Custodial Manager

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new museum will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard.

The Campus and Experiences team is responsible for creating amazing brand experiences for live audiences and delivering excellent service and operations at NGS headquarters. The team is currently focused on the Base Camp renovation project, including all construction, content and design, revenue and operations planning, and overall budget and schedule management. They also produce and generate revenue through National Geographic Live and National Geographic's Traveling Exhibitions programs.

The Campus & Experiences Division is seeking a Custodial Manager to provide overall support to the Senior Director of Facilities and Mechanical Maintenance through technical and operational assistance. This position will manage all Custodial Services for Base camp. Responsible for space and furniture management and coordination, as well as keeping an updated list of employee office location seating. This position will also provide assistance as needed with outside contractors utilized in maintaining the facility. Work closely with leadership and expert consultants for preparing for the opening of the Museum and Base Camp. This role is responsible and accountable for ensuring impeccable service to internal and external customers, including visitors to the National Geographic Museum by being knowledgeable about the Museum and directing the custodial team to be proactively helpful to those who need guidance or assistance while visiting the Museum or the Base Camp complex, and to demonstrate the highest quality of polite, friendly and courteous customer service.

This position is considered essential and is on-call as needed, responding to emergencies and unscheduled operational issues in a timely manner. As Base Camp and the Museum of Exploration operate year-round on multiple shifts, flexibility to work different types of shifts is crucial. The regular work schedule of this position could include weekend, holiday, early-morning, and late-evening coverage.

We are seeking a team member who values interoperability and is ready to jump in and support colleagues across different projects when needed. At the Museum of Exploration, we believe that our greatest successes come from shared expertise and a willingness to step outside of a single role. This isn't just a part of the job; it's a core aspect of how we operate and collaborate, reflecting the spirit of partnership that defines National Geographic's culture.

What You'll Do :

• Lead & Manage:
  Oversee all custodial services, including recruiting, training, and managing a high-performing team.
• Operational Excellence:
  Provide subject matter expertise and oversight for all janitorial activities, ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Customer Focus:
  Direct the custodial team to provide
  impeccable, courteous customer service
  to internal staff and external museum visitors.
• Facilities Support:
  Coordinate
  space and furniture management
  , assist with office relocations, and manage inventory of janitorial supplies.
• Strategic Support:
  Assist the Senior Director with budget management, execution of strategic initiatives, and adherence to
  LEED Green Cleaning Standards
  .
• Essential/On-Call:
  This is an
  essential position
  requiring flexibility for different shifts, including
  weekends, holidays, and on-call emergency response
  , as the facility operates year-round.

What You'll Bring

• A minimum of
  5 years of professional experience
  in custodial/janitorial services.
• At least
  3 years of experience in a management/leadership role
  overseeing a custodial team.
• Extensive knowledge of cleaning/sanitation methods, chemicals, and equipment.
• Proven experience supervising staff across
  multiple shifts
  and supporting
  event set-ups/breakdowns
  .
• Strong ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and maintain professional work standards.

Desired Qualifications

• Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS)
• IJCSA Green Cleaning Certification
• Any industry-specific certifications

Collaboration and Teamwork

Support various teams as needed, providing cross-trained coverage for breaks, absences, or high volume. Assist with general museum tasks such as maintaining public spaces, providing basic visitor assistance, and helping with event setup/breakdown.

Supervision

A team of 35 staff members (6 direct reports)

Salary Information

The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.

The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more. At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The salary range for this position is $83, $88,000.00.

In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must be at Base Camp every day to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present onsite some of the time to meet looming deadlines or to get work done and may require a unique schedule. As such, this category has been revised to provide maximum flexibility depending on what's required for each individual role. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule may be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.