Head of Facilities

Here at Kittyhawk in Palo Alto, we are developing ground breaking all-electric Vertical Take off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. They are designed to be fast, small, and exceedingly quiet, taking advantage of new possibilities to free people from traffic.

We are looking for a Head of Facilities to help us continue to cultivate a great environment for employees to work. The position will lead all operational aspects of our offices, including R&D labs and manufacturing production, as well as flight test sites: owning department budget, driving real estate strategy, owning facility build-outs & regular maintenance, and managing employee EH&S and security across the organization. This position reports to our Head of Business Operations and will directly manage, grow, and retain a team of full-time employees.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage activities and negotiations relating to lease, site selection, design, planning, construction of new facilities, and modification or expansion of existing facilities, and contract services including obtaining necessary licenses, permits, and clearances

• Own capital projects and drive operating budget reports for multiple properties/sites

• Demonstrate strong leadership, responsiveness, and creativity in the day-to-day workplace management activities

• Build and grow strong relationships with internal business partners, landlords, vendors, service providers

• Negotiate efficient and fiscally responsible contracts

• Promote change and facilitate continuous improvement in all areas of workplace services

• Oversee and monitor Employee Health and Safety training, ensuring alignment with appropriate regulations and policies

• Manage physical security and access control for facilities and collaborate closely with IT as it relates to security on-premises

• Ability to think “out of the box” and bring creative, nonstandard and innovative solutions to the table

• Be service-oriented and help drive a culture of positive workplace events and functions

• 15 years progressive history in facilities with 5 years managing facilities at a company with multiple properties and buildings

• Extensive knowledge of relevant laws around workplace safety and OSHA regulations

• Effective leadership skills through adaptations to changes in workload, challenging current processes for improvement, and the mentoring and coaching of team members

• Impeccable attention to detail and problem solving skills

• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and adaptability skills

• Ability to roll up your sleeves and effect positive change

• Proven track record of of managing many time-sensitive projects with concurrent deadlines

• Experience building & leading a team with proven experience hiring, effectively managing, and retaining top talent

• Some travel, both between local office sites as well as regional flight test locations, is required

We welcome you to apply even if you don't match every requirement posted for this role. No single candidate will be a 100% perfect fit for our description, so if you are passionate about working on the next evolution in aviation and have experience similar to what we are looking for, we encourage you to apply. Diverse backgrounds and experiences promote innovation and our goal is to build a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.

Our headquarters is in Palo Alto, CA and we support a hybrid work environment. In practice this means that for most roles there is a regular expectation of working on site with a fair amount of flexibility for teams that. Do note that as of August 15, 2021, all persons working on Kittyhawk company premises must provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination. Applicants may seek an exception through the reasonable accommodation process.

Solving for what was previously "unthinkable" alongside a top-tier team is our best benefit. A comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a flexible PTO policy in addition to 10 company holidays, a 401(k) plan with 40% company matching (no vesting period), flight lesson subsidy, education assistance, and company-sponsored social events are also great, though. For those working onsite, Kittyhawk also offers commuter assistance, regular catered lunch, and free EV charging to make it onsite collaboration feel even more worthwhile. For new pandemic pup parents, we are dog friendly as well.

We must have a diverse team where all feel included in order to democratize the skies. Kittyhawk provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Kittyhawk abides by applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.