Specialist, Facilities

Athena
Athena

Operations

Nairobi, Kenya

Posted on Jul 13, 2026

About Athena

At Athena, we empower possibility through transformative delegation. We pair exceptional Executive Assistants with driven clients and support both with world-class systems and AI-enabled tools. The result is greater leverage, more time, and meaningful impact.

We are on a mission to build the best delegation and agentic automation platform in the world—where Human + AI collaboration unlocks new levels of productivity and scale.

Position Overview

The Facilities Specialist – Hard Services is responsible for the technical operation, maintenance, reliability, and continuous improvement of all building engineering systems across assigned office locations. The role ensures that critical mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), fire and life safety systems, and building infrastructure operate safely, efficiently, and in compliance with regulatory standards to support uninterrupted business operations.

The position serves as the subject matter expert for engineering and technical facilities management, overseeing preventive maintenance programs, technical vendor performance, capital improvement projects, energy optimization, asset lifecycle management, and emergency response. Working closely with landlords, contractors, security, and vendors, the Facilities Specialist proactively identifies operational risks, implements engineering solutions, and drives continuous improvements to maximize system reliability, sustainability, and cost efficiency.

Key Responsibilities


1. Building Engineering Operations

  • Manage the daily operation, monitoring, and performance of all engineering systems, including:

  • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

  • Chilled Water Systems

  • Precision Air Conditioning

  • Electrical Distribution Systems

  • Main Switchgear

  • Transformers

  • Generator Sets

  • Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS)

  • Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

  • Lighting Systems

  • Emergency Lighting

  • Plumbing Systems

  • Water Supply and Pumps

  • Sewage and Drainage Systems

  • Fire Detection and Alarm Systems (FDAS)

  • Fire Suppression Systems

  • Sprinkler Systems

  • Fire Pumps

  • Elevators and Escalators

  • Building Management System (if applicable)

  • Energy Management Systems

  • Access Control System

  • CCTV infrastructure

  • Structured cabling pathways

  • Utility metering systems

  • Ensure all systems remain operational and meet uptime and reliability requirements.

2. Preventive & Corrective Maintenance

Develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive preventive maintenance programs. Responsibilities include:

  • Prepare annual preventive maintenance schedules.

  • Coordinate corrective maintenance activities.

  • Perform routine technical inspections.

  • Review maintenance reports.

  • Verify completion of maintenance work.

  • Conduct post-maintenance testing.

  • Track equipment performance.

  • Analyze recurring failures.

  • Recommend engineering improvements.

  • Ensure zero overdue preventive maintenance activities.

3. Technical Troubleshooting

Serve as the primary engineering resource during equipment failures. Responsible for:

  • Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

  • Failure investigations

  • Equipment diagnostics

  • System restoration

  • Emergency repairs

  • Engineering recommendations

  • Permanent corrective actions

  • Risk mitigation

Respond to critical incidents including:

  • Power failures

  • Generator failures

  • UPS alarms

  • HVAC outages

  • Water leaks

  • Fire system faults

  • Plumbing failures

  • Mechanical breakdowns

4. Asset Management

Maintain accurate engineering asset records. Manage:

  • Asset inventory

  • Equipment tagging

  • Warranty records

  • Maintenance history

  • Asset lifecycle

  • Replacement planning

  • Spare parts inventory

  • Technical documentation

  • As-built drawings

  • Equipment manuals

Recommend replacement strategies based on lifecycle and condition assessments.

5. Vendor & Contractor Management

Manage technical service providers. Oversee contractors responsible for:

  • HVAC

  • Electrical

  • Generator Maintenance

  • UPS Maintenance

  • Fire Protection

  • Plumbing

  • Elevator Maintenance (if applicable)

  • Building Automation Systems (if applicable)

  • Mechanical Systems

  • Specialized Engineering Services

Responsibilities include:

  • Technical scope review

  • Method statement evaluation

  • Risk assessments

  • Permit-to-work compliance

  • SLA monitoring

  • Quality inspections

  • Vendor performance evaluations

  • Invoice validation

  • Service acceptance testing

6. Project Management

Lead engineering and infrastructure improvement projects. Examples include:

  • Office expansions

  • MEP upgrades

  • Generator installations

  • UPS replacements

  • HVAC improvements

  • Electrical capacity upgrades

  • Energy-saving projects

  • Lighting retrofits

  • Fire system upgrades

  • Data center support infrastructure

  • Workplace modernization

Responsible for:

  • Technical planning

  • Budget estimates

  • Engineering design review

  • Procurement support

  • Contractor coordination

  • Schedule management

  • Testing & commissioning

  • Project handover

7. Compliance & Regulatory Management

Ensure compliance with all engineering and safety regulations. Maintain compliance with:

  • Local Building Codes

  • Electrical Codes

  • Mechanical Codes

  • Fire Codes

  • Environmental Regulations

  • Occupational Health & Safety Standards

  • Landlord Engineering Requirements

  • Company Engineering Standards

  • Overall Local Government Permits and Licenses Coordination

Maintain all technical permits and certifications and coordinate regulatory inspections and audits.

8. Energy & Sustainability

Support sustainability initiatives through engineering optimization. Responsibilities include:

  • Monitor utility consumption

  • Analyze energy trends

  • Recommend energy-saving initiatives

  • Optimize HVAC operations

  • Improve power efficiency

  • Water conservation initiatives

  • Renewable energy evaluations

  • Carbon reduction projects

  • Utility benchmarking

Develop monthly utility performance reports.

9. Emergency Response & Business Continuity

Support critical facility operations during emergencies. Responsibilities include:

  • Emergency response

  • Power restoration

  • Equipment isolation

  • Emergency shutdown procedures

  • Generator operation

  • Disaster recovery support

  • Business continuity planning

  • Technical incident reporting

Participate in emergency drills and after-action reviews.

10. Documentation & Reporting

Maintain complete engineering documentation and ensure they are all audit ready. Prepare:

  • Daily engineering logs

  • Weekly maintenance reports

  • Monthly KPI dashboards

  • Equipment downtime reports

  • Incident reports

  • Root Cause Analysis reports

  • Utility consumption reports

  • Asset condition assessments

  • Technical recommendations

  • Project updates

11. Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities to improve engineering operations. Drive initiatives focused on:

  • Reliability improvement

  • Predictive maintenance

  • Equipment modernization

  • Automation

  • Digital monitoring

  • Maintenance optimization

  • Cost reduction

  • Process standardization

  • Engineering innovation

Implement industry best practices and benchmark performance against leading workplace standards.

Technical Competencies

  • Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing (MEP)

  • Building Management Systems (BMS)

  • Preventive & Predictive Maintenance

  • Electrical Distribution

  • HVAC Systems

  • Fire Protection Systems

  • Power Generation & UPS

  • Asset Lifecycle Management

  • Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

  • Reliability Engineering

  • Energy Management

  • Project Management

  • Technical Documentation

  • Risk Assessment

  • Vendor Management

Behavioral Competencies

  • Analytical thinking

  • Attention to detail

  • Customer service orientation

  • Problem-solving

  • Accountability

  • Adaptability

  • Collaboration

  • Communication

  • Decision-making under pressure

  • Continuous improvement mindset

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • Engineering Operations

    • ≥99.5% critical equipment uptime

    • ≥98% preventive maintenance completion

    • Zero overdue critical maintenance activities

    • Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) within SLA

    • Reduction in repeat equipment failures

  • Safety & Compliance

    • 100% compliance with regulatory inspections

    • Zero major safety violations

    • Zero critical audit findings

    • Timely closure of corrective actions

  • Financial Performance

    • Maintenance spend within budget

    • Reduced emergency repair costs

    • Energy and utility cost savings

    • Improved asset lifecycle performance

  • Vendor Management

    • ≥95% vendor SLA compliance

    • Timely completion of maintenance works

    • High contractor safety compliance

  • Projects

    • Engineering projects delivered on time and within budget

    • Successful testing and commissioning of new systems

    • Minimal operational disruption during project execution

  • Continuous Improvement

    • Delivery of annual engineering improvement initiatives

    • Measurable reductions in energy consumption and equipment downtime

    • Increased operational reliability and system efficiency

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

  • Licensed Professional Engineer (EBK, KETRB, IEK, or IET-K) is preferred.

  • 3–5 years of experience in facilities engineering, building operations, or technical facilities management.

  • Experience supporting commercial offices, BPOs, technology companies, healthcare, manufacturing, or mixed-use facilities is preferred.

  • Strong knowledge of MEP systems, preventive maintenance, and building infrastructure.

  • Familiarity with BMS, CMMS/CAFM systems, Google Workspace, AI systems and Microsoft Office.