Executive Director, Operations

University of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 145,000 - 242,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Toronto seeks an Executive Director to lead facility operations across the Spaces & Experiences portfolio, including Residence Operations, University Family Housing, and Transportation Services. You will coordinate with Real Estate on new Four Corners projects and ensure liveability, cost effectiveness, and sustainability in daily operations.

The role requires a decade of senior facilities leadership, strategic planning, and strong financial and contractual management capabilities,

Qualifications

• Must have 10 years’ progressively responsible experience overseeing a large facilities operation.
• Experience managing housing in a post-secondary setting preferred.
• Strong strategic leadership, financial and language literacy skills.
• Experience in contract management and project management.
• Experience with residential development from design to construction.

Responsibilities

• Develop an organizational structure and strategy for Residential and Commercial property management services that is cost effective and scalable.
• Oversee building operations, capital maintenance, and sustainability initiatives for the portfolio.
• Lead operations liaison for new Four Corners development projects with Real Estate and project partners.
• Direct Transportation, University Family Housing Admissions and Community Development teams and drive service excellence.
• Collaborate with Facilities and Services to ensure safety, training, and compliance across operations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Financial literacy

Team leadership

Negotiation

Project management

Education

University degree in architecture, engineering, business

Tools

Microsoft Office

Scheduling software

Job description

Description

The Executive Director is the senior executive in charge of facility operations and services in the Spaces & Experiences (S&E) portfolio, and leads the teams in Residence Operations, University Family Housing, and Transportation Services, as well as providing day to day direction to the Commercial Property Management team.

Working under the general direction of the Assistant Vice-President, and in close partnership with the Real Estate team, the incumbent has a broad and complex set of responsibilities in support of efficient and cost effective facility operations and building services, capital and operational planning, and project implementation for the existing facilities in the portfolio, as well as acting as lead operations liaison for new Four Corners (4C) development projects; ensuring that project planning and development work considers all aspects of future operation, including liveability/useability, cost effective operation, sustainability and other key objectives. The ED also plays a leadership role in tenant and community relations associated with Family Housing operations and new planned housing developments, steering complex issues through to resolution.

The incumbent is responsible for:

• Development of an organizational structure and strategy for Residential and Commercial property management services on the St. George campus that is cost effective, scalable, and resilient.
• Overseeing all aspects of building operations and capital maintenance for the facilities in the portfolio, including student residences (4+), multi-family residential buildings (2+), houses (87), dining halls (7), parking facilities (10+), commercial spaces and mixed‑use spaces (8+) in the S&E portfolio. Develops strategies to prioritize and address deferred maintenance and optimize cost and quality of maintenance programs and building services. Leads the implementation of benchmarking initiatives, and programs to measure sustainability impacts of capital expenditures. Champions divisional projects that reduce energy consumption and support the University’s climate positive action plan.
• Acting as the divisional operations liaison for new 4Corners development projects. Works closely with the Real Estate team, senior S&E stakeholders and project partners to develop and refine project plans with future operations in mind. Assigns team members to project committees based on needs of project and understanding of S&E’s operational and strategic objectives.
• Overseeing and setting the strategic direction for the University Family Housing Admissions and Community Development teams, and the Transportation team.
• Directing, leading, guiding and managing a large, diverse, and complex facilities operation; organizing and reorganizing work of teams and service providers as needed to meet service and financial needs, and ensuring that staff at all levels are motivated and engaged.
• Working closely with colleagues in Facilities and Services (F&S) to ensure compliance with training, safety and code requirements, leverage campus-wide contracts, access technical expertise, and for general advice on facilities matters.
• Determining appropriate service and staffing models for building operations and services for each area in the portfolio, based on the needs of stakeholders and clients. Overseeing complex vendor relationships, legislative compliance, preventive maintenance and contract administration functions related to facility operations. May occasionally lead formal procurement processes for key contracts.

Essential Qualifications

I. EDUCATION:

University degree in architecture, engineering, business, or acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience. Certification in Facilities Management an asset.

II. EXPERIENCE:

Must have 10 years’ progressively responsible experience overseeing a large facilities operation, including responsibility for housing, ideally in a post‑secondary or comparable institution. Exceptional strategic leadership, financial and language literacy skills required, as well as experience managing and motivating a large team in a unionized environment. Experience with development of residential projects, from design to construction, preferred. Project management and contract management experience preferred. Demonstrated success implementing significant change and leading continuous improvement initiatives. Experience in contract management, business plan preparation and presentation.

III. SKILLS:

Strong computer skills with working experience and familiarity with information technologies (e.g., advanced skills in Microsoft Office, email, Internet and scheduling software).

IV. OTHER:

Innovative thinker with an appetite for creative problem‑solving and entrepreneurial spirit. Collaborative decision‑maker with outstanding communication skills and charisma. Demonstrated ability to drive service excellence through customer‑centric approach to operations. Good organizational skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure. Must have good motivational, organizational, administrative, and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated negotiation skills. Project management skill is a key component of this position.

Location

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Closing Date

09/29/2026,11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Personnel Subarea:PM
Appointment Type: Ancillary Operations
Schedule: Full‑Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:PM 7 -- Hiring Zone: $145,219 - $169,423 -- Broadband Salary Range: $145,219 - $242,032
Job Category: Facilities/Ancillary Services

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. Westrongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples,Black and racialized persons, women, persons withdisabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP .

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.
The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.
If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [e-mail] .