Job Profile: Facilities Manager

Job Overview

The Facilities Manager in the cannabis sector is the orchestrator of the physical environment, a role that directly governs an organization's ability to produce high-quality, consistent products at scale. This position holds ultimate accountability for the performance of the most valuable asset: the highly specialized cultivation, processing, and manufacturing facility. The role's primary function is to ensure 100% uptime for all critical systems, including complex HVAC, fertigation, lighting, and security infrastructure. Unlike in traditional manufacturing, a minor deviation in environmental parameters or an equipment failure can result in the catastrophic loss of a multi-million dollar crop. The Facilities Manager operates at the intersection of engineering, horticulture, and stringent regulatory compliance, creating a stable and optimized environment that allows for predictable yields and protects the company's license to operate. This role is foundational to operational efficiency, resource allocation, and long-term profitability.

A Day in the Life

The day begins with a comprehensive review of the Building Management System (BMS) data from the preceding 24 hours. The manager analyzes trend logs for each cultivation room, verifying that temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, and Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) remained within the precise setpoints defined by the Head of Cultivation. The analysis identifies a 3% increase in chiller compressor runtime for Flower Room 4. This data point triggers an immediate physical inspection to check for dirty condenser coils or a potential refrigerant leak, proactively addressing an issue that could lead to cooling failure and plant stress. This data-driven approach ensures small inefficiencies are corrected before they escalate into costly problems.

Following the systems analysis, a facility walk-through focuses on mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. The manager inspects the reverse osmosis water purification system, checking membrane pressures and pre-filter statuses to ensure the water supplied to the fertigation system is pure. Inside the fertigation room, the manager confirms the calibration of pH and electrical conductivity sensors that control nutrient delivery to the plants. An inaccurate reading here could lead to nutrient burn or deficiency, severely impacting an entire crop cycle. The inspection continues to the electrical room, where a thermal imaging gun is used to scan panels for hot spots, indicating loose connections that pose a fire risk and threaten power supply to critical lighting and HVAC systems.

Midday is dedicated to logistics and project management. The Facilities Manager meets with a vendor to review the service level agreement for quarterly HVAC maintenance, ensuring all documentation is in place for regulatory audits. Concurrently, they coordinate with the supply chain team to schedule a bulk delivery of CO2, planning the logistics to ensure the large tanker truck has safe access without disrupting facility security or operations. A significant portion of this time is spent updating the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Work orders from the morning's inspections are created, parts are ordered for an upcoming repair on an air handler, and preventative maintenance tasks are assigned to the maintenance technician. This documentation provides a complete service history for every piece of equipment, which is critical for compliance and asset lifecycle management.

The afternoon pivots to future planning and process improvement. The manager analyzes the facility's energy consumption data from the previous month, identifying a peak demand charge that could be lowered by rescheduling the startup sequence of the high-intensity grow lights. They draft a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lighting schedules and present the potential cost savings to the Director of Operations. The day concludes with a review of the physical security systems. The manager works with the security team to test door alarm sensors and review surveillance camera footage at key access points, ensuring the facility's defenses against diversion and unauthorized entry are fully operational as required by state law.

Core Responsibilities & Operational Impact

The Facilities Manager's responsibilities are organized into three primary domains of operational control:

1. Critical Infrastructure & Environmental Management

• HVAC Systems & Climate Control: Direct oversight of all heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and dehumidification systems to maintain precise environmental parameters required for each stage of plant growth, drying, and curing. This includes managing complex chiller plants, air handlers, and integrated control systems.
• Resource & Utility Management: Managing the high-volume consumption of electricity, water, and gas. This involves implementing energy efficiency programs, managing water purification and reclamation systems, and ensuring uninterrupted utility supply through backup generator maintenance and testing.
• Preventative Maintenance Program Execution: Developing, scheduling, and documenting a comprehensive preventative maintenance program for all facility assets, from fertigation pumps and lighting ballasts to extraction equipment and security hardware, to maximize uptime and extend equipment lifespan.

2. Operational Logistics & Project Execution

• Vendor and Contractor Accountability: Sourcing, negotiating with, and managing all third-party service providers, including specialized HVAC technicians, electricians, plumbers, and security integrators. This includes enforcing service level agreements and verifying the quality of work.
• Supply Chain Coordination: Working with the supply chain department to manage the logistics for essential facility supplies such as industrial gases (CO2), replacement parts, filters, and maintenance consumables, ensuring they are available when needed.
• Capital Project Management: Leading the planning and execution of facility upgrades and expansion projects, such as commissioning new grow rooms, installing new processing equipment, or upgrading lighting systems, while minimizing disruption to ongoing operations.

3. Documentation, Compliance & Safety

• Meticulous Record-Keeping: Maintaining detailed and audit-ready documentation for all maintenance activities, equipment calibrations, and system repairs within a CMMS. This provides a defensible record for state regulatory inspections.
• SOP Development and Adherence: Authoring, refining, and enforcing Standard Operating Procedures for all maintenance, equipment operation, and safety protocols, including critical lockout/tagout procedures for electrical work.
• Physical Security & Life Safety Systems: Ensuring the continuous operation of all state-mandated physical security systems (access control, surveillance cameras) and life safety systems (fire suppression, emergency lighting) to protect both personnel and assets.

Strategic Impact Analysis

The Facilities Manager directly influences key business performance metrics through the following mechanisms:

Chain of Command & Key Stakeholders

Reports To: This position typically reports to the Director of Operations or the site's General Manager.

Similar Roles: This role shares significant functional overlap with titles such as Plant Manager, Building Engineer, or Director of Facilities found in other mission-critical industries. For professionals in the technology sector, the role is highly analogous to a Data Center Facilities Manager, which also demands 100% uptime for cooling and power systems. In manufacturing, the role aligns with a Maintenance & Reliability Manager, focusing on asset management and production continuity. These equivalent roles all share the core tenets of managing complex infrastructure, maximizing operational efficiency, and holding accountability for a critical physical environment.

Works Closely With: This role requires constant collaboration with the Head of Cultivation to align facility performance with agronomic needs, the Director of Security to maintain physical plant integrity, and the Compliance Manager to ensure all facility operations are documented and audit-proof.

Technology, Tools & Systems

Operational excellence is achieved through mastery of specific facility technologies:

• Building Management Systems (BMS): Deep proficiency in operating and extracting data from environmental control platforms (e.g., Argus, Priva, Trane, Johnson Controls) that manage HVAC, lighting, and CO2 injection.
• Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS): Utilization of software like UpKeep, eMaint, or Fiix to manage work orders, schedule preventative maintenance, track assets, and control spare parts inventory.
• Diagnostic & Calibration Tools: Hands-on use of thermal imaging cameras, multimeters, light meters, and sensor calibration kits to diagnose equipment issues and ensure data accuracy.
• Security & Access Control Platforms: Familiarity with systems (e.g., Genetec, Avigilon) for managing surveillance cameras, door access schedules, and alarm monitoring to meet strict state regulations.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Transferable Skills

Success in this role is often built on experience from other highly regulated, infrastructure-dependent industries:

• Data Center Operations: Expertise in managing mission-critical power distribution units (PDUs), computer room air handlers (CRAHs), and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) with a zero-downtime mandate translates perfectly to cannabis cultivation.
• Pharmaceutical & Biotech Manufacturing: A background in managing facilities under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) provides a deep understanding of clean environments, HVAC system validation, and rigorous documentation protocols.
• Large-Scale Indoor Agriculture: Direct experience managing the complex environmental control, irrigation, and lighting systems found in large commercial greenhouses or vertical farms is highly applicable.
• Industrial Plant Engineering: A strong foundation in managing industrial-scale MEP systems, preventative and predictive maintenance strategies, and capital project execution in a manufacturing setting is directly relevant.

Critical Competencies

The role demands a unique combination of technical and managerial attributes:

• Mechanical & Electrical Aptitude: The ability to diagnose complex infrastructure problems under pressure and understand the intricate relationships between various systems.
• Financial Acumen & Resource Allocation: The skill to manage large operational budgets for utilities and maintenance, perform ROI calculations for capital upgrades, and negotiate effectively with vendors to control costs.
• Process-Oriented Mindset: A commitment to documentation, process standardization, and data-driven decision-making to ensure repeatability, efficiency, and compliance. Accountability is central to this competency.

Top 3 Influential Entities for the Role

These organizations establish the codes, standards, and regulations that form the operating framework for a cannabis Facilities Manager:

• State Cannabis Regulatory Agency: The governing body (e.g., California's Department of Cannabis Control) that sets forth specific and non-negotiable rules for facility security, access control, surveillance, and operational logs. Compliance with these rules is essential to maintain the license.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): The NFPA provides the fire and electrical safety codes that are adopted by local jurisdictions. Compliance with NFPA 1 (Fire Code) and NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) is critical for facility permitting, especially in hazardous locations like extraction labs.
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): ASHRAE sets the global standards for HVAC system design, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality. Adhering to ASHRAE standards is key to designing and operating a cultivation facility that is both effective and energy-efficient.

Acronyms & Terminology