Associate Director for Operation and Maintenance

University of Arkansas • Fayetteville, AR

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director of Residential Facilities – Operations and Maintenance serves as the second-in-command to the Director of Residential Facilities, providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for the maintenance, repair, and continuous improvement of University Housing and dining facilities. The role helps ensure that residential and dining environments are safe, functional, well-maintained, and supportive of the student experience. Working with the Director, departmental leadership, Facilities Management, and external partners, the Associate Director translates departmental priorities into maintenance programs, capital improvements, preventative maintenance strategies, and day-to-day operational plans.

The position leads professional development for maintenance, skilled trades, project, and dining technical teams and fosters a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and service excellence. It manages four direct reports within a 40-person team and leads maintenance operations for 18 residential and 8 dining facilities, totaling approximately 2 million square feet. Responsibilities also cover maintenance planning and execution, project coordination, budget oversight, fleet management, regulatory compliance, vendor management, and contract management.

The position is weather essential and participates in the departmental on-call rotation. Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance and the ability to establish and maintain effective, collegial working relationships are essential job duties.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Facilities Management, or a related field from an accredited institution; additional years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• At least five years of experience in building trades, facilities maintenance, construction, or a related field.
• At least three years of supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of facility operations, maintenance planning, renovation and construction, building systems, utilities, personnel management, and budget administration.
• Working knowledge of general building maintenance and mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, building automation, and fire and life safety systems.
• Knowledge of applicable regulatory and safety requirements, including OSHA standards and NFPA codes.
• Ability to evaluate facility conditions, establish maintenance priorities, and develop preventative and predictive maintenance strategies.
• Ability to interpret blueprints, technical specifications, construction documents, and building plans.
• Demonstrated leadership, strategic planning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop employees, establish clear expectations, and promote accountability.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and customer service skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams, university departments, contractors, and external service providers.
• Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance and the ability to establish and maintain effective, collegial working relationships.

Nice To Haves

• At least one year of experience supporting facilities operations within a higher education or residential housing environment.
• At least one year of experience managing maintenance programs, renovation projects, contracts, or operational budgets.
• Experience using a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook, to support daily operations and communication.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for maintenance, repair, and continuous improvement of University Housing and dining facilities.
• Translate departmental priorities into maintenance programs, capital improvements, preventative maintenance strategies, and day-to-day operational plans.
• Lead and develop maintenance, skilled trades, project, and dining technical teams, fostering safety, accountability, collaboration, and service excellence.
• Manage four direct reports within a 40-person team and lead maintenance operations for 18 residential and 8 dining facilities totaling approximately 2 million square feet.
• Plan and execute maintenance activities and coordinate projects.
• Oversee budgets and fleet management.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and manage vendors and contracts.
• Participate in the departmental on-call rotation.

Benefits

• University contributions to health, dental, life, and disability insurance.
• Tuition waivers for employees and their families.
• 12 official holidays.
• Immediate leave accrual.
• Choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior