Operations Director
Cleveland Public Market Corporation
Under the direction of a committed Board of Directors, the nonprofit Cleveland Public Market Corporation (“CPMC”) is seeking to make West Side Market the nation’s premier public market by meeting the evolving needs of merchants, customers, and the community. CPMC’s mission is to preserve the city’s public market tradition while making the local food system more accessible, equitable, and diverse.
Following national best practices among the nation’s large urban markets, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and his administration initiated the effort to transition day-to-day operations of West Side Market from city management to CPMC. While the City will maintain ownership of the building, CPMC is on track to take over operation of
West Side Market in early 2024. The City and a diverse Advisory Committee of city government representatives, local stakeholders, and Market merchants provided input into a masterplan prepared by an experienced public market consultant. The masterplan is guiding the new organization as it makes physical and operational changes that diversify income, support the Market’s merchants, and improve the customer experience.
Operations Director
Cleveland Public Market Corporate is hiring an Operations Director, a key leadership role in revitalizing one of Cleveland’s greatest assets – historic West Side Market. The Operations Director, who reports to the Executive Director, plays a critical role in overseeing the Market’s facilities and day-to-day operations in order to meet CPMC’s mission and organizational strategy. The Operations Director oversees the maintenance of the building structure and systems and has primary responsibility for staff oversight, budgeting, and process implementations while the Assistant Operations Director is expected to spend most of their time directly assessing the facility, coordinating and overseeing technicians on site, and repairing the facility.
The Operations Director is responsible for operating the Market on a day-to-day basis and keeping the facilities and equipment in good repair. The Operations Director will help implement the West Side Market masterplan and fulfill CPMC’s mission of striving to make West Side Market the nation’s premier public market by meeting the evolving needs of merchants, customers, and the community.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
As a new and small organization, all staff will be expected to exhibit flexibility and willingness to address issues as they arise, helping to ensure that West Side Market has the management needed to drive success. The following list anticipates the major duties and responsibilities for this position:
1. Direct the property management functions, including the smooth functioning of all building systems and maintenance (including the creation, adherence, and documentation of maintenance schedules), and leasing spaces to merchants in a fiscally responsible manner and in compliance with all relevant laws, insurance requirements, and the management agreement between CPMC and City of Cleveland.
2. Build strong and streamlined standard operating procedures to deliver a safe, clean, and welcoming West Side Market that allows independent, diverse food-related businesses to thrive. Implement operating policies and enforce
rules.
3. Manage contracts with outside service providers for maintenance and repair, and contracted services such as night cleaning, waste hauling, and parking lot operations.
4. Ensure the Market operates smoothly during capital improvements or repairs, supporting the work of architects, engineers, contractors, and construction managers.
5. Support the leasing effort by facilitating tenant move-out and move-in, tenant improvements, and business licensing.
6. Support the marketing and event programs by coordinating through event set-up and break-down and related functions with private event professionals.
7. Provide input into the creation of performance metrics related to facilities management and track performance.
8. Provide input into annual budget creation as it relates to facilities and operations, and take responsibility for such expenses, identifying areas for efficiencies and cost savings.
9. Attract, hire, develop, and retain diverse talent for facilities management positions, including day porters and security staff. Ensure staff members understand their role, associated goals, strategies, and measures, and are
equipped with the resources necessary to deliver results, and make sure personnel policies are followed.10. Develop and nurture positive relationships with Market merchants and the merchants’ association, City staff who are connected to the Market, and contracted service providers.
11. Assist with the implementation of the West Side Market masterplan as it relates to facilities and property management.
12. Maintain knowledge about facilities management for historic structures and food operations.
The Opportunity
The projected first-year accomplishments for the Operations Director include:
• Hire, train, and retain necessary team members under the Operations Director’s supervision, including day porters and security personnel.
• Structure and implement operational protocols for West Side Market.
• Create maintenance schedules for all building systems, identify and hire service providers, and initiate the maintenance programs.
• Establish relationships with merchants, city government, and local stakeholders through authentic interactions and building trust through consistent and meaningful communication.
• Create metrics to guide the operations functions, including for timely and sanitary waste removal and cleaning, security/emergency response, and maintenance of building systems.
As part of the inaugural team working for the newly formed nonprofit corporation that is taking over management of West Side Market, the Operations Director will have a unique and exciting opportunity to set the stage for the Market’s next chapter and help bring it to its full potential. The Operations Director will have the opportunity to significantly contribute to the crafting and execution of the vision for West Side Market as its revitalization moves forward.
Compensation
The Operations Director is expected to earn a salary in the $70,000 to $80,000 range. Compensation will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and knowledge. In addition, the candidate will receive CPMC’s standard benefits for full time employees, expected to include medical, dental, retirement, and relevant and related
work reimbursements, paid holidays, and other paid time off.
Location
CPMC’s offices are in West Side Market, 1979 W. 25th Street, Cleveland, OH 44113. The position requires presence within the Market, with limited opportunities for remote work. Candidates must be consistently available and willing to work in-person on weekends. The position requires regular in-person work on Saturday and/or Sunday at West Side Market. Staff will be expected to work together to achieve fair scheduling that balances employee needs with the Market’s needs to be staffed on weekends to provide excellent support to vendors and customers.
Reporting Relationships
The Operations Director reports to the Executive Director. The Operations Director oversees the work of CPMC’s property management and leasing staff, including an Assistant Operations Director, Merchant & Leasing Coordinator, Day Porters, Security, and (when the shared commercial kitchen is constructed) the Shared Kitchen
Coordinator. The Operations Director works closely with the Market management team, including the Marketing Director, Development & Partnerships Director, and Finance and Office Manager to ensure the success of the Market.
The Operations Director staffs and supports the work of CPMC’s Facilities Committee, which is led by the board’s Vice President of Facilities and includes other board members, Market merchants, and local stakeholders and experts. The Facilities Committee, which likely will meet every other month, advises the board on matters involving the Market’s buildings and surrounding land, such as capital improvements, facilities maintenance and repair, contractual and city services, parking, security, and development strategy. Importantly, the committee provides a structured forum for Market merchants to share their ideas and concerns about facilities and operations,
helping to foster a collaborative environment and management and tenants.
Since the City of Cleveland will continue to own the Market’s land and buildings, the City and CPMC are negotiating a lease and management agreement that defines the responsibilities of each entity for ongoing operations, maintenance, and capital improvements. The Operations Director will interface with government agencies whose work touches the Market, likely to include the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects (MOCAP), Public Works, and other City departments including Building, Public Safety, Public Utilities, and Public Health.
The Candidate
Education
An Associate or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is valued. However, lived, learned, and previous relevant experience will be given equal consideration.
Professional qualifications
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with the operations and management of historic properties with complex building systems, particularly highly visited public places, and will have managerial experience overseeing diverse staff involved with leasing, cleaning, security, and maintenance. Experience working for a
nonprofit organization is useful.
In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following:
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in relevant positions with a minimum of three (3) years in supervisory or management positions.
• Self-starter with a passion for maintaining historic structures for the public benefit.
• Knowledge of and experience with building and health codes, especially related to food businesses.
• Evidence of attracting, developing, empowering, and retaining staff.
• Experience managing contractors.
• Experience working and thriving in a diverse urban community.
• Willing to work non-traditional hours, including evenings and weekends, on a regular basis.
• Physical capacity to move throughout the Market and lift items up to 50 pounds.
Desired Traits
• Organized: Able to manage multiple high-priority tasks simultaneously.
• Problem Solver: Demonstrates excellent mediation skills and decision-making abilities; seeks to understand the “why” and the “how”.
• Self-Starter: Proactively sets goals and develops strategies and schedules for meeting those goals; self-motivating even in the face of challenge.
• Mission driven: authentically able to embrace CPMC’s mission, vision, and values.
• Collaborative: Demonstrated ability to collaborate with coworkers, small businesses, and a board or oversight committee.
• Inclusive: Commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment; demonstrated ability to relate to and work effectively with persons of diverse racial, ethnic, gender, sexual preference or orientation, religious and
socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates skill in the development and maintenance of effective working relationships with all levels of executive and managerial personnel, merchants, various governmental agencies, and other key stakeholders.
• Emotional intelligence: Proven ability to cope with conflict, stress, and crisis situations; address building emergencies, uses and manages own emotions in positive ways to drive for success.
• Integrity: Possesses the highest ethical and moral standards. CPMC firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, or disability.
About CPMC, West Side Market, and Cleveland
CPMC’s Core Values
All management staff are expected to adhere to CMPC’s core values:
- Diversity – Welcome and serve businesses, residents, and visitors with diverse lived experiences and perspectives.
- Opportunity – Create the conditions for thriving, independent, and diverse local businesses that offer good jobs in the community.
- Authenticity – Preserve the unique historic characteristics that make West Side Market a cherished institution.
- Food access and education – Improve the community’s access to and knowledge about high-quality, interesting, creative, affordable, and healthy food.
- Sustainability – Center environmental impact in decision-making.
- Community engagement – Promote diverse and representative leadership that values input by stakeholders.
- Community building – Create spaces and programs that build community connections.
- Fiscal responsibility – Make sound financial decisions to achieve self-sufficient operations.
- Professionalism – Operate to the highest standards of integrity, creativity, and competence.
West Side Market
Cleveland’s West Side Market is one of the greatest public markets in America and a beloved destination for residents and visitors alike. Located in the vibrant Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland at the corner of Lorain Avenue and W. 25th Street, West Side Market opened its doors on November 2, 1912.
Serving as both a functional space and architectural marvel, the Market has undergone expansions and renovations throughout its more than 110-year history. Today, the Market Hall, Arcades, and outdoor public spaces comprise more than 85,500 square feet of vendor and gathering areas. Over 60 dedicated vendors are at the heart of West Side Market, predominately small family businesses with many operating stalls over multiple generations, several dating to 1912. The Market has maintained its focus on fresh meat, produce, and seafood over the decades and offers a diverse selection of baked goods and other specialty foods. The Market is recently experiencing some vacancies, providing the opportunity to expand the product mix and diversify the population of businesses so it better reflects the racial and ethnic composition of the community. The masterplan offers guidance about vendor recruitment and retention, as well as physical upgrades and other capital and operational improvements.
Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio
Cleveland Public Market Corporation and West Side Market are in one of the nation’s most exciting metropolitan areas. The Greater Cleveland region includes residents with diverse identities and backgrounds and has maintained a solid economy with a mix of service, healthcare, academic, and manufacturing businesses. A rich arts and culture scene includes galleries, community festivals, restaurants, a world-renown orchestra, art museums and a thriving theatre district. On the shores of Lake Erie, the area is also home to beautiful parks and a myriad of recreational opportunities.
Educational organizations include outstanding public and private school systems, community colleges, and several public and private institutions of higher learning. Professional and collegiate athletics include major league football, baseball, basketball, and collegiate Division I, II and III sports programs.
Contact
Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to CPMC by contacting Hiring Committee at [email protected].