Associate Director, Custodial Services

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This position provides strategic oversight of custodial operations across residential facilities, aligning daily services, peak period workflows, and conference turnover with institutional priorities, service level expectations, and resource capacity. The role leads quality assurance and continuous improvement programs for custodial services, establishing inspection standards, performance metrics, and accountability measures to ensure consistent service delivery across facilities. The Associate Director directs and monitors inspection activities, evaluates data, addresses ongoing issues, and makes informed decisions about operational changes, staff coaching, and resources. They support high standards of cleanliness and compliance in residence halls through effective oversight, performance monitoring, commitment to continuous improvement, and collaboration with internal units. The role develops and reviews reports related to custodial performance, staffing, inspections, and service outcomes. They lead strategic initiatives that enhance custodial services operations, improve service delivery models, and overall efficiency. The Associate Director develops and implements strategies to improve customer experience and ease access to services and information utilizing varied methods of communication. They collaborate with internal and external partners to coordinate, schedule, and oversee trash and recycling ensuring safe and unobstructed access, managing logistics, access points, and site readiness. The position serves in an advisory role in the development and management of long-range facility planning and projects in support of institutional and divisional objectives, ensuring alignment with Housing and Campus master plans. The Associate Director develops and implements training workshops for custodial leadership staff in collaboration with internal departments to support professional growth and operational effectiveness. They evaluate and maintain emergency preparedness plans and protocols to safeguard residents, employees, facilities, and assets in the event of emergencies or disasters, aligning with departmental and University policies and procedures and divisional emergency management. The role also provides strategic leadership and oversight of the departmental pest management program, ensuring implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, effective treatment strategies, and proactive inspection and monitoring protocols to maintain safe, compliant, and pest-free environments. They collaborate with campus partners to provide strategies that support safe and healthy environments when specialized interventions are required. Additionally, the Associate Director provides strategic oversight of inventory and asset management programs for custodial operations, analyzing utilization trends, forecasting demand, and authorizing procurement to ensure cost-effective resource allocation and alignment with departmental financial and operational objectives. They coordinate vendor-led demonstrations and training related to custodial equipment, products, and cleaning methods, ensuring practices align with departmental standards, safety requirements, and operational needs. The role also monitors maintenance service agreements and other contractual services with external vendors. In terms of staff leadership and administrative management, the Associate Director supervises staff including recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and professional development. They provide leadership in establishing goals, work priorities, and outcomes. The role manages administrative functions including HR compliance, payroll approval, and performance review processes. They are responsible for budget planning, management, and oversight for areas of responsibility. The Associate Director leads the development, implementation, dissemination, and enforcement of comprehensive policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure consistency and compliance within areas of responsibility. They oversee the effective use of information systems and corresponding information utilized in area operations and departmental processes. The position ensures compliance with environmental, health and safety standards, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations at all times, maintaining a safety data (SDS) notebook and ensuring regular reviews are provided for staff. They coordinate the Spring Recycling program with local agencies to oversee the removal and repurposing of items, minimizing landfill impact and advancing sustainability initiatives across Housing facilities. The Associate Director develops reports, handles special projects, tasks, and other duties as assigned and serves on Division of Student Life or University of Florida committees as needed. The role operates state vehicles.

Requirements

Master’s degree in an appropriate area and four years of relevant experience; or a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area and six years of relevant experience.
Demonstrated proficiency with computers and basic software applications (e.g. work order management systems, Microsoft Office).
Demonstrated ability to communicate with various levels of staff and interpersonal skills.
Proven ability to oversee custodial operations across multiple facilities including workflows during routine operations, peak periods, and emergency operations.
Strong interpersonal skills to maintain effective working relationships with staff, residents, campus partners, and vendors.
Ability to effectively manage a team creating and fostering a cooperative environment.
Ability to remain discreet and respect the privacy of residents, tenants, and/or guests.
Demonstrated ability to function effectively in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
Demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects or tasks simultaneously.
Demonstrated ability to understand, interpret, and apply rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team in a multi-faceted environment.

Nice To Haves

Obtained bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, hospitality management, sustainability, or similar field.
Minimum ten years of experience with custodial operations or large-scale residential, commercial or academic facilities.
Minimum five years of full-time supervisory experience leading a team.
Knowledge of APPA Leadership in Educational Facilities and cleaning guidelines.
Working knowledge of safety regulations and compliance requirements, including chemical handling standards.
Knowledge of quality assurance programs, inspections, and performance monitoring methods.
Knowledge of inventory control, equipment lifecycle management, and responsible resource stewardship.
Experience creating strategic plans associated with facility operations, custodial services, and other related business function aligned with industry standards such as APPA custodial service level guidelines.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic oversight of custodial operations across residential facilities, aligning daily services, peak period workflows, and conference turnover with institutional priorities, service level expectations, and resource capacity.
Lead quality assurance and continuous improvement programs for custodial services, establishing inspection standards, performance metrics, and accountability measures to ensure consistent service delivery across facilities.
Direct and monitor inspection activities; evaluate data, address ongoing issues, and make informed decisions about operational changes, staff coaching, and resources.
Support high standards of cleanliness and compliance in residence halls through effective oversight, performance monitoring, commitment to continuous improvement, and collaboration with internal units.
Develop and review reports related to custodial performance, staffing, inspections, and service outcomes as needed.
Lead strategic initiatives that enhance custodial services operations, improve service delivery models, and overall efficiency.
Develops and implements strategies to improve customer experience and ease access to services and information utilizing varied methods of communication.
Collaborates with internal and external partners to coordinate, schedule, and oversee trash and recycling ensuring safe and unobstructed access managing logistics, access points, and site readiness.
Serve in an advisory role in the development and management of long-range facility planning and projects in support of institutional and divisional objectives; ensure alignment with Housing and Campus master plans.
Develops and implements training workshops for custodial leadership staff in collaboration with internal departments to support professional growth and operational effectiveness.
Evaluate and maintain emergency preparedness plans and protocols to safeguard residents, employees, facilities, and assets in the event of emergencies or disasters aligning with departmental and University policies and procedures and divisional emergency management.
Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the departmental pest management program, ensuring implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, effective treatment strategies, and proactive inspection and monitoring protocols to maintain safe, compliant, and pest-free environments.
Collaborates with campus partners (e.g. Entomology and Pest Control) to provide strategies that support safe and healthy environments when specialized interventions are required.
Provide strategic oversight of inventory and asset management programs for custodial operations; analyze utilization trends, forecast demand, and authorize procurement to ensure cost-effective resource allocation and alignment with departmental financial and operational objectives.
Coordinate vendor-led demonstrations and training related to custodial equipment, products, and cleaning methods, ensuring practices align with departmental standards, safety requirements, and operational needs.
Monitor maintenance service agreements and other contractual services with external vendors.
Supervise staff including recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and professional development.
Provide leadership in establishing goals, work priorities, and outcomes.
Manage administrative functions including HR compliance, payroll approval, and performance review processes.
Responsible for budget planning, management, and oversight for areas of responsibility.
Lead the development, implementation, dissemination, and enforcement of comprehensive policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure consistency, and compliance within areas of responsibility.
Oversee the effective use of information systems (e.g. AiM, Housing Management Software) and corresponding information utilized in area operations and departmental processes.
Ensure compliance with environmental, health and safety standards, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations at all times; maintain safety data (SDS) notebook and ensure regular reviews are provided for staff.
Coordinate Spring Recycling program with local agencies to oversee the removal and repurposing of items, minimizing landfill impact and advancing sustainability initiatives across Housing facilities.
Develop reports, handle special projects, tasks, and other duties as assigned.
Serve on Division of Student Life or University of Florida committees as needed.
Operates state vehicles.