A Profile of MJ Manju

MJ Manju got her start in facility management with a background in electrical engineering, where she quickly noticed a big problem—manufacturers need help with productivity

 That sparked her interest in lean methodologies and Six Sigma, eventually leading her into facility management. Wanting to make a real impact, she moved from India to the U.S. in 2017 to earn her master’s in facility management, diving deep into the industry’s language and best practices to establish herself in the field.

Her career involves both public and private sectors, including roles with the City of Tempe, Arizona State University, and now as a project manager at Terracon. In her current role, she specializes in facility condition assessments (FCAs), energy audits, and operational efficiency for healthcare, municipal, and commercial buildings. Whether it’s organizing storerooms to save teams from hours of searching or implementing AI-driven predictive maintenance, MJ is committed to eliminating inefficiencies and improving processes.

“One of my passions is process improvement,” she said. “I love digging deep into how I can create efficient processes, make work faster, easier, and improve training. Lean methodologies, 5S, and Six Sigma have been crucial in shaping my approach as a facility manager.”

MJ has seen firsthand how disorganized storerooms impact productivity. “In manufacturing, we would start our day struggling to find the parts we needed,” she explained. “As a facility manager, my approach was to have all parts ready at each station so that workers could start immediately. The same principle applies to facility management—messy storerooms are a universal problem. Parts, documents, and architectural plans get lost, leading to wasted time and resources.”

IFMA played a pivotal role in MJ’s professional development. “There was no clear facility management terminology for what I was doing in India,” she recalls. “But IFMA provided me with an incredible network, professional development courses, and credentials that added credibility to my expertise.” She emphasized the importance of speaking the same language as clients to establish trust and communicate value effectively.

MJ acknowledged that women are underrepresented in facility management, partly due to a lack of awareness. “Many people don’t realize they can pursue a career in FM,” she explained. “And even after entering the industry, women sometimes struggle to be taken seriously.”

Her advice? Confidence is key. “If you’re not confident in your knowledge, others won’t take you seriously. I’ve found success by having open conversations with teams, making it clear that I’m here to support them, not to take over their jobs. I’m here to make their work easier.”

MJ is particularly excited about technology’s role in facility management. “AI is just beginning to revolutionize FM,” she said. “From predictive maintenance to using QR codes to instantly access equipment history, technology will drastically improve how we track assets and solve problems.”

MJ encourages young professionals to seek as many mentors as possible. “Even small things—like learning how to use Outlook matter. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, embrace change, and find your place in the industry.”

Outside of work, MJ gets a kick out of game nights with friends, cooking for family, and balancing life with her 1½-year-old baby. She also is enthusiastic about philanthropy and helping underprivileged kids.

With her optimism, engineering mindset, process-driven approach, and passion for efficiency, MJ continues to drive impactful changes in facility management and beyond.