Director of Facilities and Construction at Primanti… · Pittsburgh

Be Part of a Pittsburgh Legend

Join Primanti Brothers® Restaurant & Bar

You’ve got a chance to join an almost‑famous Pittsburgh institution.

Born in the Strip District in 1933, Primanti Brothers® was built on bold ideas—like piling fries and slaw inside the sandwich. What started as a risk became a legend. Today, we’re a regional powerhouse with locations across four states, and we’re just getting started.

If you’re passionate about people, performance, and preserving something iconic while pushing it forward—we want to meet you.

Who We Are

At Primanti Brothers®, our Core Values aren’t corporate slogans—they’re how we operate every single day. They guide our decisions, fuel our growth, and keep us grounded in nearly 100 years of tradition.

Our Core Values

Fanatical We’re obsessed with our fans. From the front door to the back of the house, our mission is simple: deliver the perfect Primanti Experience—every guest, every visit.

Greater Together We win as a team. Every voice matters, and collaboration drives opportunity. Together, we celebrate victories and learn from setbacks.

Building on Tradition Authenticity matters—but so does innovation. Since 1933, we’ve respected our roots while embracing bold ideas that push us forward.

We offer very competitive salary ranges (Base Salary: $95,000-$110,000), paid PTO, an extensive array of healthcare benefits to choose from, 401K with a company match, a fun environment, free sammich's , company paid parking, and a great place to grow your career.

Essential Responsibilities

Facilities Management

· Develop and execute a comprehensive facilities management strategy across all restaurant locations and support facilities.

· Establish and maintain preventive and reactive maintenance programs that keep restaurants open, clean, and fully operational through peak dayparts.

· Oversee building systems, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, fire/life safety, walk-in coolers and freezers, refrigeration, cook-line and kitchen equipment, hood and exhaust systems, fire suppression, grease interceptors, dish machines, beverage systems, drive-thru equipment, and other restaurant infrastructure.

· Establish standards and procedures for restaurant inspections, maintenance, repairs, and 24/7 emergency response, including escalation paths for refrigeration and cooking equipment failures.

· Monitor facility conditions across the portfolio and identify opportunities to reduce cost per restaurant and improve equipment reliability and uptime.

· Develop long-term kitchen equipment replacement and capital planning strategies aligned to restaurant remodel and refresh cycles.

· Partner with Restaurant Operations to schedule maintenance and project work around peak dayparts and minimize disruption to guest service.

· Monitor restaurant work orders and approve expenses in the company’s computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), prioritizing issues that affect food safety, guest experience, or sales.

· Support operations by training General Managers and restaurant teams on basic building and kitchen systems, and provide remote troubleshooting to prevent unnecessary service calls or restaurant closures.

Construction & Capital Projects

· Lead the planning and execution of new restaurant builds, conversions, remodels, refreshes, patio and drive-thru additions, and other capital projects.

· Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, timelines, and performance expectations, including phasing plans that keep restaurants open or hold closure days to a minimum.

· Coordinate architects, engineers, kitchen equipment consultants, general contractors, subcontractors, and vendors as needed.

· Manage projects from site evaluation and design through permitting, construction, health department and building inspections, equipment installation, punch list, and restaurant opening.

· Review construction drawings, kitchen equipment schedules, specifications, bids, proposals, and change orders.

· Ensure projects are completed according to approved plans, specifications, budgets, schedules, and brand prototype standards.

· Identify and resolve construction issues, permitting delays, cost overruns, and quality concerns that could jeopardize opening dates.

· Establish project reporting and provide regular updates to senior leadership on the new restaurant and remodel pipeline.

Budget & Financial Management

· Develop and manage annual facilities, maintenance, and capital expenditure budgets at the restaurant, market, and portfolio level.

· Monitor project and facility spending against approved budgets and track maintenance cost per restaurant.

· Evaluate capital investments and provide recommendations based on return on investment, sales impact, operational needs, and asset life-cycle considerations.

· Negotiate contracts, pricing, and service agreements with contractors, equipment suppliers, and facilities vendors.

· Review invoices and approve expenditures in accordance with company policies.

· Identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising food safety, guest experience, quality, or operational performance.

Vendor & Contractor Management

· Establish and maintain a qualified network of contractors, restaurant equipment service providers, and facilities vendors in every operating market.

· Solicit and evaluate bids and proposals.

· Negotiate contracts and service agreements.

· Establish service-level expectations and performance standards, including response times for refrigeration, HVAC, and other business-critical restaurant equipment.

· Monitor contractor performance, quality, responsiveness, first-time fix rates, safety, and cost.

· Ensure appropriate insurance, licensing, certifications, and documentation are maintained.

· Develop strategic vendor partnerships and negotiate favorable terms for the organization.

Compliance, Safety & Risk Management

· Ensure restaurants comply with applicable building, fire/life safety, health department and food safety, environmental, accessibility (ADA), and other regulatory requirements.

· Partner with Risk Management, Operations, and Human Resources on facility-related safety and compliance matters.

· Maintain appropriate documentation for health, fire, and building inspections, permits, licenses, warranties, and certifications.

· Support emergency preparedness and business continuity initiatives.

· Investigate significant facility-related incidents — including equipment failures, refrigeration loss, water intrusion, hood fires, and facility-driven food safety events — and develop corrective action plans.

· Ensure construction projects adhere to applicable safety requirements, food safety protocols in operating restaurants, and company standards.

Preventive Maintenance & Asset Management

· Develop and monitor preventive maintenance schedules for all restaurants, including hood and duct cleaning, grease trap service, refrigeration, HVAC, and fire suppression inspections.

· Establish standards for kitchen and building equipment maintenance, repair, and replacement.

· Monitor equipment and facility performance to identify recurring issues by restaurant, market, and equipment type.

· Maintain accurate records of restaurant assets, kitchen equipment, warranties, service agreements, and maintenance history.

· Develop replacement schedules based on equipment age, condition, impact on restaurant operations, and life-cycle cost.

Cross-Functional Leadership

· Partner with Restaurant Operations and field leadership to prioritize facility needs and minimize operational interruptions.

· Collaborate with Finance on capital planning, forecasting, budgeting, and financial reporting.

· Collaborate with Executive Leadership to develop long-term facilities and capital strategies.

· Communicate project status, risks, budgets, and recommendations clearly to stakeholders at all levels.

Leadership Responsibilities

· Establish clear goals, priorities, performance expectations, and accountability measures.

· Create a culture of safety, accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.

· Establish appropriate service-level expectations and key performance indicators for the department.

· Provide leadership and guidance during high-priority restaurant emergencies — such as loss of refrigeration, power, water, gas, or fire suppression — and critical projects.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this position may be measured through:

· New restaurant and remodel projects completed on time and within approved budgets.

· New restaurant openings meeting established quality and brand prototype standards.

· Reduction in emergency repairs and unplanned restaurant downtime or closures.

· Preventive maintenance completion rates.

· Facility maintenance cost per restaurant compared with budget.

· Contractor and vendor performance.

· Reduction in recurring facility issues.

· Compliance with required health, fire, and building inspections, permits, and certifications.

· Restaurant operational uptime and minimal disruption to guest experience from facility issues.

· Capital expenditure forecasting accuracy.

· Achievement of identified cost-saving and efficiency initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

· 5-7+ years of progressive experience in multi-unit restaurant, hospitality, or retail facilities management, construction, or a related field.

· Experience managing multiple restaurant locations, new construction, remodel programs, or capital programs.

· Demonstrated experience managing budgets, contractors, vendors, and capital expenditures.

· Strong understanding of commercial construction, life safety and building systems, commercial kitchen equipment and refrigeration, and restaurant facility operations.

· Strong project management and organizational skills.

· Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.

· Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to travel regularly to restaurant locations, construction sites, and new restaurant openings as needed.

Preferred

· Experience supporting a growing restaurant portfolio, including company-operated and franchise locations.

· Experience managing new restaurant development, conversion, and remodel programs from site to opening.

· Construction management, project management, engineering, or facilities-related certifications.

· Experience with facilities management software, project management systems, and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) in a multi-unit restaurant environment.

· Experience developing multi-year capital and remodel plans across a restaurant portfolio.

· ServSafe Food Safety Certification

Core Competencies

· Strategic Thinking

· Construction & Project Management

· Facilities Management

· Financial & Budget Management

· Vendor & Contract Management

· Risk Management

· Problem Solving

· Operational Excellence

· Negotiation

· Communication

· Executive Presence

· Decision Making

· Accountability

· Collaboration

· Continuous Improvement

Physical & Travel Requirements

· Regular travel to restaurant locations, construction sites, and new openings, up to 50%.

· Ability to walk construction sites and inspect restaurants, including kitchens, cook lines, dish areas, walk-in coolers and freezers, mechanical rooms, rooftops, stairs, and uneven surfaces.

· Ability to work outside normal business hours — including nights, weekends, and holidays — to respond to restaurant emergencies or critical construction issues.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The company is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, business needs, and other lawful factors in accordance with applicable federal,