Keeping Cleared Facilities Safe: A Spotlight on a Booz Allen Facilities Lead

How facilities work supports client missions

Army veteran David Pollard has a unique opportunity at Booz Allen to continue contributing to the nation’s safety. As a senior lead technical specialist on Booz Allen’s facilities team, David uses his experience in architecture, space planning, and computer aide facilities management (CAFM) to support government clients’ most pressing—and sensitive—facilities needs.

We spoke with David about his work, the nature of facilities in the cleared space, and Booz Allen’s people-focused culture.

What do you do at Booz Allen?

I’m the deputy program manager for a large facilities contract. Before this role, I served as a facilities consultant responsible for developing strategic space plans and running facilities projects for some of our most important government clients. Together with my team, we manage the renovations of existing facilities, as well as the stand-up of new buildings to help our clients meet their mission requirements. The team is diverse and made up of technical experts specializing in architecture, design, engineering, environmental safety, and space planning. It takes talented people with different backgrounds working together to fully support the individuals serving on the front lines of national security.

What’s it like to work in facilities in the cleared space?

Until I joined Booz Allen, I didn’t know that someone like me with a facilities background could become so closely connected to mission work. Our work takes place directly in the clients’ space and supports sensitive operations, so having a clearance is necessary. It also helps to further emphasize how important it is to have people with facilities experience supporting the mission.

Why is facilities a necessary component of our clients’ projects?

Nothing in our world would function without facilities. You need power to run everything, which our electrical engineers provide and monitor. You need a work environment with clean air to operate in, which our mechanical engineers provide. To have a safe workplace, you need architects, designers, project and construction managers, and structural engineers to review necessary drawings and ensure everything is built to the proper codes. The need for facilities professionals is especially clear during this new, unprecedented time in history. As our clients look to return to their physical workspaces, our team is leading the effort to bring their personnel back to work safely.

What do you like best about working at Booz Allen?

When I was in the Army, one of our mottos was, “taking care of the soldier.” This wasn’t just about making sure warfighters received a paycheck—it meant looking after their personal and professional growth, providing effective counseling, and checking in to make sure they felt connected to the larger organization. Booz Allen does a fantastic job of doing this with their employees. The firm always puts our best interests first. Even with the current state of the world, Booz Allen has gone to extreme lengths to make sure that their people—and their families—are well and safe. That kind of support goes a long way in my desire to stay here.