Trades Services Manager

Cal Poly Pomona•Pomona, CA

6d•$124,884

About The Position

The Trades Services Manager provides leadership, direction, and operational oversight for Cal Poly Pomona’s Facilities Planning and Management Trades Shops, including HVAC, Controls, Electrical, Plumbing, Maintenance, Paint, and Lock. Through shop supervisors, the manager plans and coordinates daily operations, staffing, work-order scheduling, and preventive and corrective maintenance to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable campus facilities and infrastructure. The role oversees campus mechanical, electrical, plumbing, utility, building automation, and physical-security systems, along with maintenance programs, inspections, shutdowns, emergency repairs, and infrastructure renewal activities. It ensures work complies with applicable codes, regulations, safety standards, university policies, and quality requirements, and oversees documentation and asset records in the TMA/CMMS maintenance management system. The manager leads complex, multi-trade operational, deferred-maintenance, and special projects, coordinating internal teams, contractors, consultants, vendors, and campus stakeholders. The role partners with Planning, Design & Construction and other university units to support capital projects, building-system and utility work, commissioning, maintenance, and continuity of campus services. The position also supports utility and shop budgeting, financial forecasting and reporting, procurement, project documentation, vendor evaluation, and cost-effective infrastructure planning. It provides personnel leadership across assigned shops, including organizational planning, coaching, performance management, employee development, and resolution of personnel matters. The incumbent is expected to foster a service-oriented, safe, accountable, and collaborative workplace and to evaluate and improve organizational structure and processes in alignment with university and departmental priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university, or equivalent education and experience.
Valid in-state driver’s license.
At least five years of progressively responsible facilities operations and maintenance experience in a complex institutional, commercial, healthcare, higher education, or public-sector environment.
Three to five years of direct supervisory or management experience overseeing multiple skilled-trades operations such as plumbing, maintenance, paint, lock, HVAC, or electrical.
Experience managing preventive and predictive maintenance programs for building infrastructure and utility systems.
Experience coordinating multi-trade maintenance, deferred-maintenance, and infrastructure-improvement projects.
Experience coordinating major maintenance projects, system shutdowns, repairs, and capital-improvement initiatives.
Experience managing operational budgets, cost tracking, and financial reporting.
Experience collaborating with contractors, consultants, project managers, and cross-functional stakeholders in an active operational environment.
Experience interpreting and applying building codes, OSHA requirements, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
Demonstrated experience developing scopes of work, technical specifications, and RFPs, and evaluating contractor or vendor performance.
Thorough knowledge of facilities maintenance, building operations, skilled trades, and relevant practices, methods, and regulations, including HVAC, controls/building automation, electrical, plumbing, maintenance, paint, and lock services.
Comprehensive knowledge of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, utility distribution, and building infrastructure systems and preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs.
Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, building codes, environmental requirements, OSHA standards, and CSU facilities operations and maintenance policies.
Knowledge of CMMS, work-order management, asset management, and maintenance planning principles.
Knowledge of project management, contract administration, budgeting, procurement, and resource allocation.
Knowledge of supervisory and management principles, including employee development, performance management, labor relations, and organizational effectiveness.
Ability to act independently, exercise discernment and judgment, provide clear feedback to management, and make independent decisions as appropriate.
Demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills to manage multiple trade shops through subordinate supervisors and foster accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills to prioritize operational demands, manage complex maintenance activities, and resolve critical infrastructure issues.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills to build effective relationships with campus leadership, staff, contractors, consultants, and other stakeholders.
Ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple projects, maintenance programs, personnel, and resources while balancing operational needs with long-term campus objectives.

Nice To Haves

Certified Facility Manager (CFM), APPA certification, PMP, or trade-related certifications.
Experience in a university or large-campus environment.
Experience with utility operations and infrastructure renewal planning.
Supervisory experience in a collective-bargaining and represented-staff environment.
Certified Education Facilities Professional (CEFP) certification through the Association of Physical Plant Administrators.

Responsibilities

Lead, direct, and oversee campus Trades Shops, including HVAC, Controls, Electrical, Plumbing, Maintenance, Paint, and Lock.
Supervise shop supervisors and coordinate daily operations, staffing, work-order scheduling, preventive maintenance, and corrective maintenance.
Direct operation, maintenance, repair, and continuous improvement of campus mechanical, electrical, plumbing, utility, building automation, and related infrastructure systems.
Ensure operational and maintenance activities comply with codes, regulatory requirements, safety standards, environmental requirements, manufacturer recommendations, and university policies.
Develop and improve preventive, predictive, and routine maintenance programs for buildings, utilities, and campus assets.
Oversee use of the TMA/CMMS for maintenance scheduling, asset records, inspections, and documentation.
Monitor system performance and equipment condition, identify infrastructure renewal needs, and recommend and implement upgrades and replacement strategies.
Plan and manage maintenance shutdowns, utility outages, emergency repairs, and infrastructure restoration, coordinating university personnel, contractors, consultants, and outside agencies.
Conduct facility inspections and direct corrective actions to maintain safe, reliable, and efficient building operations.
Oversee the Lock Shop, including campus door hardware standards, keying systems, and physical security requirements; coordinate security hardware specifications and campus security initiatives with relevant stakeholders.
Lead complex multi-trade projects and oversee operational, deferred-maintenance, and special projects for safe, timely, compliant delivery.
Coordinate project schedules, communication, and integration with campus operations; communicate project updates, impacts, changes, and risks to the direct supervisor.
Partner with Planning, Design & Construction, FPM leadership, campus departments, consultants, and contractors on building systems and utility planning, design, construction, commissioning, maintenance, and operations.
Work with the Director of Operations & Maintenance and Senior Associate Vice President of FPM on utility-related budgets and costs.
Develop short- and long-term utility-system strategies and, with the Capital Finance & Budget Manager, prepare annual operating and capital budgets for assigned shops.
Monitor expenditures, assist with budget forecasting and trend analysis, and prepare financial pro formas and monthly reports.
Maintain accurate records and regulatory compliance, and oversee maintenance and repair work to established quality and safety standards.
Coordinate cost estimates and communicate deferred-maintenance priorities to stakeholders; identify funding opportunities and improve operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Prepare procurement and project documentation, including RFPs, plans, technical specifications, and campus performance standards; process requisitions for goods and services.
Evaluate contractor and vendor performance and provide input on capital and maintenance projects.
Lead personnel management for assigned shops, including organizational planning, position and job-description development, performance management, coaching, attendance management, and resolution of personnel issues.
Ensure employee accountability and compliance with university policies, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable employment practices.
Promote a collaborative, service-driven, customer-focused, safe, and professional work environment; coach and mentor staff and support employee development.
Maintain current knowledge of industry standards, emerging technologies, and best practices.
Evaluate and improve departmental structure, staffing, roles, workflows, and processes in alignment with the FPM Strategy Map, university mission, operational needs, and available resources; implement approved structural changes and collaborate across units to establish and inspect standards.