Assistant Vice President, Campus, Facilities Operations, Construction & Planning

Job Description

Summary of the Role:

Reporting to the Vice President of Campus Operations, the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Facilities Operations, Construction & Planning is responsible for Facilities Operations, Mail Services, Sustainability, Space Management, and Annual Space Planning & Construction.

This pivotal position provides the leadership and direction for care of the physical plant and the services provided to the campus community, including all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life safety systems, maintenance, custodial/recycling, pest control, elevators, and renewal / repair renovations. In this capacity, the role supervises internal managers including the Facilities Managers (Engineering & Building Systems, Work Control, Maintenance & Building Envelope, Events & Grounds, Custodial, Mail Services, Campus Services), external embedded consultants, and union staff.

The AVP will bring deep experience and expertise in customer service, facilities management of a city-based campus, a collaborative mindset, and an understanding of the intersection between facilities operations and financial levers driving annual stewardship reflecting the connection between preventative/planned maintenance, deferred maintenance, programmatic driven space changes, space management, and service to stakeholders.

The AVP should have broad experience in the day-to-day management of facilities staff, business and operational process driven optimization, and aligning physical campuses to executive strategic plans.

Key Responsibilities:

Facilities Operations & Maintenance:

• Lead trades managers, responsible for the day-to-day operations of campus facilities, including maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.

• Manage custodial contract and response ensuring cleanliness of campus

• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal building codes and environmental regulations.

• Implement preventive and predictive maintenance programs to extend the lifecycle of assets and reduce emergency repairs.

• Identify deferred maintenance needs and assist in prioritizing, and ultimately leading execution of the plan to renew and replace building systems

• Direct the Facilities managers responsible for campus-wide utility systems (electricity, water, HVAC, etc.) and implement energy efficiency initiatives.

• Lead the Combined Heat/Power Plant and long-term strategies associated with BERDO / LBIR submission and improvements

• Oversee service contracts, vendor performance, and procurement for maintenance-related supplies and equipment.

• Lead the Facilities Operations: Events and Grounds team, supporting logistics, setup/breakdown, wayfinding, etc. for all events across campus

• Lead facilities operations support and response during emergency situations

Planning & Construction:

• Member of Space Planning Advisory Committee as facilities lead to inform building conditions and needs as they relate to requests

• Lead Annual Construction projects, coordinating as required and with construction team OPM, architects, engineers, CMs, etc. to ensure project cope, schedule, and budgets are clearly defined and maintained, and ensure execution on time and under budget

• Collaborate with Vice President on development of metrics to track individual project and comprehensive portfolio budget, timelines, and complete executive reporting

• Assist Vice President on completion of Major Capital Projects

• Lead all space reporting requirements for both internal and external needs

Mail Services:

• Lead Mail Services, currently contracted to outside vendor

• Lead long-term strategic planning and business process optimization of mail / logistics

Strategic Planning and Executive Communication:

• Provide Support to VP as required on all reporting to SVP/President/BoT on benchmarking, KPI’s, etc.

• Lead campus wide communications for facilities operations and annual planning & construction initiatives

• Lead Business process optimization strategies across departments

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree

• Minimum 10+ years of relevant experience with a campus based / urban environment or similarly complex environment

• Proven supervisory experience managing union and non-union personnel, contractors, vendors, and professional consultants to achieve organizational objectives

• Experience with project planning, contract negotiations and policy formation in facilities areas

• Demonstrated understanding of EH&S concepts

• Knowledge of regulatory compliance and safety standards

• Understanding and experience with training techniques for teams

• Ability to respond to emergency conditions and function effectively under pressure

• Understanding of EH&S Concepts

• Understanding and experience with training techniques for teams

• Available for university emergency response operations outside of standard work hours, including, but not limited to nights, weekends, holidays, or university closure days as needed

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in Higher education

• Master’s degree in a related field (engineering, facilities management, business administration etc.)

• Experience with facilities management systems

Competencies:

• Leadership and Team Management:

  • Serve as a senior member of the Campus Operations Team

  • Skilled in delegation and task management

  • Ability to motivate, mentor, and support team members in achieving project goals

• Communication:

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Ability to present ideas and information clearly to stakeholders

• Customer-Oriented Mindset:

  • Ability to understand customer needs and ensure the work aligns with client expectations

  •  Strong focus on delivering high-quality products and services

• Collaboration:

  • Ability to work effectively with diverse teams, stakeholders, and clients

  • Skilled in fostering a cooperative and supportive working environment

• Time Management:

  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively

  • Ability to manage multiple projects/programs simultaneously and meet deadlines

• Problem-Solving:

  • Experience in troubleshooting and resolving conflicts within teams or projects

Position Details:

Primarily on-campus 5 days a week; occasionally supporting off hours (commencement, emergency support).  This is a full time, benefits eligible, 37.5 hour work week schedule.

The job grade for this position is Grade 13.     

The expected wage range for this position is between $160,000 and $208,000 which reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this role.

At this time, the university is unable to sponsor applicants for H-1B visas. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Assistant Director, Engineering & Building Systems

• Maintenance & Building Envelope Manager

• Facilities Events & Grounds Manager

• Work Control Supervisor

• Outsourced Consultants:

  • Custodial Vendor

  • Mail Services Vendor

  • Sustainability Vendor

Compensation and Benefits

Wentworth Institute of Technology is committed to fair, transparent, and legally compliant compensation practices. We believe that clarity about pay structures and ranges supports equity, fosters trust, and ensures a positive workplace for all employees.

Please visit here to see the comprehensive benefits package offered to support the best experience for our employees. https://wit.edu/careers/work-wentworth

Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth

Inclusive Excellence is one of the four pillars of the Strategic Plan. Actively and intentionally cultivating a diverse and culturally competent institution where each member has the opportunity and support to reach their full potential and make contributions to our campus community and beyond is Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth.

To find out more about the Wentworth’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence, please visit the website https://wit.edu/about/inclusive-excellence.

All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support or accommodations, contact the Executive Director of Equity and Compliance, Catlin Wells, at wellsc1@wit.edu.

E-Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)

Wentworth participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from your Form I-9 to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.