Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Facilities Operations

Wesleyan University, founded in 1831, is a diverse, energetic liberal arts community where critical thinking and practical idealism go hand in hand.

Position Details
The Facilities Team supports the mission of Wesleyan University by providing a safe, clean, functional, attractive, and sustainable campus in which to live, work and learn.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer, the Assistant Vice President ( AVP ) for Facilities Operations is a key member of the administrative team that provides strategic and operational leadership and oversight for the facilities department.

The AVP for Facilities Operations manages a real estate portfolio of approximately 300 University buildings with almost 3 million square feet of facilities on a campus of more than 300 acres in Middletown, Connecticut.

The facilities operations team consists of approximately 110 full-time professional, technical and maintenance staff, of which approximately half are contract janitorial staff.

The AVP for Facilities Operations manages an annual operating budget of more than $20M for maintenance, environmental health and safety, fire safety, energy management, real estate, and rental properties.

The AVP for Facilities Operations will directly oversee the Director of Physical Plant Operations, Director of Environmental Services, and the Facilities Business Manager.

The AVP for Facilities Operations will partner with the Assistant Vice President for Construction and Infrastructure in the implementation of the University’s campus master planning and achievement of carbon neutrality.

Responsibilities include:

• Leads an efficient, effective, innovative, responsive, and empowered facilities team and promotes a culture of continuous improvement, customer service orientation, and a commitment to diversity within the organization.
• Provides leadership in maintaining a safe, healthy, sustainable, and disaster-resilient environment that provides faculty, students and staff with the environment and functionality required to perform at the highest levels of achievement.
• Provides oversight to strategies associated with the maintenance of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC systems and general building structures.
• Develop and implement strategic plans and initiatives regarding preventative maintenance.
• Makes effective hiring decisions, sets expectations, and clarifies roles and responsibilities of direct and indirect reports.
• Effectively manages the University’s real estate portfolio valued at more than $1 Billion to optimize university assets including the leasing and acquisition of new properties, management of 100 rental properties, and the disposition of underperforming assets.
• Provides the leadership to the facilities operations team to plan, organize and respond to campus emergencies including but not limited to weather and other major events to maintain business continuity.
• Cultivates and maintains working relationships with relevant neighborhood, business, city, state, and federal agencies, public utilities and building industry groups. ·
• Measures, monitors, and benchmarks facilities and energy performance against peers and best practices to ensure that the University is performing at the highest level.
• Ensures requisite safety and code compliance in all areas of Facilities operations.
• Collaborates with Human Resources in the negotiation and implementation of collective bargaining agreements.
• Proactively develops and maintains a collegial working relationship with the union membership and ensures compliance with collective bargaining agreements. ·
• Oversees and monitors the annual facilities operating budgets.
• Delivers timely, informative, and critical internal communications to faculty, staff and other stakeholders regarding facilities conditions on campus.
• Survey campus (grounds and buildings) regularly with a safety, improvements and campus visitors lens.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
A minimum of ten years of successful and increasingly responsible management experience in facilities operations.
A proven record of accomplishment leading organizational change and creating a facilities operation committed to optimizing operations, continuing improvement and delivering services in a cost-effective, transparent, and efficient manner.
Expert knowledge of local, state and federal laws and codes that apply to facilities. Strong knowledge of computerized maintenance management systems ( CMMS ) and/or work order/asset management software technology.
Demonstrated financial planning and analysis skills, and organizational planning skills. Demonstrated commitment to building a diverse workforce and proven ability to recruit and retain highly qualified staff members.
Excellent communication skills.
Demonstrated understanding of skilled technical trades leadership.
Demonstrated ability to provide guidance and support to individuals resulting in high performing teams.
Demonstrated creative problem-solving and strategic-thinking skills.
Must have or be able to obtain a valid State of Connecticut driver’s license in good standing.
Must be able to satisfy the physical demands of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degree in engineering, architecture, planning or business management. Experience with collective bargaining negotiations and managing to union agreements.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Wesleyan University has retained the services of the Executive Search Firm Helbling & Associates (www.helblingsearch.com) to assist in the search for Assistant Vice President ( AVP ) for Facilities Operations.

For consideration qualified candidates should email James Lord, Executive Director, Northeast at jiml@helblingsearch.com
Additional Information
Any and all offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidate’s completion of a pre-employment background check screening to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.

Wesleyan requires all employees to be vaccinated against Covid 19 unless they meet the criteria for a medical or religious exemption. New employees must be vaccinated prior to their start date. If an employee needs an exemption for medical or religious reasons, they must submit a request to Wesleyan and be approved before their start date.

Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX, Section 504, or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed to: Alison Williams, Vice President for Equity & Inclusion/ Title IX Officer, 860-685-3927, awilliams@wesleyan.edu.