Chief Engineer

Cushman & Wakefield•West Palm Beach, FL

19d•$45 - $53

About The Position

The Chief Engineer provides daily leadership to engineering staff and manages the engineering program, department administration, and building operations in accordance with company standards, client expectations, and applicable policies. The role plans, implements, coordinates, and supervises mechanical operations, maintenance, communications, energy management, and manpower development for assigned properties. It may also include limited hands-on operating-engineer duties and watch activity. Approximately 50% of the duties are operating engineer responsibilities. The position may be the only maintenance staff member on duty during certain shifts and may require shift work, on-call, or standby duties. The Chief Engineer oversees building systems and equipment, preventive and predictive maintenance, safety and maintenance documentation, budgets and utility management, inventory, service contractors, and compliance. The role responds to emergencies and customer concerns and maintains communication with tenants, clients, property management, and vendors.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
At least 7 years of related work experience in a commercial property setting, or a similar combination of education and experience.
Vocational or technical training certificate.
Appropriate trade license or permit as required, such as a Journeyman or Master Electrician license or applicable city license.
Universal Technician certification for CFCs, depending on market licensure requirements.
Financial knowledge sufficient to read and understand budgets, budget variances, and basic reporting.
Familiarity with Energy Management Systems (EMS), programming, and fire alarm systems.
Basic computing skills in Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Communication proficiency, both oral and written.
Interpersonal, organizational, technical, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

Supervise engineers and maintenance staff, including hiring, training, and personnel development.
Manage performance, coach and develop team members, and use established HR processes and disciplinary actions.
Coordinate and execute the C&W Safety Program and ensure 100% site compliance.
Manage building operational accounts, report variances, and assist with operating and capital budgets.
Track and report utility use, consumption, costs, and budget variances; support comparison models and sub-metering.
Inspect building systems and equipment regularly and identify and resolve issues.
Assist with maintenance and engineering issues as required.
Recommend and implement ongoing improvements to preventive maintenance programs.
Develop, implement, and maintain preventive and predictive maintenance programs and scheduled maintenance routines.
Develop and maintain building-specific maintenance and safety procedure manuals.
Coordinate or maintain an Operations Document Library, including plans, drawings, schedules, diagrams, manuals, commissioning documents, and warranties.
Develop and conduct training on building systems and equipment.
Coordinate maintenance with outside contractors, tenant finish personnel, and engineers.
Oversee fire/life safety, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems and stay current with HVAC technology trends.
Maintain communication with tenants, clients, property management, and vendors.
Develop specifications and assist with soliciting, administering, executing, and assessing maintenance and repair service contracts.
Assist with solicitation and acquisition of new management contracts as needed.
Respond promptly to emergencies, including fire, evacuation, and equipment failure, and address customer concerns.
Administer inventory control programs and purchase parts and supplies.
Ensure compliance with applicable codes, requisitions, government agency requirements, and company directives related to building operations.
Perform operating engineer duties, potentially including hands-on operations and watch activity.