Chief Physical Plant Officer

Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind•Talladega, AL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief Physical Plant Officer is a senior executive management position reporting directly to the AIDB President. This role provides strategic vision, operational leadership, and administrative oversight for all AIDB physical plant facilities, infrastructure, capital projects, and maintenance operations statewide. The position leads multi-campus facilities management, architectural and engineering capital developments, environmental health and safety, third-party vendor contracts, preventative maintenance programs, and physical plant personnel. The Chief Physical Plant Officer ensures that all physical environments across AIDB's residential, academic, regional, and industrial facilities are safe, sustainable, fully accessible (in compliance with Title II ADA standards), compliant with regulatory building codes (including IBC and NFPA), and closely aligned with overall institutional priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor Degree
Five years of maintenance management and facility leadership experience in an institutional, medical, industrial, agriculture or multi-campus setting.
Must meet suitability requirements for employment.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Engineering, Building Science, Facilities Management, or Business Administration.
Advanced working experience referencing International Building Code (IBC), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) code handbooks for institutional compliance.

Responsibilities

Drive the strategic development and implementation of facilities projects under the approved AIDB Master Plan, leading capital renewal and new construction initiatives.
Establish, optimize, and oversee comprehensive preventative maintenance, work-order management, and asset optimization frameworks across all campuses and facilities.
Develop and direct the physical plant operating budgets, capital expenditures, and major third-party service and construction contracts.
Serve as the chief facilities authority to internal stakeholders, executive leadership, architects, engineers, contractors, and public entities.
Provide executive oversight and direction for the Physical Plant Department, establishing short- and long-term goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and operational strategies aligned with AIDB's mission.
Lead the strategic execution of physical plant projects under the approved AIDB Master Plan and enforce the institutional Facilities Maintenance and Renewal policy.
Oversee day-to-day internal department functions, including staff scheduling, resource allocation, equipment utilization, performance evaluations, time-keeping, and discipline in accordance with AIDB policy.
Interview, select, and recommend hiring of departmental personnel; provide continuous mentorship and evaluate employee performance annually.
Direct enterprise-wide compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, environmental health and safety standards, building codes, and regulatory mandates governing educational, residential, and industrial physical plants.
Serve as the chief physical plant authority ensuring all campuses, facilities, grounds, and architectural modifications comply strictly with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and federal accessibility guidelines.
Enforce strict adherence to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) life safety codes, International Building Code (IBC) standards, and state fire marshal regulations across all building operations, fire suppression systems, and alarm infrastructure.
Provide executive oversight and approval for all third-party vendor contracts, public bid solicitations, capital project agreements, and legal service instruments to protect institutional interests and minimize organizational liability.
Direct the legal maintenance, archiving, and security of all official construction documents, environmental permits, blueprints, and municipal inspection records in full alignment with AIDB procedures and state retention policies.
Partner with external architects, engineers, and consultants in developing plans, schematics, and technical specifications for new construction, capital improvements, and major renovation projects.
Review, evaluate, and approve all technical plans, construction drawings, and specifications prior to bid letting on new construction, renovations, and major equipment acquisitions.
Collaborate with the Purchasing Department to draft technical bid specifications, work scopes, and contract documentation for supplies, equipment, and contracted construction projects.
Oversee and inspect internal construction and repair work executed by in-house technicians, as well as capital projects completed by external general contractors.
Maintain a central, secure, up-to-date repository of all blueprints, building plans, technical drawings, and engineering specifications for all AIDB facilities and equipment statewide.
Direct and manage performance compliance for external vendor and service contracts, including custodial/janitorial contracts, HVAC maintenance, fire protection/alarm systems, emergency generators, and commercial kitchen suppression systems.
Ensure third-party contractors strictly adhere to contract terms, scope obligations, safety protocols, and quality standards.
Implement, manage, and optimize computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) for work-order tracking, preventative maintenance scheduling, asset tracking, and inventory control.
Establish comprehensive preventative maintenance and component asset management programs to maximize system lifespans and ensure operational safety.
Direct and organize the setup, logistics, and staging of institutional assets for special events, ceremonies, and major functions.
Serve as the executive point of contact for campus central station alerts (fire alarms, elevator emergencies, utility outages) and direct emergency on-call technical teams during after-hours, weekends, crisis situations, and severe weather events.
Formulate, manage, and monitor the department's annual operating and capital budgets; determine optimal allocation and utilization of AIDB physical resources.
Review, verify, and approve departmental payroll, purchase requisitions, account number assignments, travel authorizations, and travel vouchers.
Ensure all campus infrastructure, building modifications, and physical plant operations comply strictly with applicable federal, state, and local laws, environmental regulations, and safety mandates.
Obtain a sign language proficiency level of SURVIVAL according to the AIDB evaluation system within the designated timeframe.