Director of College Facilities Planning, College of Engineering

Pay Grade 32E

Context of the Job:

The Director of College Facilities Planning serves as a member of the College of Engineering Business Office Management Team which works as a cohesive unit within the College to ensure effective overall college administrative management. Under limited direction of the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, the Director of College Facilities Planning is responsible for the efficient and effective planning and needed renovation of College-wide Facilities. Actively participates in strategic planning and decision making as part of the College business administrative leadership team. The Director of College Facilities Planning represents the College of Engineering and is the principle liaison with UD Facilities Project Planning & Delivery (PPD), Facilities Maintenance & Operations, Custodial Services, Public Safety, and Environmental Health and Safety. This position also coordinates the maintenance, custodial services, construction, safety, and emergency preparedness of the College of Engineering’s facilities which total approximately 332,000 square feet of combined UD campus and leased space. The College of Engineering has a presence in approximately 20 different on and off campus buildings including the Harker Lab, Delaware Technology Park, and the STAR campus.

Major Responsibilities:

• Direct, guide and anticipate issues regarding facilities management of the College of Engineering which consists of approximately $12M annually to provide for the operation, maintenance, safety, and emergency preparedness of the College of Engineering facilities.
  • Provide counsel to the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and College Business Office Teams on matters of Facilities Planning and Renovation.
  • Assist in the creation of an annual facilities budget; manage annual facilities budget; perform variable cost analyses to make financial projections.
• Lead the College of Engineering Facilities Team; Directly manage Assistant Director of Engineering Facilities Planning, and four master machinists, while maintaining a functional relationship with 10 departmental laboratory coordinators and electronics technicians. 
  • Leverage the technical knowledge, mechanical skills, safety training, space planning, project management, and communication strengths of each member to serve inter-departmental needs or to take on College-wide projects/initiatives.   
  • Hold monthly meetings to review the progress of all ongoing renovation projects, brainstorm solutions to maintenance/infrastructure issues, and discuss space utilization solutions.     
• 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 to required functions and/or institutional standards, and requests revisions where appropriate.     
  • Participate in the planning and formulation of design alternatives and solutions for major construction projects.
  • Direct renovation and fit out of highly sophisticated laboratories.
  • Review and approve all design and construction budgets.
• Manage the acquisition, management, maintenance, and modification of leased spaces; direct complex lease arrangements; oversee the related fit-out, utilities, design and equipment purchases.
• Provide recommendations to ensure the CoE facilities are being utilized as effectively and efficiently as possible.
  • Serve as key staff member of the College of Engineering Space Planning Committee which computes proper allocation of space and settles disputes as well as plans for future needs related to College growth in faculty and student enrollment. 
  • Identifies suitable space on and off campus to renovate for research, administration, instruction, computer operations, and student organizations, etc. Assess the renovation requirements versus the strategic benefits of utilizing various space options for different College as well as University-wide initiatives.   
  • Oversee the day-to-day updating by a staff member of the College of Engineering’s own space database via online forms submitted by COE departments for occupancy changes, the re-purposing of existing space, and requests for additional space;  request specific query reports as needed for space analysis and strategic space 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 management of shared leased space.
  • Manage college information conveyed in the annual UD-wide space survey; provide space verification and capital equipment reports for all College of Engineering facilities.
• Ensure the effective maintenance, cleanliness, operation, and security of the physical plant, the offices, conference rooms, open space, and the teaching and research laboratories of the College of Engineering in a safe and environmentally sound manner; act as the principle liaison with UD Facilities Department, UD Environmental Health and Safety, UD Custodial, and UD Public Safety to accomplish these goals.
  • Meet with the Directors of Facilities PPD and M&O on a monthly basis to review the progress of all ongoing COE renovation projects, discuss solutions to building defects and maintenance issues, and prioritize the needed next steps to move toward completion of our goals.
  • Work with Facilities M&O Engineering group to seek resolutions to defective infrastructure systems such as process chilled water, compressed air, fume hood ventilation, insufficient outside air, etc. Champion the effort to determine the root cause of the defect; collaborate with Facilities M&O and outside consultants to identify solutions; lobby to implement the best solution.
  • Coordinate with Facilities IT to ensure that accurate electronic card access information for COE buildings is imported on a daily and monthly basis into ProWatch from various sources.
  • Serve as a College of Engineering representative on the University Chemical Hygiene Committee that sets University safety standards; meet with EHS on a frequent basis to review safety concerns as they continually present themselves within a research environment; ensure that all staff receive annual OSHA Right-to-Know training.
  • Coordinate with UD Public Safety and Parking Services to activate temporary traffic pattern and parking space modifications as needed for special events.
• Pursue and manage corporate donations of material assets such as furnishings, laboratory equipment, and laboratory casework for re-deployment within the College of Engineering.
• Optimize the use of lab and office furniture across the College by overseeing the management of a communal spare furniture storage area.
• Direct, supervise, and provide leadership to exempt and non-exempt staff as appropriate to ensure performance consistent with University and College policies and procedures.
• Perform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering or related discipline and 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, as well as 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.
• Intermediate computer knowledge and experience working with PeopleSoft, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio, and AutoCAD is preferred.