Chief Engineer

Cushman & Wakefield•Reston, VA

About The Position

The Chief Engineer provides daily leadership to engineering staff and manages the engineering program, department administration, and service delivery in alignment with the management team, C&W engineering platform, and client expectations. The role plans, implements, coordinates, and supervises mechanical operations, maintenance, communications, energy management, and manpower development programs for assigned properties. It requires adherence to company ethics, policies, safety requirements, and applicable codes. The Chief Engineer may perform limited hands-on operating duties and Watch Activity; duties include approximately 50% operating engineer responsibilities. The role may involve being the only maintenance staff member on duty during certain shifts, shift work, and on-call or standby duties. The position oversees building systems and maintenance programs, staff performance and development, budgets and utility management, safety compliance, contractors, documentation, inventory, and tenant and client communications. The role operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment. Eligible employees may enroll in company benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance, and paid and unpaid time away from work.

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 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.
Oral and written communication proficiency.
Interpersonal, organizational, technical, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

Supervise engineering and maintenance staff, including hiring, training, personnel development, coaching, performance management, and disciplinary actions.
Coordinate annual scheduling and execution of the C&W Safety Program and ensure full compliance at the assigned site.
Manage building operating accounts, report variances, and assist with operating and capital budgets.
Manage utility use, consumption, costs, reporting, comparison models, sub-metering, budgets, and variances as directed.
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, including scheduled tasks and routines based on manufacturer recommendations and industry best practices.
Develop and maintain building-specific maintenance and safety procedure manuals.
Coordinate development and maintenance of an Operations Document Library, including plans, drawings, schedules, diagrams, manuals, commissioning documents, and warranties.
Develop and conduct training on building-related systems and equipment.
Coordinate maintenance with outside contractors, tenant finish personnel, and engineers.
Oversee building systems, including fire and life safety, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems, and remain current with HVAC technology trends.
Maintain ongoing communication with tenants, clients, property management, and vendors.
Develop specifications and assist with solicitation, administration, execution, and performance of maintenance and repair service contracts.
May assist in soliciting and acquiring new management contracts.
Respond quickly to emergencies, including fires, evacuations, and equipment failures, and address customer concerns.
Implement and 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 limited hands-on operating duties and Watch Activity as required.