Director, Operations and Engineering

Job Summary

The Director, Operations and Engineering (the Director) is a member of the Facilities senior leadership team and works to advance the university’s mission through the operational and strategic direction of campus facilities’ operations, engineering, and maintenance. Specific areas of responsibility include mechanical and electrical engineering and drafting, trades, grounds, custodial services, stores, Fixit client service, commuter services, sustainability and energy planning, and the Central Heating Plant (CHP) including overseeing the direction and administration of the operation and maintenance of the CHP and the steam distribution system.

Providing senior leadership to the unit’s Assistant Directors and Managers, the Director leads annual and long-term planning, strategic visioning, goal development and forecasting, policy development and implementation for the unit, and is accountable for financial planning and resources allocation to ensure sound financial management of the unit. In addition, in conjunction with the Director, Campus Planning and Real Estate, the Director is responsible for the planning of the university’s Deferred Maintenance Plan. This includes the management and analysis of facilities condition data. The Director holds a key leadership role interfacing directly with stakeholders throughout the university community.

Reporting to the Associate Vice-Principal (AVP) (Facilities), as the ambassador for the provision of high quality facilities operations and engineering services to the university community, the Director is accountable to maximize the return on the university’s investment in facilities operations and maintenance against institutional expectations for value and ensure the delivery of client service is designed to support clients through the promotion of a supportive attitude, anticipatory service and extensive knowledge on how to best meet or exceed client service expectations. The Director is a sustainability-minded, proficient quality assurance professional with exceptional quality management and oversight skills. The Director is accountable for the development, implementation and maintenance of published Standards of Service and measures compliance to ensure that the standards are met by the unit and are adjusted where necessary.

Committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, the Director is an accomplished leader and has management responsibility for successfully empowering the operations and maintenance team to provide optimum client service with emphasis on overall client satisfaction through the daily provision of high-quality facilities operations and engineering services to the university community.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Client Service
   • Engage the university community as a strategic partner in the development of a common vision for the delivery of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services.
   • Gather crucial insights based on the development of an in-depth understanding of the university community’s facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance requirements and client service expectations and ensure that decision-making in the development and management of the facilities operations and maintenance service delivery model is in the best interest of all stakeholders.
   • Interact with clients to regularly review and evaluate the degree of satisfaction with facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services; recommend and implement solutions to meet expectations; investigate and resolve service complaints, ultimately maximizing client satisfaction through optimum client service by ensuring timely completion and follow-up of service requests and effective communication channels.
   • Oversee all operational aspects of the university’s facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance service delivery model.
   • Manage building system records, drawings, specifications and manufacturers data.
   • Negotiate service contracts for university clients requiring service beyond the published service standards. Ensure that service delivery obligations are met.
   • Partner with the Design and Construction unit of Facilities to meet the facilities operations and maintenance and multi-disciplinary client service demands of the university.
   • Act as the liaison between Facilities and Event Services to ensure that appropriate operations and maintenance services are provided in a timely way for on-campus events.
   • Oversee the research into and procurement of required technology to improve the delivery and cost-effectiveness of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services.
2. Strategic Planning/Financial Management
   • Engage in strategic visioning, goal development and forecasting and propose recommendations to the AVP (Facilities) to ensure the financial and operational viability of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services to the university community and support financial and environmental sustainability at the university through long term strategic planning for energy systems, energy management and conservation plans, sustainability programming, waste management and transportation while ensuring alignment with the university’s climate action plan goals.
   • Tactically develop and implement long-term plans for the delivery of facilities operations, engineering, and maintenance services to all campus buildings through the preparation and management of annual budgets and operational plans that are inclusive of sustainability and green initiatives. Review service delivery and budgetary variance issues with the operations and engineering unit’s management team.
   • Oversee the management of the university’s utilities budget including recommendations on purchasing of electrical and fuel products and including recovery amounts from ancillaries.
   • Oversee the strategic operational management of the Cogeneration Plant, the Central Heating Plant, and Central Building Automation Control.
   • Identify and implement risk mitigation strategies using a variety of root cause and problem-solving techniques.
   • In conjunction with the Director, Campus Planning and Real Estate, create, maintain, and prioritize the university’s Deferred Maintenance Plan. This includes the management and analysis of facilities condition data.
   • Continually evaluate and monitor the quality of operations, engineering, and maintenance work to ensure effective expenditure of university funds; audit for quality assurance and monitor the delivery of operations, engineering, and maintenance services to ensure that consistency is maintained and that the published Standards of Service are met.
   • Participate in the preparation of unit’s Requests for Proposal (RFP) in conjunction with Facilities colleagues and Procurement Services.
   • Negotiate to engage, manage, and monitor external contractors.
   • Ensure that a lifecycle management plan for maintenance and periodic renewal of facilities operations and maintenance equipment is in place and effectively managed.
   • Represent the AVP (Facilities) when required on facilities operations and maintenance services related issues.
   • Oversee or participate in projects, committees, and other initiatives for Facilities and in the university community as required.
3. Quality Management
   • Develop and deliver an operations, engineering, and maintenance services Quality Management Program for the university community and stakeholders.
   • Manage the quality of client service delivery by establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and review and evaluate performance to ensure that established KPIs are achieved and adapted to drive quality improvement on an ongoing basis.
   • Be the ambassador for the delivery of operations, engineering, and maintenance services in the university community and as such, be responsible for client relationship management and negotiation; this has a direct impact on the university clients and KPIs and the working relationship that binds them together.
   • Utilize KPIs and related metrics to assess and operationalize efficiency improvements within the operations, engineering, and maintenance unit’s delivery service model.
   • Lead the development and ongoing review of a strategic plan creating long-term and annual performance targets for operations, engineering, and maintenance services.
   • Address systemic barriers to delivering quality service and implement methods/solutions to improve service across the university.

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