EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UTILITY SERVICES

Duke Careers • Durham, NC

37d • $103,362 - $206,722

About The Position

At Duke, we celebrate individuality and the unique perspectives that each member of our community brings. As the Executive Director, Utilities & Engineering Services, you’ll be a vital part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary organization responsible for campus-wide utility systems, engineering services, and the operations that support Duke’s academic, research, healthcare, and residential missions.

The Executive Director of Utilities & Engineering Services provides strategic, operational, and financial leadership for Duke University’s campus-wide utility systems and engineering services. Reporting to the Vice President of Facilities, this role is responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective delivery of utilities and engineering support that enable Duke’s academic, research, healthcare, and residential missions.

The Executive Director leads a multidisciplinary organization responsible for central utility plants, distribution systems, energy management, engineering services, capital program support, and regulatory compliance across a complex, high-reliability campus environment.

Requirements

• BS degree in a Facilities Management-related field. Engineering degree preferred.
• Fifteen years’ experience in the Facilities Management or related field including progressive leadership experience.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in a large, complex district utility systems in a mission critical environment.
• Strong customer service philosophy and ability to motivate staff in a changing environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences.
• Computer skills in MS Office; analytical skills related to productivity; ability to understand processes, procedures, and budgets.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a higher education or similar setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Planning
• Set and execute a long-term vision for Duke’s utility and engineering services aligned with institutional priorities, climate commitments, and growth plans.
• Develop and implement utility master plans, infrastructure renewal strategies, and resiliency initiatives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to university leadership on infrastructure risk, capacity planning, and investment decisions.
• Provide administrative oversight to ensure the seamless operation of unit
• Operations & Reliability
• Ensure safe, continuous, and resilient operation of campus utilities, including electricity, steam, chilled and hot water, domestic water, sewer, and stormwater systems to the University and Medical Center.
• Lead incident response, outage management, and business continuity planning for critical infrastructure.
• Establish performance metrics and continuous improvement programs focused on reliability, safety, and service quality.
• Engineering & Technical Services
• Provide oversight strategic guidance of Engineering team including engineering standards, system design review, commissioning support, and technical guidance for capital projects and renovations.
• Provide governance for utility interfaces with new construction, major research facilities, and healthcare-related infrastructure.
• Promote standardization, asset management best practices, and lifecycle-based decision making.
• Capital Program & Financial Stewardship
• Plan, prioritize, and manage a multi-year capital renewal and improvement portfolio.
• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets; optimize lifecycle costs and return on investment.
• Partner with necessary entities to deliver projects on schedule and within budget.
• Energy Management & Decarbonization
• Advance Duke’s energy efficiency, electrification, decarbonization, and climate resilience goals.
• Leverage data, analytics, and emerging technologies to reduce energy use, emissions, and operating costs across all utility plants.
• Collaborate with the University’s Office of Climate and Sustainability on campus climate initiatives.
• Safety, Compliance & Risk Management
• Champion a strong culture of safety, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, permits, and utility regulations.
• Proactively identify and mitigate infrastructure, operational, and cyber-physical risks.
• People, Culture & Partnerships
• Lead, develop, and mentor a diverse team of engineering, operations, and technical professionals.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture.
• Build strong partnerships with campus stakeholders, local utilities, regulators, and peer institutions.
• Address personnel issues, including hiring, coaching, discipline, and matters related to union contracts.
• Identify skills gaps within staff and provide coaching and guidance.
• Participate in the annual performance appraisal process.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with collective bargaining unit.
• Advise senior leadership on all matters relating to their assigned unit.
• Act as a representative of Facilities Management in internal meetings, committees, and when engaging with external groups.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by department leadership.

Benefits

• Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members.

What This Job Offers

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