Executive Director of Facilities Operations and Engineering

Description:
Job Description Summary:
The Executive Director of Facilities Operations and Engineering provides executive leadership, technical direction, and business process oversight for facilities engineering, operations, and maintenance across Samuel Merritt University's Oakland, Sacramento, Fresno, Foster City, and future campus locations. Supported by a multi-disciplinary team of managers, engineers, and facilities staff, this position owns the strategic direction, capital planning, engineering standards, and financial and vendor stewardship of University building systems and physical infrastructure, while ensuring safe, code-compliant, accessible, and sustainable facilities that support SMU's educational, clinical, research, and administrative missions.
The Executive Director serves as the University's senior facilities executive and is accountable to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer & CIO for the strategic performance, regulatory compliance, and fiscal responsibility of the Facilities Management enterprise. This position is the University's primary facilities advisor to executive leadership on infrastructure investment, capital strategy, engineering standards, and risk management, and is responsible for ensuring University facilities and building systems are designed, maintained, and operated consistent with applicable California codes and regulations, including the California Building Standards Code (Title 24, California Code of Regulations), Cal/OSHA occupational safety requirements (Title 8, California Code of Regulations), the California Fire Code, CalGreen sustainability standards, California's accessibility standards (Title 24, Chapter 11B, harmonized with the Americans with Disabilities Act), and applicable local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) requirements in each city SMU operates in.
This is an essential position that may be called upon to lead the University's response in the event of an emergency and/or university closure.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Executive Oversight (25%)
Provide executive leadership, technical direction, and business process oversight for Facilities Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance on a systemwide basis.
Develop and implement short- and long-range facilities strategic plans, departmental goals, service standards, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
Serve as the University's primary facilities advisor to executive leadership on infrastructure investment, capital strategy, and operational performance.
Establish and maintain departmental governance frameworks, policies, standards, and operational governance for Facilities Management.
Direct organizational planning, workforce development, and succession planning for the Facilities Management enterprise.
Provide executive direction, coaching, and performance oversight to the Director of Facilities and departmental managers.
Promote a University-wide culture of accountability, customer service, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Capital Planning and Engineering Oversight (20%)
Oversee, direct, and perform capital planning and engineering review for University facilities, building systems, and physical infrastructure.
Develop and maintain multi-year capital improvement plans addressing deferred maintenance, alterations, repairs, and building system replacement.
Provide engineering support for operations, maintenance, and capital planning activities, and ensure design and construction work complies with the California Building Standards Code (Title 24 CCR), applicable energy code requirements, and local Authority Having Jurisdiction requirements.
Participate in University capital planning processes for renovation, expansion, campus activation, and academic growth initiatives.
Advance the University's education, clinical, and research missions by ensuring a welcoming, safe, and accessible physical environment consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act and California accessibility standards (Title 24, Chapter 11B).
Sponsor return-on-investment and total-cost-of-ownership analyses for major capital and infrastructure projects.
Facilities Operations, Maintenance, and Technology Governance (15%)
Direct the effective use of technology — including the University's work order and computerized maintenance management system (e.g., TeamDynamix (TDX)) — in maintenance and operations processes.
Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the University's maintenance work order system and preventive maintenance program.
Establish enterprise service levels, KPIs, and performance dashboards for facilities operations and maintenance to ensure effective, accessible, and sustainable building system operations.
Ensure timely, effective, efficient, and professional customer service for campus users across all locations.
Oversee University-wide emergency response and business continuity planning for facilities operations.
Financial Stewardship and Business Operations (15%)
Develop, own, and administer operating and capital budgets for the Facilities Management enterprise.
Review and approve significant contracts, purchase requests, and expenditures; approve capital project funding recommendations.
Establish financial controls, procurement governance standards, and pre-spend review processes for the department.
Serve as the University's primary business partner for major facilities, utility, and infrastructure vendor and service-provider relationships, holding contract strategy, negotiation, and final approval authority while delegating day-to-day administration as appropriate.
Ensure responsible stewardship of University financial resources and assets.
Compliance, Safety, and Risk Management (15%)
Ensure University-wide compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing facilities, including Cal/OSHA (Title 8 CCR), the California Building Standards Code (Title 24 CCR), ADA and California accessibility standards, NFPA standards, EPA regulations, and applicable accreditation requirements.
Direct the University's response to regulatory inspections, audits, and corrective action programs at the executive level.
Own emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning for Facilities Management, and serve as an essential-personnel executive during emergencies and University closures.
Escalate and resolve material compliance, safety, or risk issues, and report status to executive leadership.
Leadership and Staff Development (10%)
Recruit, develop, mentor, and evaluate senior facilities leadership, including the Director of Facilities and departmental managers.
Build a culture of accountability, respect, safety, customer service, and continuous improvement across the Facilities Management enterprise.
Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment and lead workforce and succession planning for the department.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in one of the following fields:
Engineering
Facilities Management
Construction Management
Organizational Management
Public Administration
Business Administration
Operations Management
Related Discipline
OR
An equivalent combination of education, technical training, certifications, military experience, and progressively responsible facilities leadership experience may be substituted for the degree requirement.
Degree Equivalency
Associate Degree + 15 years related leadership experience
No Degree + 18 years progressive facilities leadership experience
Military facilities management or engineering leadership experience may be considered equivalent.
Experience
Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in facilities management, engineering, operations and maintenance, utilities, or public administration, including at least six (6) years in a senior management or executive capacity overseeing multi-site or multi-campus operations.
Planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating facilities projects, programs, and initiatives at an enterprise level.
Leadership of maintenance, capital planning, business, and financial operations.
Strategic planning, design, and deployment of facilities and infrastructure programs.
Experience administering multi-million-dollar operating and capital budgets.
Experience administering enterprise vendor and service contracts.
Resolving conflict and addressing competing interests among stakeholders.
Building accountability, respect, and performance within a team.
Process improvement leadership.
Editing and writing business correspondence using proper grammar and punctuation, as demonstrated in application materials.
Collecting and analyzing data, summarizing findi

Skills
Process Improvement, Negotiation, Risk Management, Procurement, Regulatory Compliance