Associate Director of Facilities Management, Penn GSE

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 93,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Professional development

Job summary

The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) seeks an Associate Director of Facilities Management to lead space planning, operations, and maintenance across campus facilities. This on-site leadership role reports to the Director of Fiscal Operations and supervises one Facilities Manager.

Responsibilities include coordinating capital projects, managing building systems, safety programs, and sustainability initiatives while collaborating with FRES, DPS, EHRS, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5–7 years of facilities management experience in higher education or similar.
• Strong organizational and time-management capabilities in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency with facilities operations software and space management tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead space planning, capital projects, and space data management.
• Direct daily building operations, safety, security, and service delivery.
• Oversee maintenance programs, building systems, and vendor coordination.
• Support major events and special projects for the school.
• Supervise Facilities Manager and interns; ensure accountability and service excellence.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

AIM

FreshService

Excel

PowerPoint

Tririga

Robin

Momentus

Visio

Job description

Associate Director of Facilities Management, Penn GSE

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer inPhiladelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research,and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranksamong the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & WorldReport survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provideopportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education,all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been rankednationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbeswho named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city ofPhiladelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urbancampus, 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

Associate Director of Facilities Management, Penn GSE

Job Profile Title

Manager, Facilities

Job Description Summary

The Facilities Department plays a critical role in supporting this mission by ensuring safe, efficient, and well-maintained environments for faculty, staff, students, and visitors. The department oversees a broad portfolio of services including capital planning, construction and renovations, space planning, building operations and maintenance, safety and security, sustainability initiatives, and operational support services.

Penn GSE occupies approximately 120,000 square feet across multiple university-owned buildings (3700 Walnut Street, Stiteler Hall, Solomon Labs) and one leased property (3440 Market Street).

The Associate Director of Facilities Management reports to the Director of Fiscal Operations, works closely with the Vice Dean for Administration, and supervises one Facilities Manager.

**This is an essential, fully on-site position and is not eligible for hybrid work.*

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Space Planning & Capital Projects: Partner withsenior leadership and Facilities & Real Estate Services (FRES)to plan and execute renovations, capital improvements, and spaceoptimization initiatives aligned with strategic priorities; Provideongoing guidance on space allocation, including faculty and staffonboarding/offboarding and management of shared "hoteling" spaces;Maintain accurate space data, including databases and floor plans;Support lease negotiations and management for 3440 Market Street(office and storage space); Communicate clearly with stakeholdersregarding space availability, constraints, and planning decisions;Oversee office moves and relocations, including furnitureprocurement, vendor coordination, and inventory management.
• Operations & Building Services: Direct dailybuilding operations, including housekeeping, security, and servicedelivery, ensuring high standards and timely issue resolution;Respond to emergencies, coordinate with internal and externalpartners, and ensure clear communication with stakeholders; Developand maintain operational procedures related to safety, security,and continuity planning; Oversee access control systems, keymanagement, and security protocols in collaboration with PublicSafety; Manage housekeeping services, including performanceoversight, inspections, and special project coordination; Supervisemail services, package handling, and shipping operations;Collaborate with university partners (FRES, DPS, EHRS, and others)and represent GSE on cross-functional committees.
• Maintenance & Building Systems: Oversee preventivemaintenance, repairs, and seasonal work across all facilities;Partner with FRES to ensure timely and high-quality completion ofwork orders and capital projects; Monitor and analyze maintenanceand housekeeping costs to ensure accuracy and identifyinefficiencies; Develop working knowledge of building systems(HVAC, electrical, etc.) to support troubleshooting and effectivecoordination with technical teams; Conduct regular inspections toidentify and resolve operational, maintenance, and safety issues;Coordinate utility shutdowns and minimize disruption to academicand administrative operations; Communicate service interruptionsand repair timelines clearly to building occupants; Overseecontractors, trades, and vendors to ensure quality and compliance;Support onboarding of new employees with workspace setup andlogistics; Participate in sustainability initiatives, includingwaste reduction and energy conservation programs; Provide on-callsupport for emergencies, off-hours issues, and major events.
• Events & Special Projects: Support major schoolevents (e.g., graduation, conferences, open houses), includingoccasional evening and weekend coverage; Lead or contribute tospecial projects and continuous improvement initiatives thatenhance operational efficiency and user experience.
• Leadership & Supervision: Supervise and develop theFacilities Manager and student intern, including hiring, training,and performance management; Provide functional oversight ofhousekeeping, service mechanics and security personnel; Foster aculture of accountability, responsiveness, service excellence, andproactive problem-solving; Serve as backup to the FacilitiesManager as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years of relevant experience infacilities management, preferably in higher education, or anequivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-pacedenvironment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage several types of stakeholders
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability, sound judgment, and a commitment to high-quality service
• Proven reliability and ability to operate independently while collaborating effectively across teams
• Proficiency with facilities and operational systems, including:
  • Microsoft Excel (advanced functions such as pivot tables and data analysis)
  • PowerPoint
  • Work order and ticketing systems (e.g., AIM, FreshService)
  • Space management systems (e.g., Tririga)
  • Scheduling tools (e.g., Robin, Momentus)
  • Floor plan software (e.g., Visio)
• Willingness to adopt and leverage new technologies to improveefficiency and service delivery

*All applicants must submit a cover letter along with their CV detailing their interest in the position. The CV section allows formultiple uploads

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Graduate School of Education

Pay Range

$92,592.00 - $100,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications,experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to therequirements of the position, and in alignment with salary rangesbased on external market data for the job's level. Internalorganization 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), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements

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

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Pennoffers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health,dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and yourfamily's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spendingaccounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent careexpenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuitionbenefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can gettuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are alsoeligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans tohelp you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, andSupplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on apre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investmentoptions through TIAA and Vanguard.
• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with asubstantial amount of time away from work during the course of theyear. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personalaffairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time withfamily-whatever your personal needs may be.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with GenworthFinancial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible familymembers) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of thecosts of long-term care services received at home, in the communityor in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, youwon't have to provide proof of good health or be subject tounderwriting requirements. Eligible family members must alwaysprovide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed tosupporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competingdemands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a widevariety of programs and resources to help you care for your health,your family, and your work-life balance.
• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides anarray of resources to help you advance yourself personally andprofessionally.
• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community,you have access to a wide range of University resources as well ascultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of theUniversity's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit ourarboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on atPenn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latestmusic or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the PennRelays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a memberof the Penn community, you're right in the middle of theexcitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of theseactivities for free.
• Discounts and Special Services: From arts andentertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find greatdeals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts andcultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admissionand memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoysubstantial savings on other goods and services such as new carsfrom Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movietickets, and admission to theme parks.
• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offercreative approaches for completing work while promoting balancebetween work and personal commitments. These approaches involve useof non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or jobstructures.
• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivableloan for eligible employees interested in buying a home orcurrently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used forclosing costs or home improvements.
• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligibleemployees on qualified expenses in connection with the legaladoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for upto two adoptions in your household.

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