operations and activities.
• Collaborate with University Facilities Operations, Building Automation System (BAS), Building Optimization Team (BOT), and other campus partners to maintain critical building infrastructure and environmental conditions that support the preservation of museum collections.

Operational Coordination & Collaboration:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for facilities-related vendors, contractors, and service providers, coordinating work, monitoring quality, and ensuring compliance with contractual and operational standards.
• Oversee facilities inventories, supplies, work order requests, space records, and other operational documentation to support efficient facilities management.
• On-call to respond to any after hours or off hours facilities alarms that put the Ransom Center’s collection at risk.

• Collaborate cross-departmentally to ensure business needs are met, including, but not limited to maintaining functional workspaces for all staff, serving as point of contact and resource for departmental work needs, and working in a timely manner with departments to ensure event spaces, exhibition galleries, building systems, and facility amenities are fully operational and presentation-ready.
• Provide facilities expertise during emergency situations and collaborate with Security and other University partners to support business continuity and emergency response.

Continuous Improvement:

• Evaluate facilities operations and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, sustainability, customer service, and the overall functionality of Ransom Center facilities.
• Develop and maintain facilities documentation, schedules, inventories, and operational procedures.

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned in support of departmental and organizational goals.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Facilities Management, Construction Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in facilities management, building operations, or maintenance within a complex commercial, higher education, cultural, healthcare, or public facility.
• Demonstrated experience managing building maintenance, building systems, facility projects, contractors, and vendors.
• Experience coordinating multiple priorities, work orders, preventative maintenance, and facilities-related projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of building systems, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, life safety, and building automation systems.
• Knowledge of applicable building codes, safety regulations, and facilities management best practices.
• Experience developing scopes of work, coordinating contracted services, and monitoring vendor performance.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships and communicate effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to respond to after-hours emergencies and participate in an on-call rotation as needed.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and computerized work order or facilities management systems.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting facilities in environments requiring strict environmental controls, security, or preservation standards, such as museums, archives, libraries, research facilities, or laboratories.
• Experience supporting facilities for public events, exhibitions, or performance venues.
• Experience coordinating construction, renovation, or capital improvement projects.
• Experience working with Building Automation Systems (BAS), computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), or work order management software.
• Experience coordinating receiving dock operations, logistics, or shipping and receiving activities.
• Familiarity with space management systems, inventory management, or asset tracking.
• Professional certification such as Certified Facility Manager (CFM), Facility Management Professional (FMP), Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA), or similar credentials.
• Experience working within a large, decentralized organization or public institution.
• Knowledge of sustainability, energy management, or building optimization practices.

Salary Range

$65,760.00, non-negotiable

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in both office and field environments, including galleries, mechanical rooms, loading docks, rooftops, and outdoor areas in varying weather conditions.
• Position requires frequent walking throughout multi-level building, climbing stairs and ladders, bending, stooping, reaching, and lifting or moving materials weighing up to 50 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.
• May be required to operate University vehicles, powered equipment, hand tools, ladders, and other facilities-related equipment.
• Position requires flexibility to support evening, weekend, and occasional holiday work in support of construction activities and operational needs.
• Must be available to respond to after-hours facility emergencies, including critical building systems or environmental conditions that could impact operations or collection preservation.
• Work may involve exposure to dust, noise, construction environments, mechanical equipment, cleaning products, and other conditions associated with facilities maintenance and building operations. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used when required.

Work Shift

Monday - Friday, 7:30AM - 4:30PM. Must be available to respond to after-hours emergencies. Workdays, area, and hours may vary based on the departments needs.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.