Corporate Director Engineering & Property Operations - Hotels

Ensemble Investments is an entrepreneurial commercial real estate investment firm that specializes in the investment, development and management of hotel, multi-family, and life-science assets. Ensemble has a proven track record of investing with a variety of capital partners including institutional partners along with other high net worth private capital sources. Ensemble has tripled its AUM over the last 5 years to well over $2 billion and continues to expand rapidly with an active pipeline in excess of $3 billion.

Corporate Director of Engineering & Property Operations - Hotels
Location: Long Beach, CA (Headquarters)
Job Type: Full-time
Pay Range: $150,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year
Ensemble Hospitality is currently seeking a highly skilled and experienced Corporate Director of Hotel Engineering and Property Operations to join our headquarters in Long Beach, CA.(with regular travel to property portfolio) Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President, Hotels, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in overseeing facilities management and maintenance programs, physical asset preservation, managing budgets, executing capital planning and projects, and ensuring the adherence to regulatory requirements across our hotel portfolio.

Job Description:
This executive leader is responsible for protecting and enhancing asset value through proactive maintenance strategies, capital planning, energy management, life-safety compliance, and operational infrastructure excellence. The role partners closely with General Managers, Chief Engineers and development teams to ensure properties operate safely, efficiently, and in alignment with long-term asset strategies.

Responsibilities:
Engineering & Facilities Leadership

  • Provide portfolio-wide leadership to Chief Engineers and property maintenance teams.
  • Develop and standardize preventive maintenance programs across all hotels.
  • Establish engineering SOPs, safety protocols, and operational benchmarks.
  • Conduct regular property inspections, engineering audits, and facilities condition assessments.
  • Implement technology solutions ( building automation systems, energy management platforms).
Asset Preservation & Capital Planning
  • Lead long-term capital expenditure planning in collaboration with ownership and finance teams.
  • Evaluate property condition reports and prioritize capital improvement projects.
  • Oversee renovation projects, system upgrades, and infrastructure replacements.
  • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with operational needs.
Maintenance & Operational Efficiency
  • Ensure all properties maintain best-in-class preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
  • Drive energy efficiency, sustainability initiatives, and utility cost optimization.
  • Standardize vendor management and service contract negotiations.
  • Develop emergency response plans and crisis management procedures.
Life Safety & Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal building codes and regulations.
  • Oversee fire life-safety systems, ADA compliance, environmental regulations, and risk mitigation practices.
  • Conduct safety audits and training programs to reduce liability exposure.
Financial Oversight
  • Review engineering budgets, CapEx forecasts, and reserve studies.
  • Analyze repair and maintenance spend to optimize cost controls.
  • Track ROI on capital investments and sustainability initiatives.
Talent Development
  • Mentor and develop Chief Engineers and property engineering teams.
  • Establish training standards and technical certification pathways.
  • Support succession planning and workforce development strategies.
  • Assist in the selection of talent for key positions.
Required Skills:
  • 2+ years of management experience in a multi-site property portfolio.
  • 5-10 years in progressive management growth in hotel engineering or facilities
  • Strong electrical and mechanical background in maintenance operations of Hotel properties
  • Experience leading renovations, projects and capital initiatives
  • Strong knowledge of Hotel electrical, plumbing, carpentry, HVAC, and kitchen equipment.
  • Strong understanding of Life Safety systems, wet and dry, fire pumps, and controls.
  • Knowledge of building management systems and work order software.
  • Strong computer and technical skills.
  • Ability to Travel up to 50% of the time required
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Physical ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, climb stairs, kneel, and lift up to 50 lbs.
Education:
  • 2-year degree from an accredited university in Building and Construction, Engineering, Mechanics, or related major; 4 years' experience in engineering and maintenance or related professional area; technical training in HVAC-R/Electrical/Plumbing.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.
Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...