Director of College Facilities Planning, College of Engineering

University of Delaware•Newark, NJ

About The Position

The Director of College Facilities Planning serves as a member of the College of Engineering Business Office Management Team, contributing to effective college administrative management. Reporting to the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, this role is responsible for the efficient planning and renovation of College-wide Facilities. The Director actively participates in strategic planning and decision-making within the College's business administrative leadership team. This position acts as the primary liaison between the College of Engineering and various UD departments including Facilities Project Planning & Delivery (PPD), Facilities Maintenance & Operations, Custodial Services, Public Safety, and Environmental Health and Safety. The role oversees the maintenance, custodial services, construction, safety, and emergency preparedness for approximately 332,000 square feet of UD campus and leased space across about 20 buildings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering or related discipline.
Six years of experience in construction or facilities management, preferably in a college environment, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Background in business administration.
Effective problem-solving skills and a high level of independent judgment.
Financial management skills and the ability to resolve complex administrative/procedural issues.
Ability to analyze and interpret financial data, prepare financial reports and projections, and budgetary items for validity and compliance.
Skill in examining processes, organizing resources, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
Ability to develop, plan, and implement short and long-range goals.
Ability to supervise and train assigned staff, including organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
Employee development and performance management skills.
Ability to develop and maintain record keeping systems and procedures.
Ability to make sound objective judgments and ethical decisions.
Ability to read, understand, follow, and enforce safety procedures.
Knowledge of safety processes, building code, and related University policies.
Familiarity with design, estimating, and construction disciplines.
Ability to negotiate and manage contractual arrangements.
Ability to manage and share/explain information to a wide range of clientele.
Must be assertive, tactful, and communicate effectively both verbally and in written format to a diverse audience.
Ability to foster a cooperative environment.
Ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.

Nice To Haves

Intermediate computer knowledge and experience working with PeopleSoft, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio, and AutoCAD is preferred.

Responsibilities

Direct, guide, and anticipate issues regarding facilities management of the College of Engineering, managing an annual budget of approximately $12M for operation, maintenance, safety, and emergency preparedness.
Provide counsel to the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and College Business Office Teams on Facilities Planning and Renovation matters.
Assist in the creation of an annual facilities budget, manage the annual facilities budget, and perform variable cost analyses for financial projections.
Lead the College of Engineering Facilities Team, directly managing the Assistant Director of Engineering Facilities Planning and four master machinists, while maintaining functional relationships with 10 departmental laboratory coordinators and electronics technicians.
Leverage the technical knowledge, mechanical skills, safety training, space planning, project management, and communication strengths of the team to serve inter-departmental needs or undertake College-wide projects/initiatives.
Hold monthly meetings to review renovation project progress, brainstorm solutions for maintenance/infrastructure issues, and discuss space utilization.
Represent the College of Engineering throughout the planning, construction, and turnover of all newly built or renovated space on and off campus.
Review and interpret proposed designs, architectural drawings, and building specifications for appropriateness and institutional standards, requesting revisions as needed.
Participate in the planning and formulation of design alternatives and solutions for major construction projects.
Direct renovation and fit-out of sophisticated laboratories.
Review and approve all design and construction budgets.
Manage the acquisition, management, maintenance, and modification of leased spaces, directing complex lease arrangements and overseeing related fit-out, utilities, design, and equipment purchases.
Provide recommendations to ensure optimal and efficient utilization of CoE facilities.
Serve as a key staff member of the College of Engineering Space Planning Committee, responsible for proper space allocation, dispute resolution, and planning for future needs related to College growth.
Identify suitable on and off-campus space for renovation for research, administration, instruction, computer operations, and student organizations.
Assess renovation requirements against strategic benefits of utilizing various space options for College and University-wide initiatives.
Oversee the day-to-day updating of the College of Engineering’s space database by staff, managing occupancy changes, space repurposing, and requests for additional space; generate query reports for space analysis and strategic planning.
Oversee the updating of architectural layouts of College of Engineering space with occupancy information.
Coordinate with the Chief Administrative Officers of A&S and LCBE regarding shared leased space management.
Manage college information for the annual UD-wide space survey; provide space verification and capital equipment reports for all College of Engineering facilities.
Ensure effective maintenance, cleanliness, operation, and security of the physical plant, offices, conference rooms, open space, and teaching and research laboratories in a safe and environmentally sound manner, liaising with UD Facilities, EHS, Custodial, and Public Safety.
Meet monthly with Directors of Facilities PPD and M&O to review renovation project progress, discuss building defects and maintenance issues, and prioritize next steps.
Work with Facilities M&O Engineering group to resolve defective infrastructure systems (e.g., process chilled water, compressed air, fume hood ventilation).
Champion efforts to determine root causes of defects, collaborate with Facilities M&O and consultants for solutions, and advocate for implementation.
Coordinate with Facilities IT to ensure accurate electronic card access information for COE buildings is imported into ProWatch.
Serve as a College of Engineering representative on the University Chemical Hygiene Committee, meeting frequently with EHS to review safety concerns in research environments and ensure annual OSHA Right-to-Know training for staff.
Coordinate with UD Public Safety and Parking Services for temporary traffic pattern and parking space modifications for special events.
Pursue and manage corporate donations of material assets (furnishings, lab equipment, casework) for re-deployment within the College of Engineering.
Optimize the use of lab and office furniture across the College by managing a communal spare furniture storage area.
Direct, supervise, and provide leadership to exempt and non-exempt staff to ensure performance consistent with University and College policies.
Perform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.