Director of Campus Operations, Oakland

Northeastern University; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision & Dental coverage

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Wellness program

Retirement plan

Commuting & transportation

Job summary

Northeastern University in Oakland is seeking a Director of Campus Operations to provide leadership across facilities, campus life, and infrastructure, ensuring alignment with the university’s mission and priorities.

Reporting to the Dean of the Oakland Campus, you will coordinate operations, drive continuous improvement, manage cross‑functional partnerships, and promote service excellence, safety, and sustainability for students, staff, and faculty.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with 8–10 years leading large-scale projects.
• Experience managing internal/external stakeholders and senior leadership collaboration.
• Advanced degree or professional credential desirable in higher education.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders to align facilities operations with university priorities.
• Lead initiatives to improve quality, efficiency and campus services.
• Develop and monitor performance metrics for service quality and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee daily campus operations, building services, maintenance and infrastructure.
• Support emergency preparedness, business continuity, and resilience planning.
• Mentor managers and staff, fostering growth and engagement.
• Promote equity, inclusion, and collaboration across teams.

Skills

Change management

Facilities operations

Blueprint reading (MEP)

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Advanced degree desirable

Job description

About the Opportunity

Job Summary

The Director of Campus Operations provides leadership, coordination, and direction across a broad portfolio of operational functions that support the university’s mission and daily campus life. Reporting to the Dean of the Oakland Campus, this role ensures the effective planning, execution, and continuous improvement of campus operations, infrastructure and initiatives. Serves as a strategic partner and operational leader, aligning resources, systems, and processes to promote efficiency, sustainability, and service excellence. Working collaboratively with institutional partners, the Senior Director of Campus Operations & Strategy leads efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of campus facilities and services, ensuring that both the physical environment and service delivery reflect the university’s mission and priorities.

Minimum Qualification

• Experience with change management and facilities operations management.
• Ability to read and interpret architectural blueprints, mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) drawings, and site plans to support campus operations and capital projects is a plus.
• Knowledge and skills required are typically acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree or equivalent, plus at least 8 to10 years of experience that includes leading and delivering complex large-scale projects and partnerships, often managing a range of internal and external stakeholders as well as significant interaction with senior leadership teams. An advanced degree or professional credential is desirable as is experience in higher education.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Partner with institutional and departmental leaders to align facilities operations and campus life with university priorities and long-term campus strategies.
• Support specific Dean's Office initiatives designed to integrate campus infrastructure with student, staff and faculty experiences.
• Lead initiatives that improve the quality, efficiency, and experience of campus operations, facilities, and services.
• Provide data-informed recommendations that support decision-making, resource allocation, and operational excellence.
• Develop and monitor key performance metrics that measure effectiveness, service quality, and customer satisfaction.

Operational Coordination & Delivery

• Oversee cross-functional coordination of daily campus operations, ensuring that building services, maintenance, and infrastructure systems run smoothly and responsively.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance service delivery, reduce costs, and minimize disruptions of campus activities.
• Ensure compliance with university standards, safety regulations, and sustainability commitments.
• Support emergency preparedness, business continuity, and operational resilience planning.

Partnership & Communication

• Build strong relationships with Facilities, Campus Planning, Sustainability, Residential Life, Provost Office, and other university stakeholders to promote collaboration and shared accountability.
• Communicate operational priorities, performance outcomes, and strategic updates to senior leadership.
• Champion a culture of service, accountability, and continuous improvement across campus operations teams.

Talent & Organizational Development

• Mentor and guide managers and staff, fostering professional growth and high performance.
• Promote equity, inclusion, and engagement in all aspects of team and departmental operations.
• Lead efforts to strengthen internal communication and knowledge sharing within facilities and campus operations.

Position Type

Facilities

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.