Director of Facilities Operations, Planning & Projects

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Director of Facilities Operations, Planning & Projects

Job Profile Title

Director C, Facilities

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Annenberg School’s (ASC) Chief Financial Officer & Executive Director of Facilities Operations, the Director of Facilities Operations, Planning, and Projects is the senior administrative leader and functional subject matter expert for the school’s facilities operations, maintenance, planning initiatives, and projects. This position provides counsel and support to the CFO/Executive Director on maintenance and operations, and on the planning and execution of both small and capital projects.

The position ensures that all facilities maintenance, repairs, and general building operations are conducted in accordance with established standards, drawing on extensive knowledge, experience, and expertise to maintain and enhance the physical environment and protect and preserve resources at ASC. This position serves as the principal liaison for the administration and coordination of daily facilities operations with various university departments, ensuring optimal delivery and performance of maintenance, building systems, utilities, housekeeping, security, and construction services.

The Director also works in close collaboration with the CFO/Executive Director and cross-functional teams to provide strategic direction and oversight for ASC master planning, including space planning, office, classroom, and conference room reconfigurations, and building renovations, ensuring alignment with the school’s strategic vision and long-term goals.

The Director oversees capital project formation and feasibility analyses, and the development of project scopes and budget estimates for project initiation, and facilitates the creation of actionable plans to ensure the effective use of facility resources that meet operational, research, and educational needs at the school.

*This position is considered "essential” and is not hybrid-eligible.*
*The Director is on call 24/7 for facility emergencies.*

Job Description

Responsibilities

Facilities Operations:

 

• Responsible for the supervision, coordination, and administration of operations, including maintenance, repair, renovation, housekeeping, safety, and security for facilities and surrounding grounds with the objective of ensuring a well-maintained physical plant and optimum service delivery to the school community.
• Coordinates with University operations departments to ensure proper and safe building functions, including, but not limited to, routine maintenance and repairs to HVAC, electrical, and mechanical systems, other utilities, elevators, security and safety systems, and building signage.
• Collaborates and coordinates with the Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES), Division of Public Safety (DPS), Allied Security, the Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS), and other departments across the University. Serves as the liaison between building occupants, University departments, and outside vendors.
• Leads with a strong customer service orientation, addressing occupants' concerns promptly. Fosters a culture of service-oriented collaboration, accountability, innovation, and improvement. Builds strong partnerships with external partners and stakeholders.
• Implements and oversees the facilities support ticketing system to triage, track, and complete community support requests.
• Troubleshoots problems, recommends, and implements long-term solutions. Conducts or delegates daily tours to assess building conditions and ensure suitable conditions are maintained. Develops and documents standard operating procedures and best practices for routine processes.
• Supervises and directs the daily tasks of a Building Services Assistant and monitors quality control of Housekeeping (FRES) and Security (Allied Security) supervision to ensure clean/safe/secure building practices are being met.
• Monitors the completion of University work orders and ensures follow-up as needed.
• Collaborates with the ASC Director of Events to oversee facilities' logistics and the impacts of special events at the school.
• Manages and coordinates office space assignments and moves, manages storage spaces, and ensures inventory, handling, and disposal of stored goods.
• Coordinates and communicates utility shutdowns and emergency drills. Communicates the status of repairs, service interruptions, and the impacts of renovation and construction to the school community. Ensures proper communication of emergency situations.

 

Facilities Capital Planning & Project Management

 

• Partners and collaborates with the CFO/Executive Director to:
• Facilitate long-range planning processes, including multi-year plans and projections that consider facility renewal, operational alignment, and overall life-cycle cost of physical resources.
• Develop multi-year financial models and strategies for facilities initiatives.
• Develop preliminary cost models and feasibility assessments for emerging projects.
• Assist with preparing Capital Needs Statements and Funding Certification documents to initiate and fund capital projects.
• Provide space and feasibility planning and pre-design expertise to small and capital construction projects to meet the school's space needs, ranging from office renovations to major building redesign.
• Liaise with architects, engineers, and external consultants, and represent the school at planning and design meetings.
• Provides departmental leadership and administrative oversight for deferred maintenance, capital construction, renovation, and other project initiatives.
• Monitors contractor and vendor performance to ensure adherence to quality, budget, and timeline expectations.
• Coordinates temporary displacement resulting from capital projects, including the identification of swing space options/opportunities, furniture and equipment moving and storage, etc.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications:

 

• Bachelor's degree and 7 to 10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Experience in a university setting preferred.
• Professional licensure or certification, such as Registered Architect (RA), Professional Engineer (PE), Certified Educational Facilities Professional (CEFP), Project Management Professional (PMP), Facility Management Professional (FMP), Certified Facility Manager (CFM), or similar credentials, preferred.
• Must be a dynamic, self-motivated leader with outstanding written and verbal communication skills. Excellent organizational skills, resilience, flexibility, and an inclusive attitude are required. Must have the ability to effectively manage time, prioritize deliverables, and organize workload.
• Demonstrated facilities operations management experience of public-serving environments, with a keen understanding of the diverse needs of a community-oriented institution.
• Must understand the commitment to service and have a desire to work within a diverse, collaborative, and professional environment. Ability to work independently and with teams, build relationships, and interact professionally and effectively.
• Strong managerial experience, with proficiency in overseeing and delegating job assignments and ensuring tasks are completed to the highest standards.
• Proven adaptability, multi-tasking, and decision-making skills, providing support across multiple operational aspects, while maintaining focus on core building management responsibilities.
• Experience coordinating with external vendors to facilitate necessary repairs or services, track costs, and ensure budget compliance.
• Experience with strategic space planning required.
• Extensive knowledge of construction processes, project controls, cost estimating, value engineering, and complex capital projects is required.
• Experience integrating sustainability, energy management, and accessibility principles into capital projects and facilities planning.
• Familiarity with procurement processes, design and construction contracting methods, and capital budgeting practices.
• Experience preparing materials and presentations for School and University leadership, advisory boards, trustees, donors, or external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite (MS Project, PowerPoint, & Excel), Shared drives, Facilities Ticketing Systems, and project management software required.
• This job requires occasional lifting of 25 to 50 pounds. Typically bending, crouching, stooping, standing, or walking.

 

Application Requirement 

 

• A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. 

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Annenberg School for Communication

Pay Range

$110,907.00 - $135,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay